The Power of Color and the Written Word

I just saw the Mandela Day exhibit at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall.  The displays use several words that describe his life to make up a larger image of a word. It's a moving example of Mandela's life and also a great visual that got me thinking of design.

 

Color combined with fonts, characters, words, and symbols can be a creative and personal way to make your space special.  I once created an abstract work on canvas using brilliant oranges and reds and on the top third of the canvas, I quoted a favorite poem that inspired the piece. 

This can be a great solo project for some introspection or it can become a family project with words inspired by every member's words (even the cat-- "meow").  It's also a great way to encourage your kids to learn the alphabet and paint their own stencils on a designated wall in their own rooms.  Also, if you've been searching for the right way to introduce some more color into your space, this is a fantastic way to do it in a unique way.  Think about each word and what color it inspires.  In fact, to get started, visit this site for a paint from Benjamin Moore called Ben.  Ben is all about self expression and color and on the site, you can play with your own ideas of how colors and words relate to one another.

You can always try your hand at font stencils like these.  They're free and printable right at home.  If you're looking for something of a larger scale or very specific in font, etc. What Is Blik has prose decals you can customize, too.

 

If you choose to make it a family event, consider displaying the words you come up with in a room where you all gather like a fireplace wall in a great room or on a wall in the breakfast room.  My words right now would be every color of the rainbow and include "adventure, petite, giggle, phew, explore, burp, discover, wow, and yummy" (obviously inspired by my little one!).  What colors and words describe you and your home?

Comments

[Air Jordans]

Beautiful blog with great informational content. I have know a lot about this news ! TKS !

[Living in Color]

Hi Rachel! Ben is a value-packed, everyday premium Benjamin Moore waterborne interior paint offering. It is eco–sensitive: low odor and low VOC (at under 50 grams of VOCs per liter it meets the some of the country’s most stringent regulations which are in the Southcoast of California); Ben is part of Benjamin Moore's Green Promise™ portfolio and is tinted with Benjamin Moore's patented waterborne colorant system, ensuring no VOCs are added once colorant is introduced into the paint. It offers Benjamin Moore’s noted performance and is available in all of Benjamin Moore’s 3,400 + colors. Unlike AURA, which is the finest paint Benjamin Moore makes, a primer coat IS recommended with ben for most applications. Also, you mentioned Regal. Regal products are not part of the Green Promise™ portfolio and are tinted with the conventional colorant system. It's really important to think about the right product along with color as you've pointed out, so thanks for the question! Feel free to check out more info on ben at www.benjaminmoore.com/ben or call your local a&d rep or retailer (both can be located on the main www.benjaminmoore.com site, too).

[rachel]

here's a question i've been meaning to ask. As a color consultant, i use BM paint all the time. But this new line, "Ben" is confusing to me. How is it different from Regal, or Aura, or any of the other BM bases? Is it supposed to be a trendier, more cost-effective/scaled-back brand for those on a tighter budget, like United's "Ted"?