Ambiance, What colors Do You Have Where You Practice?

April 19, 2007 at 11:06 AM

My wife's best friend at the hospital was a house painter before working at the hospital. We had egg shell in the last house before building and I was sick and tired of it. Judy came out and suggested Sea Foam which is a very light green, plus we have 16 green plants in the living room, wood tones, with six three by five windows and three sky lights and the view: Sawtooth, Lost River, Copper Basin, Lemhi's and Bitter Root Mountains. I'll tell you my violin music fits this room to a T. I hope you have a fantastic view and pleasant surroundings where you labor.

When I feed horses on a spring morning before sun up, the horses love that, I can watch the stud colts running and mock fighting in the pasture, the duck pairs quacking and flying the irrigation ditches for food, the pheasant roosters issuing their challenges and as the sun comes up in the light red time, the snow on the mountains turns blood red at times and absolutely takes your breath away.

From Ben Clapton
Posted on April 19, 2007 at 12:26 PM

my room looks out onto the front garden. Not great if you're into practising naked, but I guess luckily for me (or is that luckily for my neighbours?), I'm not into that.
The garden is pretty nice, kinda cottage like at the moment, but with palms at the back. However, my mum has plans to turn it into a water-wise Australian Native garden, so soon I guess I shall be looking out onto some of the beautiful Australian native plants.

From Ben Clapton
Posted on April 19, 2007 at 12:26 PM

From Elizabeth Smith
Posted on April 19, 2007 at 12:57 PM

This is an interesting question. We have numerous practice areas in our house, which is painted colorfully, and the combination of color and acoustics seems to influence the mindset of the practicer.

A couple of summers ago while my daughter was away at a summer program we surprised her by repainting her scruffy room and ripping up the old carpeting. We sanded the floors down to a light natural shade and painted the walls a citrusy green color with turquoise trim. My husband made her a piano-shaped desk from lumber, which we stained turquoise as well. We thought she'd be thrilled. But she rarely practiced in her room after that and a few months later she politely told us that the colors of the room were giving her headaches and making it hard to concentrate.

I'd been so busy admiring my decorating choices that I hadn't stopped to consider the psychological effect of the new colors. I closed myself in the room for awhile to see what it was like-- and I had to agree. After a few minutes in the citrus room I wanted out, too.

So the next time she went away and we were able to scrape together some time, we chose a deep rose shade (that goes with the turquoise trim-- too much work to repaint trim) and redid the room as a better surprise than the last one. We left a few green accents, which gives the room a sort of energy without making it too frenetic. Now the atmosphere in the room feels calm and creative, and she can work and do homework there without having to leave every few minutes to clear her head. Lesson learned.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on April 20, 2007 at 7:01 AM

You're lucky to have such beautiful views where you live, from both inside and outside the house.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on April 20, 2007 at 8:17 AM

I wish I could see horses from my window, but I'd porbably get less practicing done that way. My studio is a sunny mild yellow, perfectly stimulating and uplifting. From my window, I see my pigeon coop, nestled in a small field you might call my backyard, which is surrounded by woods.

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Ambiance, What colors Do You Have Where You Practice?

Subscribe

Laurie's Books