Color Works LLC

Playing with this neat color search lab is full of inspiration in and of itself! Enjoy seeing the power of colors in various settings. Our favorite was this beautiful butterfly.

Find your must-have color or piece of inspiration at Multicolr Search Lab - Id&e Inc. - StumbleUpon

We can thank Magenta, Italy, a quiet town outside Milan, for the name of the color that isn’t really any color at all, but a trick of the eyes. And, actually, it’s probably the French not the Italians we should be thanking. To be honest, it’s all a little confusing, but we’ll try to sort it out!

First, let’s take a look at the event that catapulted Magenta into infamy: The Battle of Magenta, fought on the outskirts of the town during the Second Italian War of Independence. Some historians say the Battle of Magenta was a turning point in the war. That’s all well and good, of course - but how did the color magenta get its name from this battle, what do the French have to do with it, and what was that about it not being a color at all?

As it turns out, the town of Magenta, and the eponymous battle was fought the same year that a synthetic aniline dye called fuchsine was invented. In fact, it was the first synthetic dye ever made - prior to this, all dyes had come from natural sources such as plants, animals and minerals. But as handmade rugs from the East gained popularity, the need for cheaper dyes that could be produced easily became a priority. Want to learn even more, visit Sensational Color's full write-up at http://ht.ly/3gxZR.

Want some great colors and ideas to create a stunning tablescape for your big Thanksgiving Day feast? Look no further for inspiration than these gorgeous and simple options! The best part? Each of these themes would look stunning on your walls as well!

As always, mother nature has the best ideas for colors. If you ever thought you couldn't use green at Thanksgiving, the first picture in the link below will have you thinking again!

Our favorite? The acorn - simple, classy and understated. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Thanksgiving Decor - iVillage

You don't have to be afraid of going dark with your decor and interior design. The spaces in these photos work a little black magic for a look that's sophisticated, seductive, and sure to make a dramatic statement in any season. Check out the full slideshow from House Beautiful at the link below!

Black Home Decor - Ideas for Decorating with Black - House Beautiful

Psychology
This cheery and warm color is bright enough to still get people's attentions. It comes as no surprise that Post-Its utilizes this color to attract attention without alarming the recipient, like the color red. As with orange, yellow can increase metabolism and is often found in fast food restaurants.

Color Therapy
Yellow is associated with the following qualities:

Color Help From Benjamin Moore and $10,000 Dining Room Makeover From Pottery Barn
This post is just a major FYI! If you've been trying to convince your significant other, your pet, your kids, or even yourself that it's time to redesign your dining room, this is the perfect time to do it!

Pottery Barn is offering up $10,000 worth of their products and Benjamin Moore will gift you the color consultation, paint, and labor for your dining room if you're the lucky winner. All you have to do is enter by November 1, 2010.

Here are the details, how and where to enter. (Image via Pottery Barn)

Benjamin Moore has teamed up with Pottery Barn for years bringing out the fab color choices in their catalog each season. Did you know you can see all the tempting colors in the catalog and get a seasonal fan deck from Benjamin Moore right here?

Get signed up today!

Color Psychology
A primary color. Red is known, as a bold color, to get the strongest's reaction from people and so is utilized heavily to gain attention — stop signs, advertisements ..etc. Red relays the message to ACT NOW.

It's effect can be overpowering and too strong for some, but as an accent, red can provide a necessary punch to provide energy in a space.

Color Therapy
Red is associated with the following qualities:

• Courage
• Strength
• Vitality
• Vigor
• Ambition
• Alert
• Sexuality
• Willpower
• Aggressiveness

The benefits of using red, through color therapy, include:

• Overcoming negative thoughts
• A sense of power
• Self-confidence
• A feeling of security

As a bold color, red can stimulate and excite the senses and inspire action. Color is also associated with being connected to the physical self.

Color and Culture
In America, red is a passionate color as its significance can range from love (red roses) to fighting/blood/heroism ("seeing red").

In China and India, red is the traditional color of bridal dresses and symbolizes purity.

In some parts of Africa the color red is representative of mourning, while in Central Africa the Ndembu warriors rub red onto themselves during celebrations (heroism).


Color in Spirituality
For some Native Americans, red beads were used to evoke the red spirit to ensure long life, a speedy recovery, success in love and other ambitions in life that could put these strong properties to good use.

Red is, of course, the color of blood and is therefore the liturgical color for the commemoration of martyred saints. Red is also used as the liturgical color for Pentecost.

In the Tibetan culture, red is a scared color — one of the colors of the five Buddhas and seen on monk's robes. It is also believed to be protective and sacred buildings are, as a result, painted red.

Those who study yoga may be familiar with the sanskrit word chakra, which means "wheel" or "turning." According to Indian medicine, there are seven major wheel-like energy vortices throughout the body. The base, or root chakra, is symbolized by the color red and is believed to ground individuals to the earth; a physical chakra.

