1032 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



Therefore, if we are to have restful homes we must avoid using large 

 quantities of colors that are strongly red or blue, for these demand of us 

 too much nervous energy. Consciously or otherwise we react to their 

 influence, and sensitive women have been known to pay the price of one 

 headache a week for a red wall paper. We confess to this color influence 

 ourselves in such expressions as "red with anger" and " having the 

 blues." 



Compare these mental states with the calm mood expressed by the 

 words " in a brown study." Why is brown calm? Because it is a mix- 

 ture of red, yellow, and blue, in which each color subdues the intensity 

 of the others. It is by mixing these three bright colors that all our soft, 

 livable colors are produced; if mixed in equal proportions we get a gray, 

 which all agree is a color that " goes with everything." We now see 

 why this is true: because gray contains all the colors that exist, it will 

 harmonize with each in turn. If to this gray mixture an excess of red 

 and yellow in varying proportions is added, all sorts of soft reds, tans, 

 and browns are produced; if an excess of blue and yellow in varying pro- 

 portions is added, soft gray-blues and greens are produced. 



These soft colors are called " tones." By covering our walls with soft 

 colors, or tones, we may unite into one harmonious effect the red of mahog- 

 any, the brown of walnut, the various shades of oak, and other motley 

 colors present in mixed furnishings. This is an important problem in 

 the average home. 



The color influence of nature. — Natural surroundings greatly influence 

 the color sense. In our climate nature moves in great shifting masses 

 of greens and browns, according to leafy or leafless seasons. For this 

 reason it will be found that interior color effects in various shades of green 

 and brown are likely to be pleasing and restful to folks in general. Not 

 that these are the only colors that may be successfully used; but it is a 

 comfort to know that for almost any room in question some shade that 

 will be safe and attractive may be found within the wide range of greens 

 and browns. 



Our reference to " warm colors " and " cool colors " also comes from 

 our contact with nature. Warm colors we associate with blaze, heat, 

 and sunlight; cool colors with leafy shadows, blue sky, ice, and distant 

 hills. " Green as grass " is a frequent term of comparison; yet observe 

 that grass is not so green when compared with a green wall paper. The 

 trouble is that we are not keen enough observers: we imagine Nature 

 cruder than she is. So if we attempt to outwit her by using paper that 

 is greener than grass she responds by fading it until it is fit to live with. 

 Depend upon it, all bright colors in inexpensive materials are likely to' 

 fade. One should reckon with this in mind, for fast dyes are expensive 



