My favorite color since I was a child has been yellow. There is an entire book on evaluating the personality of people who like certain colors. (Since evaluating people’s personalities is a difficult thing, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t expand into every arena to try to get to the bottom of it.) This was done very successfully and with fun filled gumption by author Carol Ritberger, PhD, in her book: What Color Is Your Personality?

What Color Is Your Personality? by Carol Ritberger, PhD

According to Dr. Ritberger, there are only four (4) color personalities, not 12, not 24. They are red, orange, yellow and green. I think it is interesting that 3 out of the 4 are Hot colors. (I will refrain from saying anything about world peace right now.)

No matter what color you are, you will sound wonderful, full of your best attributes (usually only your mother tells you ALL your best attributes, and we need that, don’t we?) and you might recognize a fault or two. But we all have faults, if we can just forgive ourselves one or two.

My acquaintance with this book came from a fun filled weekend with my college roommates in Scottsdale, AZ. One of my friends is a music therapist, and therefore really connected to personalities. She gave me this “quiz” and I turned out to be a “Yellow”. I was so happy to be a yellow. “Yellows” are fantastic, creative, “Brilliant in every way”, etc. etc. She sent me a photocopy of what yellows stand for, and I had it on my office bulletin board for a very long time.

My best friends took the book “quiz” at the same time, and as I recall, they were both greens. I was shocked that they were not also yellows, or at least Reds! How could they be my best friends and not love the same color, or have a hot personality like me? We reconciled this difference over a glass of wine and dinner. Believe me, best friends since first meeting in college, and no book is going to come between us.

A Parakeet for Sally?

If I’m a yellow, perhaps I’m like this parakeet, which combines yellow with green (my friends) so well. (If you read my New England Home blog piece, you will know it was about bird colorations.)

Or maybe I’m like that “lesser” bird of paradise, yellow and white with a backbone of brown. I haven’t selected my bird yet, but paradise sounds awfully nice.

Nothing lesser about this Bird of Paradise

I would recommend this book on color. It is fun to read, great for a weekend with your old friends, and it has that special knack of making you feel wonderful about whatever color you are.

Oh, I was going to go on with more serious things to say about color, but let’s save that for another day, shall we? Come back and see me.  

I was sitting in the dining room Sunday morning, the sun was shining warmly through the window (The first time in days!), the snow and ice dams on the roof were melting. I had found myself thinking hopefully, “Spring is only 6 weeks away!” Pantone’s new spring line up of colors, with Honeysuckle as its Color of the Year, would have fit perfectly into my thoughts.  Honeysuckle brings back childhood memories of the sweet smell of its blooms in our backyard in the spring and of the color of the peonies that bloom so profusely in early June in our side yard every year.

Honeysuckle in Bloom

Interior designer Stephen Shubel uses that same profusion of color to create a dynamic and uplifting atmosphere in this home’s interior by playing with various tones of honeysuckle, creating rooms full of energy and rooms that are serene and restful.

Interior Designer, Stephen Shubel

Interior Designer, Stephen Shubel

In the same issue of Veranda, Kenzo Takada stopped me in my tracks, using the color as a very striking accent at a dining table. What a balance between formality and informality!

Interior Designer, Kenzo Takada

Interior Designer, Kenzo Takada

The peonies in the second picture got me thinking about Mother Nature’s paintbrush. She certainly knows how to use it, doesn’t she?

Veranda, Beautiful Floral Arrangement

Veranda, Beautiful Floral Arrangement

And then just for the fun of it, check out this Classic Salmon Fly. I use the term very loosely… These flies are never used for fishing – rather they are  an expression of fly tying as an art form.

A Classic Salmon Fly

I dream of being able to tie flies so well…