The Power of Color : Creating Healthy Interior Spaces

"COLOR is literally the 'wavelength' medicine of the future. Itcalls to us and asks us to recognize its value as an alternativemedicine that the environment can provide." --from The Power ofColor

THE FIRST PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CREATING HEALTHY INTERIORS WITHCOLOR

Working from the scientifically based premise that the use offull-spectrum color on finishes and surfaces is essential tocreating a healthy man-made environment, Sara O. Marberry andLaurie Zagon arm design professionals with:
* A complete methodology and clear, easy-to-follow guidelines todesigning with full-spectrum color without compromising style orclient preferences
* A concise refresher course in color theory
* Detailed analyses of more than 20 projects for a wide range ofpublic and private spaces, including healthcare facilities,schools, day-care centers, hotels, and offices
* Color charts that break down proportions of hue, value, andchroma for each project discussed
* A project showcase featuring more than 40 full-color photographs,bringing vividly to life all of the examples discussed

Thanks to the efforts of a handful of visionaries working in avariety of disciplines, our knowledge of the role of light andcolor in human health has taken a quantum leap during the pastdecade. For instance, clear links have been established betweencolor and academic performance among grade-schoolers, and medicaljournals now routinely feature reports of color being usedsuccessfully to assist in the treatment of everything fromdepression to AIDS.

Now, in a book that is as inspiring as it is instructive, designprofessionals can learn how to use color to create interior spacesthat support the health and well-being of all who live and work inthem. The first and only practical guide to creating healthyinterior design using color, The Power of Color provides a simplemethodology and set of guidelines that can easily be integratedinto professional practice.

The book begins with a concise, accessible refresher course incolor theory. From there, the authors embark on a fascinatingexploration of the healing properties of color as documented in thescientific literature. This is followed by in-depth, practicaldiscussions of surface colors and lighting, the importance of usingfull-spectrum color in interior design, and techniques for usingfull-spectrum color without compromising the design professional'sunique sense of style or the demands of his or her clients.

The remainder of The Power of Color is devoted to the detailedanalyses of more than 20 projects executed in the United States andEurope. Chosen for their use of a full-spectrum color palette, theexamples include designs for many different types of public andprivate spaces--from healthcare facilities and schools to hotelsand offices. Each project is accompanied by color charts that breakdown proportions of hue, value, and chroma. A project showcasecontaining more than 40 full-color photographs vividly brings tolife all of the examples discussed.

The most complete, practical guide to the use of color to createhealthy interior spaces, The Power of Color is an indispensableresource for interior designers, architects, and all other designprofessionals.

SARA O. MARBERRY is Editor of Aesclepius, the newsletter of theNational Symposium on Healthcare Design, and a formereditor-in-chief of Contract magazine.

LAURIE ZAGON is a fine artist, instructor, and color consultant.She taught color and light theory at the City University of NewYork for 14 years.