As John Walter Bratton sang:
Take life with a pinch of salt
A shot of tequila and a wedge of lime
Do nothing at all
But take your time
Summer is upon us, or so the temperatures say for next week. If someone whispers summer to me, immediately images come to mind of the sea, sand, salt and a cool drink of lemon and lime soda at 5pm – with a shot of alcohol! They are also Mediterranean colours and fruit symbols particularly in the south of France. Menton has a whole lemon parade dedicated to the fruit. In Italy, you can see jars of pickled lemons to add to salads and pasta. In Greece they are added to fish platters and in the US summer, there is always key lime pie with that sharp citrus tang cutting through sugar served with a dollop of fresh cream.
A Splash of Colour
If you have the space and courage, a wall of lime or lemon can add a bright mood to the whole room. It needs to be a pure lemon with no hint of muddy mustard and a pure lime green with no undertone of grey. Bright and clear. It can offset white, black and beige perfectly. If a whole wall or tiles is a bit scary, then go for cushions, curtains and accessories. In our first French studio, we added the motif and colour of lemons and limes to counterbalance the coffee colours and white. It was like an instant summer cocktail when we walked in. For bedrooms, Look for bed linen with these colours as a hint or add a throw cushion against navy and you have an instant vibrancy.
Feng Shui Thoughts
Green is a colour all about growth and energy and lime is definitely in this group. Check out the Bagua map for the areas where you can use it. A note; too much green can unbalance the Chi and a space can have too much energy. Lemon is in the yellow spectrum and part of the Earth element. It is a great colour to use in the relationship sector as it is about grounding but also about being fruitful. I find both colours to be happy as they remind me of the light of summer. I often wonder why we go to sombre tones and colours in the winter when this is the time we need brightness to uplift us in those dark hours.
Decor
I recently found these wonderful yellow jugs and happy baking tins. Guaranteed to bring a smile to our faces. Our first French apartment was all white and the lime and lemon accessories stood out giving the wood warmth and adding a sense of fun. I am going on holidays in the next week and I look forward to seeing these sunny colours in the south of France as they glow in the summer shimmer against the azur blue.
