Did you know that color is capable of helping improve your performance both intellectually, emotionally, and physically? Civilizations have believed for thousands of years that color can have a transformative effect on your life and those you share it with. Here are some colors and the powers they can release:

Rooms painted blue have a feeling of openness, tranquility, airiness, and are cool. Blue conveys importance and competence, which explains why it is so popular for business suits and police uniforms.

Rooms painted green are relaxing, restful, rejuvenating, and will steady nerves. For  those of us who are impatient, time is supposed to feel like it moves faster in a green room. Hhhmmmm. Makes me wonder if I should have chosen green as my signature color instead of pink!

Rooms painted violet are spiritual, philosophical, royal, and creative. A purple room can boost a child's imagination or increase an artist's creativity, but be sure to balance it with other colors to prevent moodiness.

Rooms painted gray feel stable, steady, dignified, and disciplined. Gray has the strength and mystery of black, but doesn't carry on the negative aspects of it. Today it is a very popular neutral, for both decor and clothing.

Rooms painted orange are warm, happy, lively, and bold. In a playroom, classroom,  or gym orange creates a cheerful, social environment great for peak performance with minimal hostility and irritation.

Rooms painted red are stimulating, powerful, sensuous, and strong. Use red in rooms where you want to grab people's attention and motivate them to action. It is also great for you cooks out there, as it stimulates the appetite.

Rooms painted yellow are warm, happy, hopeful and supportive. Tests  at the Neiman Marcus customer service center showed order input accuracy improved after the office was painted yellow.

Every year around this time designers begin to hear color forecasts for the upcoming year as chosen by different industry experts. Themes are usually reflective of current events, economic conditions, and/or major news events. The themes for 2011 are:

Looking Back
As the TV show "Mad Men" illustrates, there is a huge interest in nostalgia and looking back at the way things were. Colors that support this theme are the classic gray, black, taupe and beige.

Fantasy Land
This theme provides escape from the stressful time and encourages you to dream and fantasize about the future ahead. Angelic, misty tones make for an ethereal getaway.

 

Hopefully you have been inspired by all of my color information and have decided to banish your white walls. In my last "Color Issue" I encouraged you to choose Low-VOC paints to improve the air quality in your home. But that isn't the only way to go green when it comes to painting.


I'm sure you are all familiar with Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. When it comes to paint, reducing the amount you buy to only what you need goes a long way for an eco-friendly paint job. To calculate how much paint you are going to need, measure the wall area that will be painted. A typical gallon covers about 400 square feet, but that may vary depending on the brand and color you choose and the surface to be painted.

Use latex paint whenever possible.  It is less harmful to the environment than oil based paint.  The words "alkyd" or "oil-based" indicate that the paint is oil-based. "Soap and water" clean up instructions indicate latex paint. As I mentioned before, the best latex paints have Low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which off-gas harmful chemicals into the air which have been suspected in causing autism.


Purchase recycled paint if it is available in your area.What do I mean by recycled paint? Most paint and home improvement stores have an "Oops" section where the paint was mis-tinted. Before buying a custom blended color, see if you like any of the "oops" shades. This will prevent that can of paint from being wasted, and you will also get a substantial savings, as these mis-tints are deeply discounted. You can alsos look for paint at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

Not only do paints and related products contribute to air pollution, if they are poured down the drain or put in a landfill they will also pollute our groundwater.  Never throw liquid paint products into your trash.  If you have some paint leftover and don't plan on saving it for touch-ups, take the lids off your old paint cans and allow the paint to harden. This prevents the harmful chemicals from leaching into our water system.

It's football season again, with tailgating going strong. Whether you are supporting your favorite college or professional team, here is an interesting twist for a traditional tailgate favorite. If your team happens to be the Panthers, like mine, at least you'll have good food to enjoy since the games are pretty ugly!

Blue Cheese Dressing for dipping

Directions

To transport for tailgating, place cooked calzones in a foil tray and cover with aluminum foil to retain heat. Tray can always be placed on the grill to warm them up if they have cooled.

Most people say there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. Well I would like to submit to you a third guarantee: No matter how bad your life is, there is always someone worse off than you. I believe that it is more important to give than to receive. Additionally, it has been my personal experience that when I give generously, whether it be of time or money, the rewards I get are exponentially greater than anything I might have given. In this spirit, I am going to share with you each month opportunities available for us all to give back, for we are all greatly blessed, even in these times of struggle.

Walk Now for Autism Speaks is a fun-filled, family friendly event  at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2010 and is the most powerful force to fund vital research. Experience the power of thousands united by a single cause by joining Walk Now for Autism Speaks. Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disorder - we need more volunteers to join our fight. Whether this is your first walk or the 10th, take the first step and register today.

UNC Charlotte PRIDE is proud to participate in this event fundraiser and will be walking around the Charlotte Motor Speedway (relax- it's only 2.5 miles, and you don't have to run) on October 9th to support. If you would like to participate, UNCC Pride is fielding a walking team and welcomes you to join them in their fight against autism. For more information go to UNCC Pride for Autism Speaks on Facebook. If you can't make the walk you can donate directly to  2010 Walk for Autism Speaks.

If all this talk about color has left you inspired but still intimidated,
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