MAKE YOUR HOME SERENE WITH THE COLOR GREEN
reproduire ces sensations de sérénité en façonnant votre intérieur/maison de tons verts
Read on to discover how master Fine Artists and interior designers have used the color green to rejuvenate their interiors and artwork. Learn about green’s fascinating history, how to use it in Feng Shui and the right way to color match your artwork to your decor.
From the sky, Vietnam, 2014
The search for serenity is often linked to the colors and quiet that can be found in nature. Master fine artists such as Monet, Manet and Renoir have used green throughout history to recreate this scenic beauty.
Réhahn has lived in the Vietnamese countryside, near Hoi An, for more than a decade. His Fine Art photographs focus on the spirit of Vietnam away from the megacities. From the deep green of mangrove forests to the tranquillity of a boat floating in emerald waters, green has a recurring role in his photos.
What does the color green make your feel ?
Le vert est la couleur de jouvence. Celle de l’évolution, du progrès et des nouveaux départs.
Lush, Vietnam, 2020
La terre vue du ciel est une mosaïque de vert, mère nature et de bleu, l’eau, tous deux vital à notre survie. De fait, nous sommes nativement attirés par la couleur verte, les plantes nous insufflent oxygène et énergie.
Or, les civilisations modernes de ce monde poursuivent leur développement à un rythme effréné, exerçant anxiété et dépression dans nos cocons bétonnés. Mais nous avons la possibilité d’agir pour atténuer les effets néfastes de l’urbanisation.
Morning Lotus, Vietnam, 2019
“ I was born in the countryside, but moved to a city in France when I was 10-years-old. I suppose something inside of me has always been trying to get back to that feeling I had as a small child in the middle of nature. I’ve always needed green.” – Réhahn
You can choose to counteract the downfalls of urbanization by creating a color sanctuary in your home. According to color psychology, the color green helps people feel calmer. Surrounding yourself with green tones in your home will bring serenity and balance to the head and the heart. Read on to learn the fascinating history of green in culture and Fine Art as well as ways to use the color in your home decor.
A brief history of the color green
Some of the first occurrences of a manmade green were found in Northen Europe during the Neolithic period. Early humans dyed their clothes with a concoction made from birch leaves but the color quickly faded to brown. Ancient Egyptians ground malachite to paint the walls of their tombs and they considered the color to be sacred. Green was the symbolic color of Venus in Ancient Rome.
Harmony, Vietnam, 2015
In Asia, green is often associated with fertility and in Ireland it represents good luck. Green has become more politicized in recent years because it was adopted as the color for Western political parties concerned with environmental protection.
The color green in Fine Art
Green is placed between the colors yellow and blue on the color spectrum. In color theory and Fine Art, it is considered to be a secondary color created by mixing two prime colors. In the case of green, a set amount of blue and yellow can create an incredible variety of shades from sage to emerald, camouflage to mint.
The Impressionists were obsessed with the idea of capturing nature by painting in the open air. Manet, one of the forefathers of Impressionism and Realism, wrote that “there are no lines in nature, only areas of color, one against another.” While he is well-known for his portraits, Manet’s natural scenes such as in the painting “The Garden at Bellevue” (1880), are an explosion of green tones. Paris Green, one of the most famous paints at the time, was also used by Cezanne and Monet. Unfortunately, this particular shade was toxic and is credited with the ill-health of both painters.
Vincent van Gogh, Roses, 1890
Edouard Manet, The Garden at Bellevue,1880
Vincent van Gogh began painting with greens during a restorative period in Northern France. He painted numerous scenes of summery fields awash with golden light and bright green stalks of grass. “Roses”, another famous painting, is an unusual composition of a vase filled with roses that is done entirely in green tones.
Fortunately, the color green is no longer so volatile. It can be found in textiles, home decor and Fine Art to create the sanctuary of nature with no ill-effects. In interior design it is one of the most popular colors in the world, and for good reason. There is no other color in the world that can be so relaxing and youthful at the same time.
Green inspiration for your interior design
Vous est-il déjà arrivé, lors d’une promenade en forêt de vous arrêter; De contempler cette nature et d’en inhaler tous ses parfums?
Harmony ll, Vietnam, 2015
Il est possible de reproduire ces sensations de sérénité en façonnant votre intérieur/maison de tons verts pour vous inviter à un moment de méditation ou simplement de laisser le cours de la vie ralentir l’espace d’un instant.
“Vietnam is like my compass. It always guides me back to what’s important: nature,harmony and heritage.” – Réhahn
Green in the Art of Feng Shui
The philosophy of Feng Shui began in China thousands of years ago. The basic idea is that one should try to create a balance in his/her environment to mimic the harmony found in nature.
Feng shui is centered around the five elements – wood, fire, earth, water, and metal. Imagine new leaves sprouting from the branches of a healthy tree and it will make sense that green belongs to the wood element. An obvious way to use the color green to your advantage in your home is to have a wide assortment of plant life. The plants will purify the air and keep you grounded. By using several shades of green, you can maximize the healing properties of the color.
Tranquility, Vietnam, 2012
Inspire yourself from the multitude of greens on each leaf. Add a bit of aqua-green to calm your spirit. Lime green can engage the playful side of your character. Jade evokes enlightenment, while Emerald represents abundance. Prioritize the tones that can be found in nature.
How to use green in your home
Green is one of those rare colors that is hard to overdo. Painting an entire room red or yellow can be overwhelming to the viewer; however, green (with the exception of certain neon tones) can be used in mass with different light and dark tones to create a peaceful, playful or serious environment.
Into the wave, Vietnam, 2020
Green pairs well with almost any color. Mint green and white can create a youthful space for a child or young adult, while Hunter’s green with burgundy is the go-to choice for a study or library.
Emerald is a rich color that is elegant and luxurious and pairs well with other gem tones like ruby and sapphire.
A Fine Art photograph or painting that includes all of these tones can be used to inspire the rest of the decor.
Buy a Green Fine Art Photograph
Discover more of our photographs featuring the color vert.
Think about how each one makes you feel. Which shade matches your personality? Which image will refresh and rejuvenate your home?
