Pink confetti

Outside the window the trees blossom, despite all the unimaginable evil the world is experiencing. And my conscience is still watching over me, asking me if it's right to just live a normal life, put on lotion and then expose my face to the wind that already smells like spring. Book a holiday. Cook botwinas. Bake buns every Sunday. Prepare pancakes for my 5-year-old's friends. Enjoy the quiet of the evening. Be sooo happy. And write about pink. And so I think to myself that today, the only thing worth doing is just be. And appreciate what is now as if there is no tomorrow. The apple and cherry trees are blossoming in Żoliborz district where I live. Soon it will rain pink confetti on our heads. It's spring again. That's why today will be all about the colour pink. In spite of everything.

Pink is (now) my thing

But believe me, it wasn't always like this. For most of my adult life, my fashion DNA consisted of Martens and a leather jacket, paired with a dress and blonde hair blowing in the wind. Feminine, but always with a strong accent. Full battle-readiness. For years I despised pink (and colours in general) until something in me just changed. Then Pola came along and I started shopping for casual clothes with her in vintage shops or brands like Bobo Choses or Animals Observatory. Today I've a powder pink jumper in my wardrobe, pink skirts and dresses, and powder pink in the most unexpected combinations. Pink has also found its way into my living spaces, not just Pola's room. I've it in the living room in a larger rug piece and in smaller cushion pieces. In the bedroom it's taken the form of linen sheets and is about to proudly stand next to a teak desk in the shape of an old bedside table I'm renovating. Pink is present in my house in the form of accessories. It doesn't overpower and contrary to appearances, the opposite sex likes it too.

Pink psychoteraphy

It has long been known that colours can influence the human psyche. Contact with colours is even said to have healing powers, and in unconventional medicine this is called colour or chromotherapy. With this in mind, I have long been exposing myself to the colour pink, which has a stimulating or calming effect depending on its saturation. As I write this, I am reminded of the story of Baker-Miller pink, which I read about in an excellent book "The Secret Lives of Colour" by Kassia St Clair, which I received as a gift from a friend and which I regularly refer to when working on branding or publishing projects so I know what I am dealing with. But back to pink: Baker-Miller is a classic panty pink, which Kassia St Clair describes in her book as "a sickly shade of bright pink" (literally, a puking light pink). According to research by Alexander G. Schauss described in the journal Orthomolecular Psychiatry, this pink significantly reduces aggression levels in humans, as successfully tested in 1979 at the US Naval Correctional Centre in Seattle by commanders Gene Baker and Ron Miller.

Pink & co.

"My" kind of pink looks best when it harmonises with a cream colour. And it loves combinations with difficult or so-called "dirty" colours that would be unbearable in the long run in the solo version. Maroon, lazy green, umber, cinnamon, red, brown, mustard, indigo, cobalt, baby blue, lavender, orange-red, gold, light wood and ... Teak. This last colour my blush pink loves the most. Also high on my list is fuchsia, which combines perfectly with orange, peach, salmon or red. You don't have to look far for inspiration, just get out of the house. To the meadow, to the park, to the sea or ... to the zoo, where I recommend the section with the water animals and birds, especially the flamingos. I assure you that you will come home with a head full of ideas and never look at nature the same way again.

Pink in practice

So much for theory and now practical exercises. Let's start with powder pink. Because it is light, it can even be treated as an alternative to white and used on larger surfaces such as walls or panelling. For example, an absolute masterpiece is my friend's plywood bedroom panelling with pink vinyl, reminiscent of Japanese shōji doors (seen in the gallery on the left). With any richer pink, e.g. fuchsia or old rose, I would be a little more cautious and use it as an accent, accompanied by "broken" calming elements: red, green or mustard. I think the rule of thumb here is: the darker and more saturated the shade of pink, the smaller its share in the overall space. To play it safe, I would also avoid less classy shades of pink (the aforementioned puking Baker Milly or Barbie pink) and choose classy shades by playing with different textures, e.g. juxtaposing rough wool with smooth ceramic glaze or rough linen with velvet. In my opinion, pink in general likes different textures. And high quality! Suede, wool, linen. A pink "tamed" in this way is no longer a challenge and becomes a pure pleasure for your eyes and soul.