Something Personal from the Author
I have been working as a color expert for almost 25 years. I grew up in a family where the theme of color was central. You understand that I sometimes look at things differently than most people — and sometimes also philosophically at certain developments.
One of the things I notice is that when I look at home magazines, gray and white keep coming up. Often it is said: "We choose a neutral base and the color comes from the accessories."
But what fascinates me is how color appears in nature — and how we humans translate this.
When nature dies in autumn and winter, you see the color draining from nature. Gray, white, and black come more to the fore. In nature, these colors are associated with the dying process. Of course, there are animals that are gray or black — but that is camouflage. A leaf that falls from the tree turns gray and then black.
And here's the thing.
If these colors in nature are so connected to death and the dying process — why do we surround ourselves with these colors? Why do we make our living rooms gray, and buildings gray and black?
In spring, life begins, we say, and all of nature becomes colorful. But when choosing color for homes and buildings, we prefer to go for dead colors.
Are we afraid of color? Or are we afraid of life and colorful living? Or do we not quite dare — because we lack knowledge?
Mark Kotterink — color expert, Netherlands Color Institute
Related articles: