You Shouldn’t Apply Color Analysis to Interior Design and Here’s Why
The practice of the Seasonal Color Analysis has been getting off the ground and with all the growing attention it’s starting to affect interior design but I know, all that glitters is not gold.
According to Seasonal Color Analysis (SCA), there are four color palettes ― associated with and named after a season ― which are further organized into three tonal groups, mapping twelve matches in total. Individuals are placed into one of these groups appropriately to their physical features ― such as skin tone, hair color, eye color and undertone ― in order to aesthetically enhance their look. Not only this is a narrow method that puts people in a box (and is highly whitewashed) but it doesn’t take personality into account as well. Although applying color harmonies that synergy with our appearance might lead to visually pleasing results, this practice can become restrictive and counter-productive in the long term, especially when we start polluting the interior design field with it: the design attitude does not rely on the visual perception of the world only, it goes deeper than that and considers human behaviour as well.
To comprehend the issue that lies in the foundation of this practice, we need to understand what we have in our hands: the main tool to apply this practice is color.
We come in touch with colors every day and every moment in our lives, yet we approach them passively, without acknowledging the energy, the effects and the potential. We are used to treating colors as if they were things and physical qualities of the world ― this is an inevitable result because we as a species have been evolving through drawing conclusions as we’re directly experiencing reality. If we specifically analyze our color experience, we will understand that colors are simply something that our eyes see, they do not exist regardless.
Since colors are illusory, they can be unreliable data, therefore they should be handled mindfully. We can benefit from them but before diving into using them as practical tools, it is necessary to understand the theory behind them; colours are the result of how our eyes receive light.
Once understood color theory and lighting, it is pretty automatic and spontaneous to associate these with perceptual psychology, and with that, you can easily guess the reason why the philosophy of Seasonal Color Analysis doesn’t hold up in the long term.
“Color” is just an alternative way to define light
Light is a form of energy that spreads through electromagnetic radiations, which are formed by particles that travel in space in oscillatory motion. These light waves are actually colorless ― they have specific oscillation frequencies that are partially visible to the human eye.
Everything surrounding us is colorless as well but appears colorful because molecular compositions absorb some light radiations and reflect other ones. We see a surface with a specific color because it cannot absorb the color we are seeing; every wavelength will be captured except for the one that is visible to us. The colors of things are basically wavelengths bouncing off surfaces and this is why we are able to see them.
Colors are visual perceptions and are produced in our brains ― we could say that without an eye watching, colors do not exist. Being something that is there according to us, colors are of course extremely sensitive to the context.
In color theory, color harmony refers to combining and matching colors using the wheel above, to create eye-pleasing contrasts. Color combinations that do not stress eyes are defined as balanced, hence harmonious.
Color harmony is not something we can measure or verify in terms of numbers, we can establish it through visual impressions, which our eyes are naturally calibrated to elaborate the reality through.
The determining factor for the variability and the alteration of chromatic effects is simply the combination of colors. Colors contaminate one another: the properties of every color are conditioned by their position in relation to other adjacent colours. Each tint combined with others can favour, compromise or modify their effect. And this is useful because we experience and visualize the world through contrasts.
When a color combination is harmonious, the resulting contrast will be balanced and will feature symmetry of forces. However, it is not necessary that all color combinations are harmonious; disharmonious matches are full of expressivity and because of it, colors can acquire extreme dynamism, lose stability and create vibrating interplays. Additionally, expressivity allows for further consideration of personality and creativity, loosening from conformity, which can become monotonous and boring.
“Dans la nature tout est reflet”
At the same time, it’s equally important how the light source is presented since its temperature can alter the chromatic effect of colors and illuminated objects. Chromatic alterations are related to light features and reflections.
Variability is a constant in nature, it’s how the universe translates coherence.
When light hits an object, the color that the object is reflecting off is its chromatic feature. When light varies, the color of the object changes accordingly. When light intensifies, the quality of said object becomes visually more evident (meaning that finishes and textures also determine the visual outcome of colors).
It’s important taking light quality into consideration: reflections scatter chromatic tones and break up forms and colors into a visual field of stains.
Light is the motive of our experience.
“The reality of a color does not always correspond with its effect”
A common mistake we all make is analyzing colors and their respective chromatic effects without contextualizing them. Generally, to determine the effect of colors we need the qualitative features (such as hue/tone, saturation, brightness and luminosity ― these features determine the color), shapes, forms, dimensions and size of the colored field.
We already said that when colors are put together, they can lose their objective character and dematerialize figuratively; the same thing happens when to this formula, we add quantitative and dimensional ratios. The composition of the reality that is hosting us is much more complex than these harmonious color combinations because forms and shapes also play a huge role in this. There is a strong analogy between colors and shapes: both communicate through their features and because they hold expressive value, they both are sensitive and conceptual within nature.
Furthermore, there is a deep study based upon the analysis of forms and shapes ― also commonly known as Gestalt psychology ― which has a whole narrative on its own.
The hidden color of colors
It’s scientifically proven that colors influence cognitive processing. Bodies and minds respond and react to chromatic exposure: each electromagnetic vibration has an effect on us on a physical, emotional and psychological level.
Colors are stimulants and activators of biochemical and hormonal processes in the body and they can also be sedatives able to balance out our system and organs: these spontaneous responses have an impact on our perception of reality.
Mental comfort is as much essential and important as physical comfort when it comes to interior design. Colors, shapes and textures are all a projection of the answer to our needs and requests: these details that might be seen as irrelevant, are actually holding the reins of the final result of a project. I suggest having a mindful and attentive approach to these concepts because “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Applying the practice of Seasonal Color Analysis to your domestic environment means forcing a color palette that apparently enhances your physical features, without minding what your brain synergies with. It takes much more than just personal taste to set and/or decorate your home: your habits, your needs and mental health and comfort have the priority.
On the other hand, relying thoroughly on color theory when designing and/or decorating your home isn’t the ideal solution either; it surely is an excellent starting point to master color skills but I don’t find it the most inclusive method. Especially when colors are complements to our reality and they need to work along with other complements to function properly.
Color theory, lighting and perceptual psychology are all broad topics; writing one article mentioning them will not be enough to give out the proper information to evaluate the efficiency of a practice such as Seasonal Color Analysis, which I find to be legit but restricting. I believe we need evolving practices and activities to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
My intent here is to share basic knowledge to help people navigate reality consciously. Most of today’s occurring phenomena are related to these archetypical concepts. Associating things, meanings and experiences to colors is a very human behaviour and it makes us biased: through history, they took on status, trends, messages within society, standards and criteria.
The simplest things determine the biggest ones.
For further information on everything related to colors and color theory, I suggest the following readings:
- The Elements Of Color, Johannes Itten
- Cromorama, Riccardo Falcinelli
Thank you for reading!
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