However, I also believe that designers — both residential and commercial — and their clients can and should break from the mantra, “When in doubt, choose a neutral.” We can stray from the traditional neutral safety net and embrace the “new neutrals”: values of yellow, orange, red, blue, green and purple. There are ways to appropriately use just about any color of the spectrum in place of the standard neutrals.

When selecting an interior color for his vintage 1922 home, Al Bragalone, principal of MNID & Associates in Seattle, Wash., chose a vibrant yellow glaze. “Due to the lack of light and the overcast days in Seattle, I needed retinal stimulation. I wanted a very bright and exciting color to provide that,” says Bragalone.

For the rest of the interior, Bragalone layered colors and textures that worked with the wall color. Silks offered a similar reflective quality to the glaze, while different values of complementary colors — including teals, fuchsias and corals — along with lots of warm, polished woodwork, anchored the overall look.

Layering multiple colors in a space is easy with a neutral palette, but becomes a little more challenging when your base is more colorful. A common problem: competing values of the same color. “Often, clients can’t tell what’s wrong with their space, but they know it doesn’t feel right,” says St. Louis–based interior designer Kimberly Reuther. The solution: “Balancing colors will help make the whole room feel cohesive rather than overwhelming. If the largest piece in the room — be it a piece of art, a sofa or the walls — is a bold color, it’s important to balance it with a complementary color or colors: in rugs, chairs, an accent wall or accessories.”

Click on image to open and view larger image.

Keep in mind, balancing color does not necessarily mean matching bold for bold. I once walked into a room that had so much going on, and all of equal intensity, it literally gave me a headache. That’s why, when creating more colorful palettes for your clients or for yourself, the tried-and-true standard neutrals still play an important role. Often, incorporating the creams, whites, tans, grays and browns is critical to creating that harmonious balance.

Another thing to remember when using bolder hues is the saturation level. “Many people choose overly intense colors for their walls, especially in kids’ rooms. If there’s no variation in Chroma, the transition between multiple boldly colored rooms can be jarring and tiring for the eyes,” says Reuther. “I recommend using hues that have a gray undertone, which creates a softer, more soothing color palette that’s easier to live with for a longer period of time.”

Bragalone agrees: “When choosing bolder colors for a space or an entire home, it’s important to remember the whole. A color concept has to be consistently and carefully planned and strategically placed. The goal is to create unique vignettes for each space that work with each other rather than fight against each other.”

A few of my favorite colorful pairings include:

• Dovetail (SW 7018) with Solaria (SW 6688) and Honorable Blue (SW 6811) or Tradewind (SW 6218).
• Alchemy (SW 6395) with Gala Pink (SW 6579) or Impulsive Purple (SW 6832).
• Naval (SW 6244) or Indigo (SW 6531) with Outrageous Green (SW 6922) and Forsythia (SW 6907) or Kid’s Stuff (SW 6893).
• Holiday Turquoise (SW 0075) and Chartreuse (SW 0073).
• Raucous Orange (SW 6883) and Quietude (SW 6212).

You may also enjoy:

1. Full Spectrum: Stripe It Rich
2. Full Spectrum: Redefining Circus Color
3. Unlocking Red’s Potential

So says Seattle-based interior designer Rebecca West, who has created a specialty of sorts in helping post-divorce clients revitalize their homes — and their lives.Sherwin-Williams^® STIR^® asked West, whose business was born out of her own experience with divorce, about the transforming power of color and why the best post-divorce therapy might just be a gallon of paint.

STIR: How do you use interior design changes — color, in particular — to help people after they’ve experienced a divorce?

Rebecca West (RW): Before my clients call me to help make a change, they’re still waking up to the same bedroom, using the same bathroom, and cooking in the same kitchen where they spent their lives married, with all the accompanying memories and beliefs that go with that environment. Together we make small changes — moving around the furniture, editing accessories, painting walls — and suddenly they see their world with new eyes. They realize that if these small things can change and make such a difference, imagine what else is possible!

STIR: Are any of your clients hesitant to change things?

RW: Quite the opposite. Often, my post-breakup clients make changes they never felt they were “allowed” to make while their partner was still in the home. One of my clients literally giggled as we chose a dramatic zebra-stripe rug for her living room and painted the walls vibrant orange. It would never have worked in “their” home, but now it was “her” home.

