Dans Papers - May 11, 2007 - Pink is Red Hot

Pink is red hot. Pink is not just for flamingos, nail polish and cotton candy anymore. It's one of the hottest new trends in decorating and can help update the look of any room in your home.

Pastel pinks have traditionally been used in little girl's rooms and nurseries because of their calming effect. Using pink in a room can increase energy or decrease aggression depending on the shade you choose. In 1991, a study was released stating that Baker-Miller pink (a bubble gum/watermelon shade) painted on jail cell walls temporarily suppressed prisoners' angry, antagonistic and anxiety ridden behavior.

Easy ways to incorporate pink in the kitchen include pink dishes, tablecloths or napkins.

Reminiscent of the 1950's, most of today's modern kitchen appliances are available in pink. These sleek pink and chrome designs have a retro feel and are the highlights of the kitchen countertop.

Choosing complimentary colors is the key to successfully adding pink to a room. Ever so versatile, pink accessories compliment a boring brown and white room. Create a preppy look mixing pink, tan and white; a glamorous sophisticated look with a pink, black and silver or gray combination; a 50's look with pink, black and white; a garden feel with pink and green; or a tropical look with a pink, orange, yellow or lime mix.

Salmon, coral, hot pink, fuchsia, blush, flesh, flush, fuchsia or rose. With so many shades, tints and variations available, how do you pick the right one? Picking the right pink is all about picking the right shade. And according to color guru Dewey Sadka, author of The Dewey Color System: Choose Your Colors, Change Your Life, the color you choose can also give you some insight into your personality. Sadka is the creator of the first validated color personality system in the world (www.deweycolorsystem.com).

According to Sadka, lavender pink is "empowering" and using it in a room will make you more constructive and "determined" when you use it in an office or workroom. This shade also encourages "warm, exciting conversations" in dining and living rooms and makes "guests feel welcomed." If you like lavender pink, "you're seeking to be more inventive," "new possibilities flood your mind" and "by constantly examining possible practical applications, you create new things, new ideas."

Hot pink, is a good shade for a "party room" because it creates excitement, makes you "less skeptical and more enthusiastic" and "creates adventurous conversations and situations". If you like hot pink you are "constantly thinking about exciting things to do" and "through your body language and appearance, without being aware, you're sending out enticing messages".

While designing with classic pink, "creates classic charm", its vibrancy makes for a good conversation area or meeting room because "you will become better able to share feelings." If you like classic pink "your genuine concern for others can make you appear angelic" and "you seek to convey your spirit by giving. It is your great strength. You give and expect nothing in return." Classic pink can also be romantic for a bedroom.

Decorating with salmon pink will "inspire tales of appreciation about past accomplishments" and will allow other people to "see your warmth and treat you with more respect." If you prefer salmon pink "you may be someone who is considering what's valuable and who will miss you when you're gone." Sadka advises salmon shade lovers, "Don't over intellectualize situations" and "honor what you've done and you'll gain the passion to fight the good fight."

And finally, using Dusty rose pink in a room "encourages constructive conversations and plans" and visitors will view you "as more together and more confident". If you like dusty rose pink, you are a "doer" who is "searching for practical solutions to accomplish your dreams." "For you, creating the perfect plan and seeing it through to completion is an exciting adventure."