When you say “joy” happy colors come to my mind. No grays, no muted hues, no dark dingy colors just crisp clean colors like the smell of fresh linens hung out on the line to dry and yes I just used the sense of smell to describe a color palette 🙂
There are pictures that we see that can trigger the feelings of joy – we all know that. A colleague sent me a link to a website that has just amazing photography in it. Looking at these pictures gave me such a happy feeling and you can say, it was a feeling of joy.
The innocence of children, the simplicity of design, the accuracy of portraying an emotion were all captured in one snap.
Here are the photographs that I’m talking about. They were created by Missy of the pink PISTACHIO website.
These are my colors of joy when I see these pictures. What are yours? Find them and bring them into your home. These visuals will be a great memory trigger when you see them in your home. See how color works?
Here you have three main colors and as they intersect they create two more. Think color for the kids rooms, the nursery, playroom bonus rooms and kids bathrooms.
My question to you know is how do you feel? I bet for just the few minutes it took you to read this post, you felt “joy” or at least happy right? I’m sure.
Decorating by Donna • Intuitive Color Expert 
Hi Donna,
Thanks for the article! I like where you’ve been going lately with your palettes – softer, more natural and easy to live with. I’m in a color (and pattern AND texture) intensive trade – furniture upholstery. Folks lean on us rather heavily for advice, and I study your updates to breathe some fresh perspectives into our suggestions. I’m building a new website (http://www.jhconklin.net/) built around helpful information regarding upholstery. Fabric selection – and therefore color – is a core element. With that in mind, I’d like to link/excerpt some of your articles and/or insert some of your palette images (with attribution of course) on some of our more design oriented content. i think folks will find value in it.
“Easy to live with” is exactly right James. Once we find the colors that we find easy to live with, the home will suddenly be “home”. Sure, you can use my color palettes but please link and credit back here. Thanks for asking. I look forward to seeing your posts. Merry Christmas.