STIR: How do you help your clients select the right “post-divorce colors” for their home?

RW: It all centers on how clients want to feel in their new lives. One woman wanted to create a serene, feminine sanctuary, a “no men allowed” kind of space so she could focus on healing after her divorce. We chose soft lavenders and sky blues for her home. But another client wanted to feel youthful and alive in her home, which led us to a spicy pumpkin orange. A male client wanted a space that felt masculine without screaming “bachelor pad,” so we went with a deep charcoal gray and soft pebble brown on the walls and with the accessories. After a divorce we all get to write a new ending to our story, and a new color on the walls can be a great way to start the next chapter.

Click on image to open and view larger image. Images provided by and used with the permission of Rebecca West.

STIR: Do clients come to you knowing a color change will help shift their attitudes, or is it a pleasant surprise?

RW: In general, my post-divorce clients don’t know how much changes in the home will affect them, and often they don’t really connect the divorce to the changes specifically — they just know they don’t like how the house feels and want something different. Afterward, though, they can’t stop talking about how energized and hopeful they feel, all because of the new space. One of my clients was able to climb out of his depression in large part because his environment changed and he was able to see hope for his future. Another started dating again because she could finally look around and see that her life still had possibility.

STIR: Do you have intentional discussions with your clients about color and its effect on the mood and feeling of a space?

RW: I ask questions about how they would like to feel in their home. I try to draw out how they feel now (Cold? Lonely? Heavy? Disconnected? Depressed?) and how they’d like to feel (Warm? Connected? Light? Energized? Hopeful?). I start with that because we can all relate to general feelings. If I started with color theory or talked about what red or blue might do in the space, I would fail to first understand what the client needs from his or her home.

After I understand their needs, I take in the architecture and geography of the place and suggest some colors that might give them that new feeling they seek. It’s only then that I talk about why I am suggesting a particular color and what it does for the room. As I present colors, I watch their body language and listen to their answers to see if I’m headed in the right direction. It becomes clear very quickly when you find the right color — their eyes light up, their shoulders relax, and you can see them physically let go of stress as they see that change is possible.

STIR: Why should people consider changing their personal surroundings after experiencing a divorce?

RW: If everything you wake up to every morning reminds you of your previous partner, renews your pain and depression, and reminds you that you failed at marriage, how can you possibly move forward and create something new and wonderful with this second chance? Divorce is awful, but it really is a second chance. You have nothing to lose, so you have to seize the chance to color and shape your new life. What easier way to start than with a gallon of paint?

STIR: How long after a divorce should people wait to make interior color changes?

RW: It really depends on the person. If you do it too early, you’re likely to have to do it again as you settle into the new you. At the same time, if you don’t do it soon enough, you might never get started becoming the new you. That’s why I generally suggest to clients that they do the smaller things first: work with the furnishings and accessories they already have and change the paint — things that don’t require a huge investment and are easy to change again later. Look at some of my wonderful clients. Orange walls and a zebra rug gave one woman the confidence to date again. Cheerful buttery yellow walls in a made-over bedroom helped a woman let go of the pain of her past and greet every day with a smile. These are just a couple stories. Now it’s just a question of what will be your new, post-divorce color — and your new life story?

You may also enjoy:

1. Welcoming Color
2. Color Portraits III
3. Out of Loss, Room Revival

Click on image to open and view larger image.

Here’s a sneak preview of the exclusive content you’ll only find on this latest tablet edition of STIR:

• 343 Dresses: The Chromatic Convergence Project. Los Angeles artist Mary Younakof stitched 343 identical dresses, in 49 shades of seven different colors, so she could wear a different color every day for 343 days. Younakof’s photographs and video chronicle the interplay between her garments and the city’s colorful urban landscape.
• Renaissance on Route 66. A crumbling, abandoned hotel in Tulsa, Okla., was brought back to life, thanks to the talents of local interior designers. The Campbell Hotel, a historic property built in 1927 as a stop for traveling salesmen, was chosen as the venue for the city’s 2011 Designer Showcase to benefit the Foundation for Tulsa Schools. With few limits on their creative freedom, designers were able to make each room distinct.
• A Color Tour of Turkey. The deep blues of intricate Iznik tiles, the azure seas of the Turquoise Riviera, the golden gleam of Byzantine mosaics and the earthy hues of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar have inspired travelers, conquerors, artists and artisans for centuries. Discover the extraordinary spectrum that spans the colors and cultures of Europe and Asia.

