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What is the Colour of Fun?

By 11/15/2010January 23rd, 201740 Comments

At the CMG conference in 2010 we had a presentation called C20 where 20 colour professionals had one minute to present ‘What’s Next’.  My favourite was Mark Woodman’s question:

A day at the beach (flickr)

He said he noticed from just observing the world around him that the colour of fun is NEVER beige. And he asked us all a simple question:

His presentation was at the end and it’s perfect because happy is where colour is going next!

What is your colour of fun?

Related posts:

What’s next in Colour & Design for 2011
Why do Rainbows make People feel Happy?
Why are we so Afraid of Colour?
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40 Comments

  • Annie Wilcox Designs says:

    Yellow always says fun to me, throw in purple and you have Mardi Gras which is always fun. Cheers!

  • Karena says:

    Love pops of yellow!! Orange as well!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

  • Naturally Carol says:

    I was thinking the same, whether it is yellow and red, yellow and orange, yellow and blue, yellow and green, yellow always features to 'funnify' the other colours!

  • Noelle Mering says:

    Hi, Maria, I have a brand new blog. I posted about the fun, vibrancy and whimsy that comes through children's paintings. I love how their color selections are so free. To me that's fun!

  • Marcus Design says:

    I think my color of fun right now is turquoise. But really to me, bold saturated colors are all so much fun!!
    Nancy xo

  • Tara Dillard says:

    YOU Maria are the color of fun.

    The colors of a garden have the power to transform sorrow into grace into joy into fun.

    My new conservatory will match the trim of my house, BM – HC – Waterbury Green.

    Soon I'll have a new room of sanctuary, peace, & fun.

    Gardens are potent.

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

  • Ruthie's Renewed Treasures says:

    I love a burnt orange. Turquoise makes me happy too! However after being in Tobi Fairley's home this past weekend, I'm loving vibrant greens and yellows.

  • Belinda says:

    Love the linky party! That kitchen is so happy looking! #3

    Funny thing is that as cute and fun as it is, I don't like orange or yellow. lol

    Maybe its all the heat down here in the south. I don't know, I'm into cool colors even now as fall is trying to kick in. 🙂

  • Dovecote Decor says:

    let us know when you've fixed the linky. I want to play!
    Best,
    Liz

  • Donna says:

    Maria, I'm so excited! I had spent a weekend snapping photos at the most gorgeous shop in Galveston. The 'true' colors or happy colors you have been talking about were all over the place. I kept telling my friend..this is is..and this..and this and taking photos all the while. I'd been saving them for a really 'special' post about the newest trend in colors (referring to you as the expert of course. :o) and the you came up with this linky party. It was the perfect time to do it..so today, I did. I do hope you enjoy it. :o)

    PS. We bought a new couch for the living room. Can you believe it? It's modern/retro..and cocoa colored. I'm pretty sure it will work great with the living room color you picked. It's on the post too.

    You are so inspiring Maria! PS. I tagged you too on the previous post.

    xo
    Donna @ Comin' Home

  • Amy @MaisonDecor says:

    I like bright fresh pink for a happy color. It always puts a smile on my face.

  • Maria Killam says:

    Hi Liz,
    It seems to be working on my end, I just checked it out. Let me know if you have any more trouble.
    Maria

  • Diane Hoeptner (hep-ner) says:

    So much fun, great post, awesome links!! (:

  • Marti says:

    Love the photos of the chairs — it's the Memorial Union Terrace at UW-Madison (or as known around here "The Terrace". Best place in Madison in the summer and one of the first universities to serve beer on campus 🙂

  • Laurie says:

    Right now I think just using any color is fun. I am tired of neutral walls and such…Bring on the colors!

    Personally an ocean blue equals fun to me, but also red, but a bright shiny red.

  • Mindy says:

    As an art teacher, the classic question "What's your favorite color?" was always one of the tougest to answer, lol! Sunny yellow is my favorite color, it exudes happiness! However, pink has been growing on me lately. These cupcakes are topped with a pink a sugary as the treat itself!
    xo
    Mindy
    http://fisilis.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/woah-mama/

  • Design Elements says:

    my fun color is pink right now

  • Rayanne says:

    I came over to play your linky party from Donna @ Comin home.
    What fun.
    I love soft whites and pink!
    Thanks for the spontaneous linky party.

  • Emom says:

    Well, you know I am a yellow girl….but I think that when yellow is paired with red and orange, you know that there will be fun….smiles.

