Colour has a powerful effect on our perception of the world around us.
I started thinking about a colour palette for The Sweet Meadow months before I had anything ready to design. This would extend not only to the design elements of the brand but also the colour of the plates, cutlery, walls, napkins, benches, coffee machine (seriously) - everything!
Restaurants are on to the fact that colours matter and they are starting to use it to their advantage. Serve a dark-coloured cake on a black plate instead of a white one, and diners think the dessert is sweeter and more intense. Match the colour of the food you are serving to the colour of the plate and people eat more.
I worked with my graphic designer to choose seven colours (of course) to work across every touchpoint. Most of these colours were inspired by my recent trip to Europe, Italy in particular. They have pastel-coloured villages perched on the side of cliffs overlooking the ocean - talk about inspiration overload!
I started collecting images that inspired me across fashion, design, interiors, nature, travel, everywhere really, and soon saw some common colour themes come through. This is how I chose the basis of the colour palette - it was instinctual, rather than based on any science or research (apparently McDonalds uses red and yellow because red = a sense of urgency and yellow = hungry). Keep scrolling for the seven colours you're going to see a lot more of.
Grey - Pantone 877 C
Grey is a neutral colour that enlightens the softer colours it's paired with. Light grey is calming and soothing and also symbolises elegance (silver). I also love the look of concrete, grey timber and grey bricks as textured finishes.
Apricot - Pantone 169 C & Rose Gold - Pantone 696 C
These are the 'neutrals' - known as the earth tones, these are nature's first colours. They are associated with creativity, heat, sunshine, warmth, health and change.
Dusty Pink - Pantone 1767 C
Pink is the colour of happiness, fun and romance. Using pink in a brand suggests a compassionate, caring, feminine and youthful identity.
Lilac - Pantone 524 C
This colour is a symbol of peace and tranquility. As it is a light shade of purple, it suggests refinement, grace and elegance. Lilac, lavender and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious.
Pastel Green - Pantone 566 C
Green is the colour and word synonymous with the notion of all that is fresh and new, flourishing and full of vitality. Studies show our brains associate the colour green with nature, growth and development. I intend to use this colour throughout the space in it's purest form - with plants!
Baby Blue - Pantone 2707 C
Blue is the colour of the sky and seas, often associated with depth and stability. It symbolises trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, truth, and heaven. It has also been shown to slow human metabolism and produce a calming effect.
Images of Cinque Terre & Amalfi Coast my own. All other images via tumblr and Pinterest.