Best of all, the newest version of the STIR tablet app continues to deliver the features and functionality you’ve come to count on. Find more stunning interactive slideshows, more designer interviews and detailed project features, and more behind-the-scenes project videos and interviews with Color Spy personalities. And you can still explore color by family, get product specs, and access RGB values and LRV numbers.

Bring a world of brilliant, vivid color with you wherever you go. Download your free STIR 2.0 tablet app for iPad or for Android  today.

You may also enjoy:

1. Introducing Sherwin-Williams^® STIR^® Tablet App!
2. Color Inspiration in a Click
3. Set Piece

Despite red’s versatility, some clients still harbor false impressions about it. “There are many misconceptions about using red, and the first is the fear that red will make the room look small,” says designer Lori Miller. “Another misconception is that red is an angry color, too stimulating, or it’s just ‘too much’ and won’t go with anything else.”

Annette Phillips of Inspired Design in Vienna, Va., likes red because it grabs attention and instantly makes a room feel cozy and warm. “The misconception is that red will overwhelm a room. So the trick is to balance the room appropriately — both for the purpose and for the client,” says Phillips.

For color-shy clients, start small by introducing red in small doses. “I like to use red as touches throughout a room to create a ribbon for your eye to follow,” says Lisa Peck, principal designer of LiLu Interiors in Minneapolis. “So, in a great room, use red in accessories like pillows, area rugs and artwork, so that it moves your eye around the space.”

To take red to the next level, consider including it in secondary spaces — an entry vestibule, for example. “If red appears in a space your client spends less time in or passes through, it makes an impression, but they’re not living with it for a long time,” Peck says. “A room I’d do in red is the formal dining room because it’s a space you use once a week max, or just when you’re entertaining. Red encourages social interaction and creates a lively atmosphere.”

Powder rooms also fall into the category of secondary spaces. “We encourage our clients to go bold in the powder room because there are so many opportunities to do so,” says Katie Schroder of Denver-based Atelier Interior Design. Schroder recommends painting the room red and adding an interesting stencil pattern over it. Powder rooms provide a wow factor for guests: “Just like the mystery of walking into a restaurant bathroom these days, a red power room provides that element of surprise,” says Schroder.

Middle image of Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge provided by Katie Schroder. Bottom image provided by Marc t. Nielsen Interiors, Valparaiso, Ind. Click on image to open and view larger image.

Accent walls are a favorite place to use bold color like red, but Schroder shies away from the use of a hue on a single wall. “It can make the room too choppy,” she says. “For clients willing to take more of a design risk, painting two or three walls, or even the entire room red, is much better. You can always soften the effect in other ways. It’s not like you’re buying a $20,000 armoire. It’s paint. Experiment and have fun with it.”

Schroder did just that with a client who had a large, open floor plan with multiple seating areas. “We painted the room red and used neutral colors throughout, such as a caramel-colored sofa and chairs. Then we used more pops of red through red artwork, red leopard prints and solid red pillows.”

In such instances, Schroder cautions to carefully choose the appropriate hue. “If you’re painting your entire living room red, you should have a little more gray or blue in it so that it’s a deep, saturated color and not overly bright — a shade that’s more livable for every day.” To test that the color suits the room, she suggests painting a 3-foot-by-3-foot section to see how it looks by day in natural light and by night in artificial light.

“If your client is afraid of painting the walls red, paint the ceiling red instead and leave the walls neutral,” Schroder says. “You can have a moment of fun, and it’s unexpected.”

Whether they’re painting a wall, the ceiling, or the entire room red, designers know the importance of carefully choosing color combinations. “Consider the other colors in the color scheme and which ones will be seen right next to the red,” says designer Molly McGinness, who’s based in Falmouth, Mass. “Red is an intense hue, so it can look juvenile or sophisticated depending on how it’s combined with other design elements.”

