Color therapy

White…the color of innocence and purity.  Red…the color of fire and passion. Blue….the color of the sky and the sea….

Can a color impact my mood? Is is an accident that hospital walls are painted pale green (lowers blood pressure) or soft blue (relaxes and soothes)?

Can a bright yellow space make me hyper?  According to Marie-Chantal Milette, Founder of Kryptonite, The Color Agency, the answer is yes.  Milette’s company advises brands on smart color choices – like choosing red for a restaurant’s branding to stimulate appetite. Having studied the impact of colors all her life, Milette uses her knowledge to help brands reach their target audience with the right colors.

Milette on the color red: “People who favor red tend to be passionate and intense. And red causes everyone’s heart to beat faster – even people who are color-blind – because it has the longest electromagnetic wavelength of any color, and it stimulates the brain to release hormones.”

I grew up surrounded by crimson red. The foundation of every room in our home was a handcrafted Persian rug with a traditional color combination of ruby red + navy.  It seems that blue and red are a perfect combination – blue evokes calm and tranquility and red is the color of energy and passion.  My childhood home – with six children and a myriad of pets, was a chaotic one, and yet welcoming and peaceful.

Did the rugs have anything to do with the mood in the house? Is it a coincidence that Presidents and Prime Ministers across the globe wear a uniform of a navy suit with a red tie?