In the year 2000 I started up a machine embroidery business in our local shopping centre, inheriting the brightly coloured shelving and cupboards from the previous business that had been there. Whilst I could cope quite happily with the bright yellows and the vivid reds in the shelving, that royal blue colour simply had to go! How could I arrive at work each day to be greeted by that colour? It would be downright depressing!
What seemed to me to be a rather odd reaction, (from myself!) could have had some psychological bearing on it. My new shop was to be a fun and uplifting colourful business, and that deep blue colour was way too conservative for my liking!
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise for you to read the following passage about dark blue ~
“Dark blue is the colour of conservatism and responsibility. Although it appears to be cool, calm and collected, it is the colour of the non-emotional worrier with repressed feelings, the pessimist and the hypocrite. Dark blue can be compassionate but has trouble showing it as its emotions run deep. Dark blue is a serious masculine colour representing knowledge, power, and integrity, and is used quite often in the corporate world.”
So that’s why the dark blue colour wouldn’t work for me in my new store, my new feminine shop, where I expected to (and did have!) great enjoyment in choosing embroidery thread colours to match with articles of colourful clothing, to be added into logos on caps and shirts, and my favourite part of the business, choosing colours for adding designs and monograms to bath towels.
Blue is a colour associated with peace and tranquility and its presence creates a calming atmosphere. Think about the last time you sat beside the vivid blue ocean or a blue river, doesn’t the whole atmosphere of the blue waters make you feel calm? I know it has that effect on me. And when Mount Warning appears to have a tinge of blue haze, overpowering the green trees, there’s nothing quite so calming.
The colour blue suggests devotion, loyalty, trust and honesty, encourages self-expression and is also regarded as a spiritual colour.
Did you realise that blue is the most universally liked colour out of the whole colour spectrum? Perhaps the reason for this is that blue is regarded as a non threatening colour which promotes calmness.
People who favour the colour blue are slow to trust others, preferring to get to know a person before they trust completely. They also wish to be trusted themselves, and beneath their outwardly confident persona may lie a person lacking in confidence.
Blue loving people are usually genuine and sincere, prefer to enjoy the company of a close set of friends, are sensitive and caring towards the needs of others but also need their “alone” time, to reflect and contemplate their lives. Blue is a colour associated with meditation.
Blue people tend to be guided by their heart, can be sensitive, emotional and sentimental and cry easily over sad movies. On the other hand, they enjoy order in their lives, cannot work amid chaos and can also be stubborn and set in their ways.
They have a thirst for knowledge and wisdom, are friendly and approachable people and have an ultimate need for inner peace and harmony in their lives.
I wonder if any of you, who would name blue as your favourite colour, can identify with any of these characteristics? Although I wouldn’t claim blue as my favourite colour, when I see the colour blue in nature, a bright blue sky on a sunshiny day, the gradual changes of the colour blue as it reaches down into the depths of the ocean or even blue flowers, I can feel quite overwhelmed and emotional by the majesty of nature.
All of my children are blue-eyed, and I think it really goes without saying that when I look into the varying shades of blue in their eyes, I can simply melt like butter!
Another object of my deepest affection when I think about the colour blue is the Willow Pattern design I have loved since my childhood days. Seeing my Willow dinner set in my cupboard gives me a sense of comfort and security. (Wait a minute, security is one of the characteristics associated with the colour blue!) There is a story to the Willow pattern design, which goes like this ~
“Koong-She, a mandarin’s daughter, loved her father’s secretary, Chang. Father, having arranged a marriage with a wealthy suitor, shut her in a terrace house, to be seen close by the temple on the right of the plate. Chang rose to the occasion and rescued the maiden, although hotly pursued by the father across the bridge.
The couple lived happily, almost ever after, in Chang’s little house across the harbour. However, eventually the frustrated suitor found them and burnt the house down while they were sleeping. True love never dies, and Koong-She and Chang arose Phoenix like from the ashes, in the form of two doves.”
There is a poem of the Willow pattern story, which apparently many children learn at school, although I didn’t. Fortunately though, I do have a copy of the poem ~
“Two pigeons flying high, Chinese vessel sailing by, Weeping willow hanging o’er, Bridge with three men if not four, Chinese temple, there it stands, Seems to cover all the land, Apple tree with apples on, A pretty fence to end my song.”
