With the long winter finally over, the world around us is slowly revealing its diverse colors. Gone are the days of the grayish piercing winds, as the gentle ivory spring breeze blows and the once frozen soil welcomes the growth of green sprouts. We visually encounter the warm spring breeze that helps to relax our body which remained stiff all winter long, through our clothes, food and the nature. As your heart also changes with the changing season, what color will fill your heart this spring? 

The Power of Color 

Color is a type of an electromagnetic wavelength that comes from the solar light energy. Among the various light energy sources, the only spectrum that is visible to the human eye is called the “visible light”, which includes all the colors that we see and use in our daily lives. The inherent wavelength of colors has a psychological, physical and emotional impact on people. We can know about the personality or information of an individual by the colors he or she express or reveal. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that colors reflect our lives as they deliver energy to all aspects of our lives. Everyone is probably familiar with the colors representing different seasons. When people were asked about  which color(s) comes to their mind when thinking about spring, the overwhelming answers were “yellow”, “green” and “pink”. 

Pink: Mild Warmth

Pink exudes the energy of warm maternal love and self-love, often referred to as the anti-depressant color for making feel gentle and warm. There is baby pink evoking cherry blossoms, old rose with an old analog feel, coral pink suggestive of corals that live in groups, and hot pink giving off a very powerful and unique charm. All these colors fall under “pink color” category that are often found around us. A pink candy may look sweeter than a white candy, and a pinkish fragrance seems to exude more warmth and love than other fragrances. When we think about an unrealistic imagination or a dream, we often picture building blocks of pink clouds. The gentleness of pink is the power of love, the unconditional power of love and acceptance which are the fundamental and the ultimate foundation of our lives. Studies have shown that when the interior of prisons and interrogation rooms in the U.S. was changed to pink walls in the 1950s, violent behaviors of prisoners were reduced and the incidence of accidents decreased. Pink generously pours out the energy that evokes the power of love.

Yellow: Bright and Powerful Energy

Yellow is the brightest color of all. Its gives the land and life a sense of vitality and warmth and allows them to look into the future. Yellow, such as dazzling sunlight, means "self," and may come to you as attractive when you have deep concerns and doubts about your self-confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, people tend to find yellow appealing, when they are eager to explore new knowledge or curious about new fields. Therefore yellow can be interpreted as a color of commitment, change, and challenge. Yellow can be used in conference rooms or dining rooms because it has the energy to activate brain activity or promote digestion (also helps relieve constipation!). If you apply the yellow color that brings understanding and clarity to the space, even a room that doesn't get sunlight can look bright and refreshing.

Studies have also shown that people are mostly likely to ask directions to people wearing yellow on the street when they are lost. This means that yellow has a positive effect on boosting familiarity and favorability in unfamiliar environments. Why don’t you try to look for “yellows” that are used around you? You may find much more than you think!

Green: Embracing Nature

Green is a natural color, ranging from the light green of the newly growing leaf of grass in the spring to the dark green of the dense forest in late summer. This color holds the energy of harmony and balance, giving a rest and comfort to the mentally and physically exhausted. When the yellowish-brown soil once dry is filled with spring energy, pale green sprouts raise their head above the ground all over the place, and some of them squeeze through the asphalt cracks to grow green. 

This new life begins to grow slowly in its place. This is the time when the most stable color of all the colors in the world is born. The color that comes to mind when you think of the green color of spring is light green of soft shoots. A lively, bright-tone light green helps relieve your anxiety.

Light green, which is likely to be fragile because it is the color of soft leaves, has the ability to develop affinity with the surrounding human relationships and reality and complement itself to make the world it belongs perfect. The green energy, which survives the long harsh winter, has more vitality than any other color, which makes the green’s healing power truly remarkable. 

There are historical records that in ancient Rome, eye glasses were made with flat trimmed emeralds to reduce eye fatigue. In fact, green, slightly darker grayish than the standard green, reduces eye fatigue, so it is applied to school blackboards or surgical rooms. "I don’t and can't hope for any more. Therefore, I always put green wallpaper on my room,” wrote the great literary figure Goethe, the author of the Theory of Color trilogy.

Spring: Pastel Color 

Spring put on a festival of pastel-tone colors that give off more beauty when combined together than when alone. The Rococo period in Europe is also known for the pastel-tone era, where the bright pastel colors - a rare mixture of colors, rather than pure dye- were specially treated as a symbol of the superiority of the royal palace and the nobility. The pastel tone, a.k.a. “pale tone”, has  "the meaning of clear primary colors expanding in a more positive manner” psychologically. 

The psychology involves wanting to gently unlock the positive energy within ourselves. When we feel generous, a wave of pastel color form within us, resulting in more consideration and care, a thoughtful look and action vis a vis others. On the contrary, when we feel empty heart, and do not feel a positive light in a pastel color, then we may be unconsciously wanting to reveal more vitality and immersive power, and the vivid personality takes place within us.  

Depending on the characteristics of the space, various colors can be used to convey the right energy to people at the right time. So why not try using light green or mint colors to enhance friendly and stable ambience in the public spaces or rest areas in the company? And soft yellow colors to promote digestion in the food & beverage spaces where people eat meals or snacks?

Written by Hui-Sung Lim, Color Therapist