Color. The psychology of color, color therapy, the cultural significance of color, color in spirituality — color is very significant and many people are afraid to utilize it for fear of creating an unwanted effect, not sure what colors to use ... etc. Color Works can help get over that hump and effectively use color to help make a house feel more like a home.

Here's a quick look into:

Color Psychology
This is the study of color as it affects human behavior. Some examples include blue as an appetite suppressant (great for plates) and oranges and yellows to stimulate the appetite (these colors are often found in fast food restaurants).

Color Therapy
For thousands of years the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese have studied and applied the affects of color to treat ailments in the body. Today it's better understood that each color's vibration has different qualities, or attributes, that allow the body to heal itself, whether it be through the stimulation and production of certain hormones or by influencing certain emotions.

Color and Culture
One color does not mean the same thing to all people. Let's use death as an example: For Americans we think black, but in China white signifies death but in Brazil purple represents death. In this section we'll uncover some of the cultural significance of color.

Color in Spirituality
Much of the varying degrees of color symbolism between cultures can likely be pointed back to that culture's spiritual background. Within this section we'll provide some insight to a particular hue's significance in spirituality.

The answer is yes, but with many caveats. The big color trend we are seeing in wallpaper is grays. Gone are the days of the “big yellow flowers with bird” print in your grandmother's bathroom, even though Pottery Barn is losing a lot of their market by trying to revitalize some of these patterns. What we are seeing is wallpaper that looks like faux finish paint, such as the sample above.

In addition, damask prints are back, but they are far from the English countryside patterns you are used to seeing. I have included a new damask print below for you to see a sample of what the latest patterns are looking like. Both the grays and damask prints are also sufficiently conservative to last beyond the "fad" cycle and stand up for a few more years than most trends.

An important note on geography: Most wallpaper in the Southwest is being placed in powder rooms. This helps create a small space, which creates a sense of security when guests are using this little important room. In addition, this rooms does not typically house a tub/shower to emit steam and challenge the glue of the wallpaper. If you are going to use wallpaper in a full bathroom, make sure and use your fan religiously or keep the doors/windows wide open. Many a manufacture will claim that their paper will “stand up to humidity,” but to obtain the best longevity from your wallpaper, make sure and stick by the rule of keeping the area well ventilated with little-to-no steam.

A wide variety of colors are found in nature, which can be invigorating and serve as an inspiration point for the creation of your paint color palette. Rather than focusing on all the various landscapes across our great continent, focus on your part of the country.

Here in the Southwest, you will find cacti greens, bright reds from cacti flowers, the bright pinks of the Bougainvillea, and rich purples found in Lantana. By the same token, the rust color of the dirt found in Sedona and even latte color of the sand on the Valley’s floor provide a great neutral palette. The best part of living in the desert is the ability to bring the outdoors in and indoors out through transitional living.

Regardless of whether you living in a warm climate, how do you create a seamless transition from the exterior to interior of your home? Through the use of color on the largest feature in your home, which is the walls. While you can delve into the deeper shades of the hues mentioned above, you can also choose small percentages of each hue to make a more “quiet” and harmonious palette. A subtle yellow or sage green allows for the perfect merging of nature and your habitat.

Whether you find yourself in Seattle or Saratoga, let the great outdoors be your guide!

Did you know that a gallon of paint can cost you up to $40? Your wall finish on either the interior or exterior of your home has the ability to create the greatest impression, as it is largest physical part of any property. However, painting all those surfaces can also add up quickly.

Good news! Did you also know that Color Works has already set up accounts with many paint retailers, such as Frazee, Dunn Edwards and Sherwin Williams? Unlike other color companies, we pass those savings on directly to you. How does that happen? When your color consultation is complete, we will provide you with the appropriate codes for whichever paint manufacture you are using. Then, when you or your painter purchase your paint, you will receive a 20-35% discount! This alone typically pays for the cost of your Certified Color Consultation!

When it comes to home decorating, not everyone has the time or money to makeover an entire room, let alone a whole house! But don't fret! You don't have to spend a lot of cash to spice up a room and give it a fresh look.

This is just the first of what will be hundreds of tips very soon!

Are you stuck on what color to paint a room or one wall? You know you want to try something, but you are remembering when you tried it and it just didn't turn out how you thought it would, and that was the fourth can of non-returnable paint.

Try paying $4.95 at Behr.com for their downloadable color program! This will allow you to upload any picture of your home and "paint" the walls. They have a button for taping, a button for any tool you would use while paiting and it is quite fast. You can make it as precise or as simple as you like.

The paint colors you choose will vary from the store swatch based on your monitor's settings, but if you are looking for a broad-stroke approach, pardon the pun, this is worth every cent and will save you hundreds of pennies buying multiple paint cans!

The downside? You can only choose Behr paint colors.

Avoiding a rainbow overdose is key. “Color is important to me, but in sparse ways,” says homeowner Una Damon. Her instinct is echoed in the light-handed approach of architects Toni Lewis and Marc Schoeplein. Too much color, says Lewis, and you can end up with “a funhouse-looking home.”