In My World 
That was a beautiful poem and I loved that lovely Brahminy Kit. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Regards,
Mary
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Thank you so much Mary, I’m so pleased you dropped by today. 🙂
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Lovely photos and very interesting comments about the color blue. I think I’m color-conflicted. If asked my favorite color, I would likely say blue or purple; however if asked, as Karma did, what color(s) I’m drawn to, I would more likely say winey reds and some greens. The blues and purples are more likely found nowadays in my wardrobe – the red and greens in my home. I wonder though, how much of that is a result of the colors one finds in the stores for decorating?
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Interesting you should say you feel colour conflicted Carol. That’s something that I’m hoping to find answers to, as I like certain colours for certain things, yet not for others. My research is continuing, and I’m learning so much about colours, which I will contiunue to share here. 🙂
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Beautiful pictures to show the various shades and moods of the colour blue. The misty hills is my favourite and I love the Blue Willow story. I used to like wearing a darker shade of blue a few years ago, no longer today. Blue means sea, islands and Summer sky for me. I like it but would not use it inside my home. Thank you for all your descriptions, much appreciated.
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Isn’t it strange that you wouldn’t use blue in your home, even though you love the colour….I’m the same! It just doesn’t seem to feel right as a colour to decorate my walls with, or have in large pieces of furniture, yet it is so beautiful in nature. 🙂
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Ahhh, blue, the loveliest of blues here in your pictures. The clouds in the sky, the mist, the Blue Willow pattern. So enjoying blue. One of my favorite colors. 🙂
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It’s a very special colour, don’t you think Kathy? I’m not sure what it is about blue, but it really is so glorious. Perhaps because it’s the colour of the sky and the ocean. 🙂
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Fascinating post! I’ve been interested in colours for a long time and have a few books on the subject, too. I’ve read that blue is associated with the fifth, thyroid or throat chakra, which is associated with Will(power) and speech. Indigo, on the other hand, is associated with the sixth, pineal or crown chakra. This is the physically highest of the seven centres. The seventh is the pituitary, which is located forward of, and below, the pineal. Anyway, not to go on about it. I don’t know if this stuff interests you or not. If not, no worries.
As to blue, which is what you were actually speaking about, I like a clear blue and white for summer soft furnishings; it seems so cool and crisp. I wear blue quite often myself, but black most of all (then I don’t have to worry about what ‘goes with’ what . . . lazy, I suppose). Blue Willow is a favourite of mine, too; I have two small coffee mugs in that pattern and a couple of teacups and saucers, too. I bought a huge Blue Willow platter for my Mum years ago and she recently gave it back to me. We used to use if for the Christmas turkey when we both lived in the last house she owned. Now we take it to my sister’s to do the same there.
I love blue flowers, too; pansies, lilacs, gentians, forget-me-nots, iris . . .
Thanks for the inspiring post, Joanne. ~ Linne
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Actually, I’m very interested in learning much more about the connections we have with colours and have been looking around in book shops to see what further information I can find in books. I find the whole colour concept fascinating! You’ll be hearing more from me on the subject of all colours, as I learn more.
Aren’t blue and white platters fabulous? I have one that my mum gave me too, and when we use it, I always make a point of telling everyone they must be very careful with it, it’s irreplacable. 🙂
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Beautiful blue and how true! I love the blue printed dinner set. Bluish shades are indeed inspirational. Thank you for the informative content about the colour.
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Thank you Sonali, I’m glad you enjoyed this. 🙂
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The pictures you selected are perfect for this post. As I looked at them–each a different shade and intensity of blue– I could start to feel myself reacting to the color.
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That’s good to hear Sheryl, I’m pleased that you felt a reaction to the beautiful blues of nature. 🙂
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Fascinating, Joanne. And such gorgeous images to go with it all. 🙂 Blue is one of my favorite colors. Well, okay, I like them all, but blue is up there. It’s a color that actually looks good on me (unlike the warm and hot colors).
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Haha, I know what you mean about liking all colours Robin, there’s something appealing about every one of them. I’m the same as you though, blue is definitely close to the top of the list of my favourites. 🙂
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Love the blue mountain, trees, skies, ocean … loverly.
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Blue is a beautiful colour of nature, don’t you think? 🙂
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Your misty morning is gorgeous! What you say is so true. I feel immediately calmed when I am near beautiful blue water.
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Between the colour, and the sound of lapping water….it’s heavenly…..
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