In a kitchen project, for example, McGinness used a red bisazza tile backsplash with black grout and a similar shade of warm red on the ceiling, both of which paired well with light-toned cabinets and flooring and black appliances. “The ceiling was high enough for this to work without feeling crowded, and the other surfaces in the space benefited from the boost of red,” she says.

Red in the public eye

Red is the color of celebration, sensuality, excitement, energy, love and so much more. It’s no surprise, then, when commercial spaces such as restaurants, hotels, salons and trendy boutiques grab hold of this powerful color that’s so rich in symbolism and meaning. At Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge in Denver, Schroder employed crimson and orange-toned reds and paired them with purple and camel accents to give the interior an edge. The result: a hip, swanky vibe that embraces red and its many facets and connotations.

Although hospitality environments provide an ideal palette to play with red, corporate environments traditionally shy away from the color. In the right context — and the right amount — red can send the appropriate message. Companies often incorporate red in lounges, lunch rooms and corridors to discourage lingering, but in areas where productivity and creativity are key, balancing calming blue or green palettes with vibrant red accents seems to provide the optimal balance of tranquility, focus and stimulation.

Color trends may come and go, but most designers believe red will stay a classic. As Phillips points out, “There’s a red for everyone. This robust hue comes with unlimited possibilities.”

You may also enjoy:

1. Sherwin-Williams colormix™ 2012: Reds
2. Living Style: Bringing Clients Over to the Dark Side
3. Life-Transforming Color

This gives designers and stylists a unique opportunity to offer home-staging services to new and former clients. However, you may have to learn some strategies that go against your design aesthetic. For example, if your designs usually include multiple colors, you’ll have to resist your “color urge” when you’re staging a home (more on that later).

“Staging sets up the home so that potential buyers will walk into the home and respond positively to the rooms and settings, and easily see themselves in the home,” explains Roslyn Ashford of ra reDoes rooms, Inc., based in the Washington, D.C., area.

Ashford, who started her staging and decorating business in 2004, says that 87 percent of people can’t visualize their things in someone else’s home. “That’s why it’s important to depersonalize the house to make it easier for the prospective buyer to see himself or herself in the space,” Ashford says.

That could mean actually undoing a well-thought-out design that was perfect for the present homeowners, but which could turn off prospective buyers. Ouch. I’ve worked with enough homeowners to know that some people are very sensitive when it comes to discussing their belongings. As designers, we also take pride in our projects and resist any changes to them. However, putting personal feelings aside is crucial to staging, which is all about selling a home quickly and for the highest dollar amount possible.

Images used with the permission of Rosalyn Ashford. Click on the image to open and view a larger image.

Getting back to the topic of color, I asked Ashford a few questions that I thought designers would be curious about:

Porter: What is the best approach when a client has used several paint colors throughout the house? Should they repaint or sell as is?

Ashford: Unless the homeowner has painted within the past year, they should repaint. New paint just gives everything a fresh look and feel. Using several colors throughout the house is fine, as long as they complement each other and the overall integrity of the house. Buyers are more accepting of colors these days. However, keep in mind that color preferences are geographic  what works in Charleston, S.C., may not work in New England.

Porter: Which neutral makes a home the most buyer-friendly — beige, white, off-white or gray?

Ashford: It totally depends on the style of the house and the amount of natural light. If the house is more traditional with a lot of trim and molding, a little color on the walls really emphasizes these details. So, deeper beiges, creams or grays could work well. If the house is more contemporary with large rooms and open spaces, off-white and soft grey might work better here. Keep in mind that kitchens and baths have their own built-in furniture, so having color in these spaces helps the rooms feel finished.

Porter: Are there any other colors besides neutrals that work for home staging?

Ashford: There is something about soft yellow that has consistently been an effective color in selling homes. Typically this works the best in common spaces like living or family rooms and dining rooms.

Porter: Are there any colors that should be avoided?

Ashford: Any colors that evoke a strong emotion should be avoided. Pink (in any shade), deep lavender and lime green are some examples.

Although there are other important aspects to home staging, such as furniture editing and placement, color plays a huge role, and as we know, color is personal. Dealing with a color issue also means dealing with a person’s feelings — in this case, the seller. So, you may have to gently explain that, yes, a home painted in 10 shades of pink may certainly get sold, but probably not as quickly, as easily or for as much money as a home with more subtle colors.

