While walking through a Barnes & Noble, I came across a book that spoke to me, actually quite loudly. As I flipped through the book, my soul whispered, "These are my colors, the colors of my soul." I headed straight to the counter with my arms wrapped tightly around this book, and have to date logged countless hours just gazing at the beautiful photographs of Tricia Guild's country cottage in Tuscany. That was one of the first times I realized that colors speak.
When I designed and built my home, I chose sea colors that drift through the entire house, guiding you from a crisp blue, to aqua, to lime green. The relaxing colors have earned many compliments over the years. But for some reason, I painted the living room off white and I hated it. My soul hated it. I sat watching TV at night with my arms crossed over my chest. The day came three years later that I called one of the painters and ask her to come. I went to Home Depot, looked at paint charts, picked one without any fuss or indecision (it was Behr Asparagus), and when she worked her magic we were all amazed. The white trim popped. The dark furniture popped. It was Spring in that room and has been everyday since. Even if there is snow outside, it's Spring inside. I have never for one single moment felt uncomfortable in this room again.
Some time later, my dear friend Ann Osborne gave me a copy of an incredible book that she has always loved. Many of you remember Ann as a dealer at Lakewood 400 Antiques Market. Passionate about color, Ann and this book taught me that colors are so much more than ... well, color. Paint and color truly have a language of their own. In her heyday, she painted countless nurseries and murals, even being flown around the country. Ann thought nothing of repainting her lovely home inside room by room and was constantly rearranging furniture and adding new pieces. Everytime I would visit, her home had a new look! It was wonderful!
The adorable book Ann shared is Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill. This is a wonderful book for any artist, anyone who enjoys the wonders of color, and especially for children or grandchildren who are just learning about color. This book has been reprinted numerous times since 1961 and has been used in classrooms around the world, including many schools for the blind. It is a joy ...
Take a moment and
imagine what our world
would be like without color?
I love what the opening of the book says about what colors mean to us beyond the perceived...
Like acrobats on a high trapeze
The Colors pose and bend their knees
Twist and turn and leap and blend
Into shapes and feelings without end ...
I want to share with you a chapter from the book, my favorite color ... green.
Relax and just get lost in the incredible color green ...
What would we do without green? Would we have blue grass and a green sky? Or maybe we would have grass the color of pink flamingos and the sky would be yellow and the sun purple. I kind of think it's all perfect just the way God made it. What do you think?
Now think of your home...
Are the colors in your home the colors of your soul?
What is your favorite color or colors?
What color makes you more calm? More excited? More grounded?
The next time you shop the Lakewood 400 Antiques Market, think about the colors around you. Which ones are you drawn to? Do you see something that would bring serenity to your home, or maybe a little excitement? If so, that is an item you need to bring home with you.
Surround yourself with the colors of your soul and don't be afraid to change. Change is good, and the older you grow, you may find that you need more color in your life. I certainly do!
Enjoy,
jan
What better place to search for furniture or great accessories than at the Lakewood 400 Antiques Market! The Market is open the 3rd weekend every month and is a glorious treasure hunt sure to delight. You absolutely never know what you may find there! For info Click Here!
Jan Jones is a Designer, Artist, and the Author of
"Finding Me: A Motivational Journey of Discovery for Young People." Click Here
To go to the website www.janjones.design and jjd blog Click Here
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All photos are from Pinterest. Click Here for more info and credits.
