“They say geniuses pick green … but you didn’t pick it.”
Anyone who has seen the movie “Meet the Parents” likely remembers that line. For those of you who either didn’t see it or don’t recall, that’s what Jack Burns (played by Robert DeNiro) said about the color of the rental car his daughter’s boyfriend (played by Ben Stiller) was driving the first time they met. But whether or not it’s true that geniuses do pick green, there’s a lot to be said about color when it comes to design. Using color in interior spaces, for example, is a popular design choice and these days adding color to glass is something we’re starting to see a lot more of-for a lot of different reasons. 

Earlier this year Dreamwalls Colored Glass issued a press release on how designers are using chromotherapy principles in their designs. Mario Morales of Artesanos Design Group stated that chromotherapy proposes that colors have psychological temperatures, which bring about emotional reactions and responses … allowing the walls in the overall design of a space to not only add depth to a project, but also complement, connect and integrate the décor of the space itself into an all-inclusive design.

Likewise, a number of studies have been done about how colors can affect our emotions and well-being. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to interview John Blazy (CLICK HERE to read more in our online digital edition) who told me that architects often specify his color-changing Dichrolam product for use in children’s hospitals. “Architects specifically know that children love color-children love my product way more than adults,” Blazy said.

And, in its predictions for the most popular color choices for 2009 (2010 has not yet been announced) the Color Marketing Group listed its top choices as those influenced by both concern for the economy and optimism about the future.

“We’re finding comfort in colors that are familiar, and yet, at the same time, we’re embracing colors that make us happy — especially as accents,” says executive director, Jaime Stephens. “Also, the demand for colors and products that reflect an environmentally ‘greener’ world goes way beyond a trend. It’s now ‘a given.’ ”

And what were the group’s top picks? Purple, blue, browns and grays, yellow, bright accents from India, China, and Turkey (i.e., oranges, turquoises and teals, reds, and yellows), white and mauve (yes, mauve).

OK. So that was just a few thoughts from a few different sources about working with color. Now, I need to hear from you: why do you use color and does it really have “mood-altering effects”? Does it give your designs that extra something and what do you think of combining color with glass?