Monday, September 17, 2012

Finding Your True Colors Through Journaling


After I wrote the post the other day on embracing your personal favorite colors, I got to thinking.  How do we get back in touch with ourselves as related to decorating and design?  I mean, it's not like the deafening noise from blogs, catalogs, magazines, our mothers-in-law, and everybody else who feels entitled to opine on our design style has anything to do with our paralysis in choosing colors for our homes, right?

Soooo, I've been thinking on some good ways to help you arrive at colors that reflect your true and authentic self.  In your home, car, office, any place you are.

Like I talked about in my previous post, forget about what EVERYONE says and preaches to you about color. Wipe it right out of your head.  Now, get out a nice new journal, (or grab an old envelope if you're like me), and think back over your whole life.  Think about some of your favorite memories; places to which you have traveled, clothes that you wore, jewelry you owned, anything that you viewed as beautiful and that brought feelings of happiness to you.  Write it down.  In as much detail as possible. Nobody but you has to know it was the color of an old boyfriends eyes or the color of your 1968 Mustang.  (Oh wait. That's me.  But I digress.) 

After you get a pretty good list going, start looking for images to underpin your written ideas.  Look everywhere; not just on Pinterest or design blogs.  Take your phone or camera, get out, and look.  Capture images of the colors you love.  Now, print them out, stick them in your journal, or to an inspiration board.  Like this.



  Then marinate on the whole thing for a while.  This is not an overnight thing.  Color work is just like any other therapy.  It takes a while to get to the bottom but it's worth it. I promise you will enjoy this exercise!  And you will become more confident in your own style and ability to choose color.

If you do choose to consult a designer, (hopefully me!), you will then be prepared to discuss your favorite colors and you will have your wonderful color journal to assist you in communicating about them.

Now, go forth.  Dream, reminisce, wander about, photograph, and find your true colors!

3 comments:

Wanda S. Horton - Interior Designer said...

Carol, such a great guide for getting a color story together! And a fun way to do it, as well. Thanks for sharing the best tips! All my best - Wanda

Southern Chateau said...

Thanks Wanda!

Donna said...

And THIS is how we should choose color for our home! Colors that WE like not what our neighbors have or what retail shows us. Wish more Designers would do this but they are so into the "uppity-up" of Design and don't always put the client first. Excellent read Carol!