The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
GREEN ENERGY
This colour’s story is rich, mysterious and complex yet its impact on a home is both uplifting and calming, says Jacqueline Wake Young
The green fairy, the green man, the green movement, the green room – the list goes on and on when it comes to this most storied of colours. Associated with nature and regeneration, it is the colour of spring, before green shoots disappear under a canopy of flowers. The symbol of the green man, with foliage sprouting from its mouth, is said to represent nature’s growth and fertility; while the green fairy is the personification of the drink absinthe and associated, in the 19th Century, with artistic freedom and change.
In a home, green can conjure up these same associations with nature and freshness. It is invigorating yet relaxing, traditional yet quirky. However, to truly promote wellbeing in the home, nothing beats bringing in real greenery, in the form of houseplants.
Back in 2015, before WFH (working from home) became a thing, a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, suggested: “Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults.”
It described “techno-stress”, which has come about as a result of humans increasingly existing in a computer environment while at home – the lesson being that if you insist on turning the spare bedroom into an office, you’re going to need a fern.
As for the green room, that’s all Moliere’s fault.
The writer and actor died in 1673 after wearing a green costume on stage and the colour has been linked to bad luck in the theatre ever since.