  • kristie@thedecorologist says:

    I'm currently working on a project where the home is mainly done in neutrals. The client loves turquoise and wanted to incorporate it into the space. After reading the Red and Turquoise blogpost I just linked you to, she decided to go with a red and turquoise combo. With everything we add in those colors, her home becomes more fun and lively!

  • The English Organizer says:

    Great point – not many people equate "beige" with "fun"!
    I just read Kristie's red & turquoise post and am inclined to think this is the perfect combo for the beachy-but-warm look I'm striving for at home 🙂

    Struggling to be Stylish is now The English Organizer. Please visit me at englishorganizer.com.

  • Sarah says:

    Yellow is the best color for fun! I tried to link my post about furniture refurbishing – I painted a table yellow which sits in my living room and I spray painted an old wicker chair bright yellow that brought it to life! My painting can be seen down the right column of my blog! thanks for the inspiration!! :))

  • Willow Decor says:

    Usually I am a neutral color person, but adding a punch of color really energizes a space! Surely very fun!!
    xx-Gina

  • White Picket Fences says:

    I love aqua blue paired with lime green. The color combo always makes me smile.

  • Marilyn G Russell says:

    Give me loads of color. Orange is my favorite and fun color.

  • angie says:

    What a great post, Maria! I SOOOOOOOO second the notion that the colour of fun is never beige 🙁

    For me, fun colours are those that are strong, saturated and bright. Any hue with vivid intensity. They conjure up an emotional reaction which lifts my spirits. Tomato red, citron, apple green, turquoise and hot pink!

  • designsimplyworks says:

    Fun for me is Royal Purple!

  • Ideezine says:

    Maria,

    My color of fun right now is deep plum-black it's sexy and I see it everywhere.

    Bette

  • Naturally Carol says:

    Hi Maria, lovely to hear from you the other day…have you been to Diane Hoeptner's blog? I notice she has a comment above me here. She does fabulous paintings of flowers, the Royal Lily one on her blog at the moment would really work in your lounge room I think, colourwise. Maybe you could talk to her about painting a really big one in similar style, if you like it. Just thought of you when I saw it.

  • Marivic says:

    Starting from a rainbow against a clear blue sky, I can visualize bright, airy interiors in the tropics with soft furnishings in warm colors–red, orange, yellows. Then walking to another part of the house which will be decorated with cool colors of the sky and sea- turquoise, cerulean, viridian, indigo.
    Boy, you got me started…I'm now on sun and sea mode!

  • Mindy says:

    Maria-
    Thank you for the opportunity for the link love! I love your blog. It's a daily read for me and a neverending source of inspiration.
    xo
    Mindy
    http://fisilis.wordpress.com

  • Grace @ Sense and Simplicity says:

    I'm late joining in to your linky party, but I have to say I think it is brilliant linky party topic. Love the photos you found.

  • Ann at Rose et Lis and PlumSiena says:

    Lately I've loved the color amethyst. (It's not easy to say that fast!).

    I find it refreshing after all of the grays of today.

  • Kim@Living with Little People says:

    What a fantastic question! I immediately and unequivocally think yellow when I think of fun! It lifts my mood every time I see it. Sorry I'm a little late to your linky party, but thanks for having me. 🙂

  • threeacres says:

    Aww those are the famous Sunburst Chairs from my alma mater!

    To me fun = 3-4 bright colors.

  • casey at loft and cottage says:

    Love this post! A while back I wrote a post about yellow as the color of happiness. Thanks for letting me relive my favorite yellow rooms–and link here!

  • Kimberly Grigg says:

    I am a huge fan of turquoise, and when mixed with something like coral, I get really happy! Actually, unusual color mixings make me the happiest… one of my favorite combos is citron and aubergine!

  • Darcy from The I.Design Box says:

    I think color is fun… anything that stands out and makes my surroundings interesting is what fun is to me. If I had to pick one (or two) I would say yellow because of its energy. The other would be red… also for its energy and vibrance.

  • Darcy from The I.Design Box says:

    It's so hard to pick one color… I'd most likely choose yellow for its vibrance and shear happiness. The other would be read… for its fire and passion.

  • Peggy and Fritz says:

    My fun color would be cotton candy pink. I added my link – it was one of my first posts of these colored umbrellas and it just made me happy. I love white white white and more white for my home but if someone said what makes you happy I would pick pink. In college I painted my room white with cotton candy trim – it made me happy everytime I walked into my room. They called it the Pepto room. I didn't care. Loved this post. I'm tickled pink!

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