Have you ever dealt with a color or painting issue when staging a home? What techniques did you use? What was the outcome?

Post your reply below.

You may also enjoy:

1. Living Style: The New Traditional
2. Living Style: Bringing Clients Over to the Dark Side
3. Living Style: Tertiary Hues

“We know that finding the right color is often one of the biggest challenges when tackling the painting aspect of a project,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams. “Our customers seek inspiration from a wide range of places. We want to help them take that inspiration and turn it into reality. CHIP IT! delivers perfectly.”

Diane Kolak of Dwelement Home Design in Traverse City, Mich., discovered CHIP IT! on Facebook. “It sounded awfully fun for someone who loves color and photography,” she says. “I couldn’t resist clicking. I was pulled in immediately and spent about an hour playing with it. I found it very inspiring.”

Kolak uses the tool to look at color with a fresh eye. “It’s a great way to shake myself out of a color rut,” she says. “It’s a nice way to make me rethink the colors I’ve put together. I would certainly use it as a starting point. And I think it would be very useful to add life to a palette that seems to be lacking something. If I’m working on a palette that seems drab, CHIP IT! would be a great way to see what happens if I add an orange or a berry.”

Click on the image to open and view a larger image.

Tanna Barnecut of Tanna by Design in Washington State shares CHIP IT! palettes with fans and clients on Facebook and Pinterest. “What I really like about it is that it’s tangible,” she says. “It pulls colors I wouldn’t have thought of. For example if a room has black legs on furniture or black picture frames, CHIP IT! pulls all these great blacks as accent colors — colors the client wouldn’t have thought of either.”

Barnecut finds the tool streamlines the work she does with clients. “My work is all influenced by mood,” she says. “On Pinterest, I get a photo, we use CHIP IT!, and then decide what we like about it. It enables me to strip an image down to its color palette and the mood it’s creating. Then the rest is easy.”

Online home décor retailer Kim Root of Cottage Coastal Store in Belvedere, Calif., also uses CHIP IT! to connect with customers on social media. “I like to share room ideas and exterior ideas as well as the products we sell,” she says. “Our customers ask, ‘I’m buying a print; what color should I use on the wall?’ I tell them we can use CHIP IT! to pull out a gray or a different shade of white.”

Root also uses CHIP IT! just for the fun of it. “I’ve used CHIP IT! on some of our products, even fabrics, just to see what colors it pulls. It’s fun to see what deeper tones come from brighter items. And it’s easy to Facebook, pin it and share it.”

Experience CHIP IT! for yourself and take a fresh look at all the inspiring colors in your favorite images. Go to letschipit.com to get started.

You may also enjoy:

1. Take Color Inspiration Everywhere
2. Introducing Sherwin-Williams^® STIR^® Tablet App!
3. Introducing the 2012 Sherwin-Williams^® STIR^® Student Design Contest

If your mind drifted to blue skies, green grass, turquoise lakes, clear streams, sandy shorelines, water-splashed rocks and creamy clouds, then you’re thinking like one of Southeast Michigan’s leading interior designers.

Those were just some of the natural elements Caroline von Weyher drew from while planning the renovation and redesign of a facility that would become a large wellness center focusing on massage therapy, chiropractic medicine, nutrition, exercise, detoxification and more.

The space occupies a historic Tudor-style home-turned-office-building designed by renowned Michigan architect Wallace Frost (1892–1962).

Frost left his mark in Michigan by collaborating with architect Albert Kahn on several large projects, including the Detroit Public Library, the General Motors Building in Detroit and the William L. Clements Library in Ann Arbor. He also practiced residential architecture in Birmingham, Mich., and left a legacy of at least 44 uniquely designed homes — dating from the 1920s through the 1950s — in the area.

To bring out the best in Frost’s architecture, von Weyher, owner of Birmingham-based Von Haus Design, kept all original oak trim and moldings, but updated them with a rich mahogany stain. “The trim was that nasty ’80s oak,” von Weyher says. Today, its deep hue is as pretty as polished river rocks.

Images used with the permission of photographer John Sobczak of Lorien Studio. Click on the image to open and view a larger image.

