Athletes in the U.S. and all over the world participating in this year’s Winter Olympics have three colors in common: Gold, Silver, and Bronze! And there has even been some controversy as to which color is the “fastest.” So we thought we’d paint the historic picture of Olympic colors when it comes to medals (and metals) and myths!
*Why Gold, Silver and Bronze? This metal trifecta can be traced back thousands of years to Plato. In his Republic, Plato explained that “gold souls” were the rulers of his ideal society. Silver souls helped them rule over everyone else who had “souls of bronze!”
So, Gold, silver, and bronze were used as Olympic medals starting at the 1904 games in St. Louis.
When you’re looking at accent colors or metallic finishes in your paint, think of them as “warm” tones or “cool” tones. Warm tones include copper, bronze, brass and gold, while cool tones include silver, nickel, pewter and chrome.
The big “myth” this Olympic season has been which color is “fastest” — blue or red? This started because the Norway speed-skating team changed their traditional red uniforms to a more somber blue. The reason? Because, their spokesperson said, “Of all the colors across the spectrum, blue is the fastest.”
This has been argued both scientifically and psychologically, but there certainly is not actual proof that one color can literally be “faster” than another. What we do know is that when you’re looking at painting the interior of your home, it just depends on your goal!
Red: passion, romance and a color that heightens the senses; red can either add warmth or drama depending on the shade and the size of the room.
Blue: calm, freshness, strength and dependability; depending on the shade, it can be used to add a bit of pop or a dash of tranquility.
Regardless of your stance on any color, let us help you design the best environment for you — we’ll even give you a bit of color history. Regardless, we’ll make sure your home is truly a winner!
