By Minakshi Jaiswal
Interior Designer & Sub-editor
Varna is a Sanskrit word for colors. Color can influence our emotions, our actions and how we respond to various people, things and ideas. Much has been studied and written about color and its impact on our daily lives.
The Trinity of Primary Colors
There are three primary colors unfolded in the white light. These are Red, Yellow and Blue. These colors correspond with the three basic elements - hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The three-fold power of the Primary Colors makes a direct energy contribution towards our physical, mental and spiritual development.
The Blue Ray (cooling) is assimilated by the spiritual center in the head. It awakens within knowledge of divinity. We WILL in blue - INTENTION. The Yellow Ray stimulates mental growth by way of the brain. We THINK in yellow - WISDOM. The Red Ray (thermal) provides sustenance for the physical body, gaining entrance by way of the breath. We FEEL in red - ACTIVITY.
Figure - Every Varna symbolize a meaning.
Color trends change every year, usually just a slight variation from the year before with a few new colors thrown in to add some excitement. The interior color trends for 2011 won’t be any different as we’ll see a lot of variations on colors trends from 2010 with a couple of surprises.
Grays will be a neutral color in 2011 used to balance deeper, more saturated and interesting color shades. Expect to see grays ranging from almost white to very dark and every shade in between, quite often with hints of blue and green. Gray hues will not only be used in paint and wall colors but will be very popular for furniture and fabrics in 2011.
Purples were the exciting accent color a couple years ago, now they’re moving into the mainstream and will be as common as blue was in the 1980s and 1990s. True purples will still be considered a bold move but lighter shades of violet; darkened mauve and raisin tones and bluer purple tones will be standard and very common in all interior decorating elements.
Speaking of blues, they’re making an interior decorating come back and in a big way. Turquoise and ice blue have been popular for a while but now a truer shade of blue is finding its way into home décor. Blue and white prints and plaids are very hot and can even be mixed together by skilled home decorators.
Greens are taking two opposite directions when it comes to interior decorating. Look for green that moves into an olive hue or even something that leans further into the browns. And then on the other end of the spectrum you’ll see greens that are heading into the teal shades. It’s almost impossible to get these colors to play well together so if you’re going to go green you’re going to have to pick.
Accent Colors - As mentioned before there are usually a couple new colors that are thrown into the mix to add an exciting element to interior decorating color schemes. A true purple has been the accent color for a few years and is continuing to be an attention getter. Yellow has always found its way into home decorating schemes but now you’re going to see a darker or richer yellow emerging as a sunny accent color. Pink has been popular for a while and will probably actually grow in its acceptance, especially very saturated pinks.
