Color thy world
Pablo Picasso once said, “Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No. Just as one can never learn how to paint.” Well, I really hope the Spanish master really said this because it’s one of the coolest quotes about color, painting and, well, being Picasso.
It’s darn well mystifying how two or several colors have this ineffably strong connection. How umbers and siennas rock ‘n’ roll across the canvas. My friend, a drummer and budding painter, proudly showed me three of his newest abstracts composed of splotches of primary blues and yellows that may or not mean anything. Another friend, a writer and budding art critic, simply quipped, “I only see paint.”
She’s right: paint is just paint until you elevate it to something else.
The executives at Boysen would agree. For them, colors have their own distinct “personalities.” They call them the “magic ingredients that bring rooms to life,” creating the charm that a homeowner wants his or her space to exude.
Johnson Ongking, vice president of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines Inc., explains, “Color is really the first thing you notice when you enter a room — warmer, cooler, more dramatic, more relaxing. So, color has the power to influence emotions and affect moods.”
But he’s quick to add that it varies from person to person, depending on experience, culture and whatnot. The color of one’s shirt, shoes, bag, cell phone, or car — it’s part of the self-image, one of the means of self-expression, a calling card into a person’s, er, personality. George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld in that hit TV show of yore, “I happen to dress based on mood… This is Morning Mist.”
Ongking points out, “And just as clothing companies spend a lot of time and energy to make sure their fashion collections are up to date with the latest color trends, we thought we should provide the Filipino homeowner the same service.”
This is what Boysen Color Trend is all about: determining what colors would be the most influential in living spaces.
Based on the results of an extensive research project with international partners (with experience in projecting color trends in the global fashion, publishing, automotive, and telecommunications industries), Boysen is forecasting four color themes: Naturist, Kinetic, Avant-Garde and Perfectionist.
The people behind Boysen — which belongs to the Nova Paint Club, an international organization of leading paint companies from Europe, Asia, North America, and South America — compared notes with color experts all around the world so they could understand global lifestyle trends that were influencing color choices.
“So these four color palettes contain elements of what we’re seeing in the Philippines combined with what other color professionals are seeing in other parts of the world,” Ongking explains. “It’s how we as individuals are adapting our everyday lifestyles to the pressures of modern life.”
Some people enjoy the fast-paced lifestyle; they feel more energetic and prosperous. That’s captured by the Kinetic color theme. Look for key colors such as Vinyl Night, Cerise Street, Radioactive Orange, Cyber Police, Kinder Yellow and Tiffany Morning.
Some people feel a need to be in touch with their natural roots. That’s Naturist. Key colors: Thimbleberry, Rich Peat, Brunswick Forest, Granny Orchard, Turkish Marble and Raw Silk.
Some people crave for even more stimulation and want to push the boundaries further, be bolder. That’s Avant-Garde. Key colors: Vintage Fandango, Indie Ga Ga, Blue Curacao, Bermuda Courtyard, Electric Limerick and Salsa Night.
Some people want to find a more relaxing, comforting atmosphere in calming classic colors. That’s Perfectionist. Key colors: Gold Charms, Walking on Sunshine, Puffy Tutu, Sunday’s Best, Celestial Child and Cupid’s Bow.
Ongking concludes, “We’re hoping that however people see themselves and the world around them, these palettes can help them find the right colors to make their living spaces look good and make themselves feel good.”
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The four-color personalities are now available in more than 400 Boysen Mix and Match stations throughout the country.