Von Weyher and Dr. Jennifer Bonde, the center’s owner, selectedCooled Blue (SW 6759) for most of the walls in the main spaces to create a feeling of peace. Rivulet (SW 6760), a tad deeper than Cooled Blue, was used in the treatment rooms, while Marshmallow (SW 7001), a warm shade of white, adorns the lobby, ceilings and bathrooms.

All hues were from the Harmony^® line in an eg-shel finish. Harmony was a logical choice for a wellness center, given this zero-VOC¹, low-odor, silica-free paint exceeds most environmental regulations — including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards — while also delivering excellent hide and a washable, durable finish. It’s also GreenGuard Indoor Air Quality Certified and GreenGuard certified for children and schools.

“We sampled at least 40 colors before arriving on these hues,” says the designer. Adds Bonde: “Cooled Blue is non-clinical, sort of like sea foam. and changes color at different times of the day.”

Von Weyher anchored the blue-green hues with rich browns and deep, ebony-toned desks, shelving and seating (HON chairs, of course — ergonomically correct for a wellness center). Black-and-white nature photos — from leaves and grass to brooks and flower pods — encased in black frames stand out in nice contrast to the walls.

Bonde’s office, once a conference room, was transformed into a large, open space featuring an inviting fireplace.

Slate floors in much of the facility boast both warm and cool tones that echo wall colors and wood trim, “tying it all together,” von Weyher says.

The bathrooms, now all wheelchair-accessible, blend nicely into the space. Much of the lighting is eco-friendly, turning on only when needed. Gone are the gold, brass and bronze fixtures, replaced with cool silvers and nickels that complement the paint hues, continuing the relaxing, spa-like feel.

“The carpet and the rugs look like sisal, but are actually commercial-grade, low-pile and very affordable,” explains von Weyher. The center’s rounded reception desk was designed in New York with a spa look in mind.

“The building hadn’t been renovated in decades, and there were so many decisions to make. Paint colors played a huge role,” says Bonde. “Caroline [von Weyher] and her cheerful personality and can-do attitude helped me get through what could have been a very stressful period.” Stressful? Well, that just wouldn’t do for a doctor who spends her days de-stressing patients.

“We knew we could take this wonderful but outdated building and make it beautiful,” says von Weyher. Says Bonde: “My clients all love our new building and its interior color. It now feels truly welcoming.”

¹Some colors may not be zero-VOC after tinting with conventional colorants.

You may also enjoy:

1. Material Color: The Colors of the Enlightenment
2. Sherwin-Williams Kids’ Colors
3. And the Winners Are …

Hallelujah! It’s finally spring — time to ditch those dark, drab winter woolens and break out the Crayola-bright spring wardrobe.

And in India and Nepal, it’s also time to smear friends and neighbors with color — until they look as bright and festive as the season itself.

The Hindu faith has many quiet, solemn rites and rituals. But Holi, the spring Festival of Colors, is anything but. Celebrated at the end of winter, on the last full moon day of the lunar month (usually in March), Holi is about unfettered joy and exuberant frolic.

Standards of polite behavior are relaxed. The rigid structures that separate ages, genders and social castes are loosened. Holi is a time to revel in the beauty of spring — a time for bonfires, playful pranks, and pelting others with colored powder and water.

When Ram Krishnan was a child growing up in India, “Holi was associated with all the silly things — throwing colors at each other, filling water pistols with colors,” he says.

Red was the dominant Holi hue. “You’d see people walking around, powder in hand,” he recalls. “Sometimes you’d ask permission” before throwing powder at those you’d meet. “If you wanted to be gentle, you’d put some on their forehead. If you wanted to be crazy, you’d throw it on their whole body.”

But Holi isn’t just about pranks and red powder, he notes. The holiday also has ancient religious significance in Hinduism.

For some, Holi celebrates the divine love of Lord Krishna and Radna. For others, Holi celebrates Kamedeva, the Hindu god of love.

Krishnan, who has lived in Minnesota for four decades, now appreciates Holi primarily as an agricultural celebration. “To me, it is a harvest festival — the beginning of the harvest season,” he says.

Click on the image to open and view a larger image.

Color and culture

In India, immersion in color goes much deeper than a single tradition or a once-a-year festival. Vibrant hues are part of the culture’s DNA.

