Yesterday after I finished writing the post about how I want my home to reflect my state of mind, I really started thinking about color and how it can influence our mood so I started doing a little reading. We all know that certain colors evoke certain emotions and it’s because color triggers associations in the brain.

Colors like red, orange and yellow are linked to feelings of excitement, energy and passion while colors like blue, green and purple are associated with feelings of calmness, serenity and relaxation. Seems that subconsciously this emotion depends also on cultural connotations.

Red is associated with love, passion, danger and urgency…isn’t it interesting that red is associated with both love and danger?!

Blue is associated with feelings of tranquility, loyalty and stability.

Green is also a calming color that’s associated with nature and harmony.

Yellow brings feelings of happiness, optimism, and cheerfulness. 

Of course, there are different shades and intensities of all of these colors and I’m sure they all affect our feelings a bit differently.

So…all of this got me to thinking about neutrals. I see so much about how a neutral monochromatic outfit (or room) looks more expensive, even if the individual pieces aren’t necessarily expensive. Why is that you may wonder? Well…here is what I found in a nutshell.

“A neutral monochromatic outfit looks more expensive because it creates a sleek, cohesive, and streamlined appearance by using only one color in various shades and textures, conveying a sense of sophistication and intentionality, which is often associated with high-end fashion. It appears polished and well-thought-out without the distraction of clashing colors, making the overall look appear more refined and luxurious.”

And…here is what I read about neutral monochromatic interiors…

“Neutral colors in interior design generally tend to look more expensive because they create a clean, sophisticated backdrop that allows other elements like furniture and accessories to stand out, making a space appear more polished and timeless, and often increasing perceived value in a home.”

These two theories about bright and neutral colors seem to clash just a bit, so I guess it boils down to individual preference and perception.

I for one, like color in my home and most of the time in my wardrobe, even though there are definitely times when an all black or all cream look seems like just the thing!

Clearly, this was not a day when I wanted to wear a neutral, monochromatic outfit! My fabulous, colorful sweater is from Farm Rio and interestingly, their tagline is…”We embody the liveleness of a nature infused and culturally rich lifestyle, coloring the world one print at a time.” These pieces are fun and always make me smile! As you can see, the pattern is different colors of hearts on a black background. It buttons up the front and can be worn with or without the belt and I so love the heart pockets…perfect for Valentine’s Day, but I definitely won’t save it for just one day!

I wore this outfit to dinner the other night and everyone complimented the sweater (and shoes).

The shoes are from The Office of Angela Scott (last seen here) and they’ll be so perfect going into spring! My pants are leather jeans from Frame (less expensive linked in the boutique) and my bag is from Tory Burch (similar here). I really layered on the gorgeous Julie Voss jewelry and the whole look makes me smile!

I did brave the cold to go outside and have these pictures taken…I’m so very ready for some warmer temperatures. I decided to try not to talk about the weather so much because someone told me that people who don’t have anything to talk about talk about the weather! However…it’s a thing right now!

And a few more pieces from Farm Rio to brighten your day!

I’ve had a few questions about some of the fabric in our home and I’m looking into it. I do have a designer that I’ve been using for many years and I’ll ask her and put the fabrics here on the blog next week! Thank you all so much for your comments and questions…keep them coming!

As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you’ve enjoyed this post!

~XOXO Suzanne