Call it what you want

10 COLOURS

Colour is the lens by which we perceive the world. How they affect us is deeply personal and anything but straightforward. They emotionally influence us in such a way that can increase our metabolism or cause our blood pressure to spike—but more commonly known are their ability to alter our mood or immediately invoke memories. Warm colours like red, orange and yellow can evoke emotions that range from happiness and warmth to anger and hostility. Cool colours like blue, purple and green are considered calming but can muster up feelings of sadness.

But what about the names? Blue is blue, right? Not quite. If you’re looking to repaint your bathroom it’s likely the swatch choices will be Deep Royal, Celeste, and Schooner rather than blue. Mocha makeup seems to be a more palatable name than ‘brown’ and crayon boxes entice us with Banana Mania and Mango Tango. Car companies often get creative with their naming of paint colours—Lotus used Norfolk Mustard, Dodge recently brought back Sub-Lime for the revamped Charger and who doesn’t drool over a Ferrari painted Rosso Corsa—the most iconic car colour ever and proof that shades of colours can even be branded and owned. The more unique or unusual the colour is named, the more appetizing it seems to be.

Rather than name our 10 colours, we decided to simply identify them by their hex code (a technical breakdown of the intensity of red, green and blue used to make up each colour). We’ll leave the naming to you. Seriously, we left you space. Get creative.

#00A5B3

clear skies | ocean | wipe-out | peacock | avatar | hawaii eyeshadow | blanket | beach | sidewalk chalk | freedom arctic | cleanliness | tranquillity | wisdom | baby boy clinical | stratocaster | gin & tonic | surfing | mineral water | dolphin | glass cleaner | fountain | niagara falls tropical splash | lagoon | robin egg

#C6CD6B

lime | mike wazowski | seaweed | emerald | pear | moss shrek | four-leaf-clover | jalapeño | parakeet | pickle crocodile | festive | envy | jealousy | cash | olive | salsa healthy smoothy | pea soup | starbucks | garden hose kiwi | forest | lizard | tennis ball | grass | alien | salad granny smith | kermit the frog | pine tree air freshener

#FE5A34

blue jay | sapphire | denim | avatar | toronto | smurf fountain pen | baseball cap | dusk | mariana's trench neptune | picasso | berry | finger-paint | twister | dory sapphire | little boy | smarties | sadness | planet earth cookie monster | frosting on a birthday cake | macaw emperor butterfly | crayons

#002744

tangerine | marigold | cider | fire | tiger | cantaloupe citrus | terracotta | spice | squash | clay | pumpkin| juice life jacket | carrot | autumn | construction | golden hour crush | marmalade | monarch butterfly | kraft singles mango | cheddar | jack-o-lantern | leaves | goldfish fuzzy navel | harvest moon | cheetos | sweet potato

#D5C0A9

butterscotch | fawn | egg nog | oat | latte | parmesan biscotti | oyster | sandcastle | shortbread | leather driftwood | potato | lion | beach | cream | desert boots croissant | toast | fish & chips | cardboard | sculpture peanut butter | caramel | walnut | trench coat | blah ice cream cone | mediterranean | khakis | oatmeal

#FD4A49

cherry | lollipops | brick | passion | ladybug | pepper canada | ferrari | telephone box | erotic | lips | popcan bloody ceasar | tomato salad | elmo | barn | borscht first aid | watermelon | ketchup | solo cup | fire truck poppy | boxing gloves | double-decker bus | sand pail stiletto | etch-a-sketch | communism | rudolph | carpet

#EFCCCA

rose | flamingo | lipstick | blush | salmon | coral | peach bubblegum | cotton candy | lemonade | rosewood | tutu | barbie | valentine | eye | loveable | child's play flowers | shrimp | cherry blossoms | sweet sixteen | sweethearts panther | dragon fruit | delicate | jewelry box | ballerina tissue paper | birthday cake | bath salts

#DBE0DE

pearl | cotton | egg | virginity | cream | ivory | coconut wedding dress | salt | new beginnings | rice | bone porcelain | abdominal snowman | daisy | arctic | clean linen | stucco villa | smile | parchment | dove | natural marshmallow | sheep | bleached | surrender | plain tee dove | toilet paper | rabbit | handkerchief | album

#FF5D37

honey | canary | daffodil | butter | corn | dandelion rubber ducky | dijon | banana | bumblebee | blonde joy | sunny afternoon | smiley face | pacman | rain coat taxi cab | submarine | bart simpson | golden arches highlighter | bumblebee | school bus | chickadee minions | gelato | sunflower | no name | kraft dinner

#D0DCC8

sage | juniper | fern | mouthwash | pistachio | basil mint | guacamole | mistletoe | lettuce leaf | ice cream growth | tea | celtic | margherita | statue of liberty henri rousseau | fender stratocaster | macaroons | go sea foam | mojito | shamrock shake | cabbage | pastel prom | fresh | snow pea | marijuana |

WORDS: DAVID GANHÃO

PHOTOS: NOAH GANHÃO