“India’s people believe that bright colors are synonymous with life, joy and positive energy,” according to the color and design blog Colour Lovers. “Holi is a day to celebrate these concepts.”

According to Colour Lovers, different regions of India have customized the Holi celebration in their own unique way. In some regions, people give each other boxes of sweets or brightly colored flowers. In others, youngsters pay respect to their elders by sprinkling colors on their feet.

The Holi tradition of smearing people with colors grew out of its supposed medicinal benefits. The spring season, when the weather changes, was believed to cause fever and colds. The colors used to celebrate Holi were originally derived from the blossoms of spring trees and from herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors.

But over the years, the colors of Holi have taken a very different direction. As spring-blossoming trees became scarcer, and the celebration itself became more commercial, the natural colorants came to be replaced by industrial dyes, many containing toxic chemicals that have been linked to asthma, skin diseases, eye irritation and temporary blindness. With Holi colors sold loosely by roadside vendors, it was difficult to know what chemicals were going into those festive powders.

In recent years, several organizations have worked to improve Holi safety, teaching children how to make their own Holi colors using natural resources. Some commercial companies, such as the National Botanical Research Institute, have begun to market herbal dyes, so that celebrants can enjoy Holi’s colorful traditions without health risk.

In the U.S., Indian communities continue to celebrate Holi, Krishnan says, although “it’s mostly a non-religious holiday these days. Typically, it’s a time for fun  for dancing, music, food and fireworks.” Indian children in the U.S. love Holi, just as Krishnan did when he was a child growing up in India. “Young kids don’t know why they’re having fun,” he says. “They just are.”

Holi in pop culture

You don’t have to visit India in the springtime to get a glimpse of Holi. The colorful celebration has popped up repeatedly in Western pop culture.

Several music videos have borrowed Holi imagery of people throwing colored powder, including Linkin Park’s video for “The Catalyst,” Ke$ha’s “Take It Off,” Scooter’s “Behind the Cow,” and Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity.”

Holi has also made cameos in a handful of American movies and TV shows. The 2007 indie film Outsourced tells the story of an American call-center salesman assigned to go to India to train his replacement. There he discovers that to successfully train the new workers, he must first learn about their culture. The catalyst for his change in attitude: a Holi celebration. Outsourced became a TV series in 2011, and the episode “Todd’s Holi War” marked Holi’s first appearance on American network TV.

The Holi festival was featured as a RoadBlock challenge in the reality show The Amazing Race, while the cable TV show Bollywood Homicide also included an episode that climaxed at a color festival. And TV political talker Keith Olbermann shows clips from Holi festivals on the “Time Marches On” portion of his nightly news show Countdown on The Current.

You may also enjoy:

1. Living Style: Tertiary Hues
2. Recession Blues and Brights
3. Big Color for Big Works

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I2PQnKkWsQ

You may also enjoy:

1. Sherwin-Williams colormix™ 2012: Neutrals
2. Sherwin-Williams colormix™ 2012: Reds
3. Sherwin-Williams colormix™ 2012: Greens

Again this year there will be a first place ($2,500 cash prize), second place ($1,000 cash prize) and third place ($500 cash prize) winner in each category. The two first place winners will also have their work featured in the 2012 edition of STIR magazine. All six winners will be featured in a future article right here on swstir.com, as well as on the Sherwin-Williams for Designers & Architects Facebook page.

Contest basics

• The contest will run from March 1 to April 15, 2012.
• To enter, simply go to facebook.com/SherwinWilliamsDesignerArchitects.
• One entry per student.
• There are two categories: residential design or commercial design.
• Your project must use a minimum palette of three Sherwin-Williams colors. Only Sherwin-Williams colors qualify.
• Upload your CAD files or illustrations directly online.

But wait, there’s more: become a fan favorite!

But the fun doesn’t end there: all contest finalists will be posted in a special gallery for voting on by our Facebook audience. The two submissions that receive the most votes — one from each category — will win a $250 cash price. Be sure to invite friends and family to help vote you into the winner’s circle!

To learn more and enter on March 1, click here.

You may also enjoy:

1. Student Design Contest
2. Introducing Sherwin-Williams^® STIR^® Tablet App!
3. Jackie’s Notebook: Sherwin-Williams Favorite Hue for 2012