Color Blog - Page 22

Discover the Perfect Cell Phone Cover: A Fashion Statement for Every Age and Style

Who would have ever thought that cell phone covers could become a hot fashion statement and that color choices could play such an important role in protecting our favorite mobile devices? At this time it is estimated that 90% of the adults in the United States and 44% of young people between the ages of 10-18 are cell phone owners. Instead of having one utilitarian phone case or cover, it has become popular to pick up several to match various outfits or activities. Each age group and gender seems to have its own preferences, but there are so many colors and styles available today that shopping for the perfect accessory can be quite an adventure.

For the younger children, cell phone covers that capture their favorite cartoon characters are extremely popular. Tweety, Tinkerbell, Sponge Bob, Princess and even Mickey Mouse phone cases are high on the list. However, about 75% of the "Barney" generation is also in love with purple, and a phone cover in this color is also a hit. Little girls still like to express themselves in pinks of various intensities and some of the younger boys are attracted to the camouflage colors of their favorite war heroes.

As they get older, the young women in the tween and teen set are all about being hip and glitzy. Bright pink combinations, lavender and powdery blue express their "girlie" side, but patterns, lots of bling and fake jewelry are also popular. Many girls acquire a virtual wardrobe of cell phone cases to accessorize their various outfits.

Unlock the Power of Color in Your Garden: Simple Rules for a Visually Stunning Landscape

Landscaping your yard or designing a garden that is pleasing to look at is not as difficult as you might think. Ultimately, this is your space and you can certainly fill it with your favorite varieties and colors. However, to achieve a look that unifies the area and brings out its best features, you simply need to observe a few simple color rules that can make an enormous difference in overall appeal. A handy color wheel can act as a simple guide, directing your many choices and options, but before you grab it and head to the local nursery or garden center, you need to analyze a few important factors.

Is your garden sunny or shaded? Is it exposed or private? Do you want to enjoy the boldness and warmth of this area, or do you prefer a cool, restful spot? Once you answer these questions, the next critical decision is to decide on your favorite outdoor color. This will become the anchor color for all your other planting choices, and here's where the color wheel comes in.

If you want bold, exciting colors to wake up an otherwise boring yard, you may want to choose a complementary color scheme. The three primary colors, blue, yellow and red, each have "opposite" colors that create the greatest visual impact. As the idea implies, these colors lie directly opposite on the color wheel. For red, green is the complement, for yellow, purple is the complement and for blue, orange would be the choice. If these seem a bit overwhelming, adding foliage can calm them down. Be careful about adding white for this purpose, especially with powerful colors because it can be disruptive and un-unifying.

How to Choose the Right Business Card Colors for Your Brand

Choosing the right business card colors involves much more than simply picking out your favorite color. Because these little pieces of card stock carry such potential for creating a powerful and lasting impression, you will want to think carefully about three separate factors that need to influence your final choice:

• The effects of different color on the human psyche.
• The message you want communicated about you, your product or service.
• The audience you are trying to attract.

As far back as the 1400s, men such as Goethe began to understand that different colors create predictable human responses within the human community. Understanding the history, science and evolution of color preferences can help you make wise choices, even for your business cards. Some colors raise our blood pressure (red); some calm it down (blue). Some stir our appetites (orange); some relax us (green). Colors can also be intimidating (black), empowering (also black), stabilizing (brown) or inspiring (magenta). While cultural norms also play a part in the subliminal interpretation of color, the fact remains, color usually creates the first impression and must be handled carefully to promote yourself, your message and/or your business, even on something as small as a business card.

Transform Your Home with New Paint Colors and Interior Design Techniques

The effective use of color can change a small drab room into an airy space or a cavernous room into a cozier, friendly area. Colors can energize a room and turn the heat up, or cool down a space and create a calm and relaxing oasis. Because we all have our favorite colors, surrounding ourselves with them can make us feel more confident or romantic or creative. Interior designers know that careful color choice can make a home appealing to potential buyers or kill a deal from the moment they walk in the door.

If you are ready for a complete transformation or a change in one or two rooms, choosing one of the new paint colors for 2011 can make you fall in love with your house or apartment all over again. The new interior fashion color schemes might seem a little shocking at first, but the richness and luxury of the deep red-browns and purples when combined with softening grays and white and black accents is a beautiful, inviting palette of colors.

Romantic sky-blue, red-pink and smoky pink can be part of the picture while the neutral whites, beiges, and light grays tone down a tendency to over-power. Who can resist those warm dark golds, honey sand tones, deep oranges and dark reds? While large surface rooms may be looking at citrus yellows, light greens, blues and pink-lilacs, the powerful smoky purples and rich chocolate browns will add richness, warmth and texture.

Color Psychology in Product Marketing: The Power of Color on Purchasing Decisions

Because we live in a world inundated with colors, we are apt to become desensitized to the impact they can have on our emotional responses and preferences. The fact that we are so easily manipulated has not been lost on product marketing companies who have studied the psychology behind each color and how it can be used to influence us to purchase their products. Interestingly, the emotions stirred by certain colors in America may not be the same as those in other parts of the world or other cultures. Since color appreciation is a learned behavior, we tend to value colors in the same way our society has.

Occasionally trends can change that, but many colors have indelibly imprinted themselves, and even though they speak subliminally, they steer our attitudes in powerful ways. By correctly analyzing the way a color stirs a positive response in the targeted audience, manufacturers can increase its sales potential. Conversely, a bad color choice can ruin a product no matter how superior its performance may have been. Clear-colored Coca Cola was a dismal failure, even though the taste was identical, because the public was not comfortable with a color that varied so much from the traditional look. Green ketchup was a great novelty alternative but did not last on the market because people prefer their ketchup to be red.

Research has shown that 93% of customers value the color and appearance of a product over any other factor, including its performance. In fact, 85% of shoppers say that color packaging actually determines their purchase. It is obvious that color is a very strong emotional cue. It is also the first thing that we notice about a product and the detail we remember the longest, even beyond word descriptions. If you have ever caught yourself hunting for "the one in the blue box," you can identify with this.