"January Blues"

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays and some real crummy weather, many of us suffer from the "January Blues". I, like many others, reminisce about the past year and think of all the things I never got done. For as long as I can remember, the beginning of each new year I have made a list of the things I want to accomplish. Most of the items on my list are always decorating tasks, I am a decorator after all. I am sure I can find an old list from when we moved in our present home almost 18 years ago and find there are things that should still be on my current to do list. So while you're moping around the house this January, sit down and take a good look around your space. Try to look at it through someone else's eyes (take a few pictures it will really open your eyes). What I mean by this is we see our space all the time and we tend to block out the things we don't like. We walk by these nasty things day after day and after awhile we don't see them anymore. Visualize how you would like your home to look and feel. Looking at your space in this way will give you a lot of things to put on your decorating to do list, believe me I know.

I'm calling this blog "January Blues", not only because of the ho hum feeling we get in this month but because I really am partial to blues. I like my blues with a touch of green. Bluish greens, serene calming and refreshing. It's funny because I just found out today I have a blue personality and my second strongest personality color is green.

I love what Benjamin Moore has to say about blue.

Blue can be the calming colour of a mellow summer sky or the deep, velvety hue of a magical midnight dream. Light blues confer tranquility and serenity, while deeper tones are regal and uplifting colours that can take away your “blues”.

Below are the Benjamin Moore designer favorite blues.

Stratford blue (CC-830)
Purple undertones make this rich hue almost periwinkle, a bewitching colour evocative of bright starry nights.

Gossamer blue (2123-40)
A timeless mid-tone that's soft and subtle, gossamer blue evokes the mellow, relaxed feeling of faded blue jeans and lazy summer days.

Ice sculpture (CC-938)
More on the purple side of blue, this light tone is cool and serene. A chameleon colour, it combines the icy richness of blue with the warm undertones of red.

Blue nose (CC-800)
The depth of this saturated blue makes it almost a traditional hue. Its versatility makes it a good choice for any room in your home.

I'd like to add a few of my own to the list. My own personal preferences for blue choices from Benjamin Moore are:

Blue lake
2053-40
Just as the name implies. Visions of a crystal clear, cool mountain lake come to mind when looking at this color. But it can also remind you of the beautiful warm waters of the Caribbean at the same time. Warm yet cool, I like that. Summed up in one word, relaxing.

Varadero, Cuba & Benjamin Moore Blue Lake 2053-40

Wythe blue

HC-143
A time honoured colour that works beautifully in any type of space. It is called blue, but you could call it a green depending on the mood and light of the room. I adore it because it goes with so many other colors, white, brown, green, and looks especially fabulous with red.

Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue HC-143

Color affects the way we feel. Blue is connected to calmness, cleanliness, serenity and wisdom. It is also know to lower the pulse rate. Green brings to mind nature, health and abundance. It is also connected to money and good luck. We associate green with freshness, coolness, clarity and growth. Green is often used in decorating for it's calming effect and thought to relieve stress. If you use bluish greens in your decorating palette the very least you can expect is to have a space that is calming, serene, fresh, and cool. If you're suffering from the "January Blues" that's not such a bad thing to day dream about.

If you need help to chase away the "January Blues" in your paint palette you can contact me.