Need a bit of spirit to pick your week up? On the day of in between our color knows just exactly how that feels. Our Wednesday indulgence into the color pool is about a color that wavers just comfortably in the middle. Chartreuse, its your day in the (sometimes) limelight.
Oh but this color is a fickle one as well. Is it green or yellow? Is it both? Where oh where has chartreuse gone today?
Chartreuse was a lover of a liqueur in France. Not to be confused with its sister the fairy absinthe, its color mimics both the green and yellow world due to its resemblance of color counterpart liqueurs. It is a dabbler in green for “green chartreuse” which was introduced in 1764 as well as “yellow chartreuse” which was later introduced in 1838.
According to This Girl Can Eat, where our top image is from:
“Known as the Elixir of Long Life, Chartreuse dates back to the early 1600′s when a monastery out of Vauvert, France started crafting the complex recipe by using natural plants and herbs. Originally intended as a cure-all, rather than a beverage, the monks adapted the formula in 1764 to make what is known today as “Green Chartreuse” liqueur—55 percent alcohol, 110 proof. In 1838, a milder, sweeter and lighter hued version of the original recipe emerged and is known as “Yellow Chartreuse”—40 percent alcohol, 80 proof.”
The fickleness does not stop there. As you might imagine, the color then encapsulates an entire family of hybrid iterations including lime, pear, spring bud, avocado, apple green... and the list goes on. Over the course of our exploration in color we will give each of these the attention they deserve.
Let’s take a look at some of our beloved chartreuse in design application.
But don’t let the relaxed nature fool you. As the color of the spirit it is named after boldly proclaims, it is not surprising that chartreuse is also a color worthy of invoking a luxuriant experience.
Oh the trickery of this concoction however. Just as easily as it gave the homes luxury and modern capabilities, chartreuse also has the ability to pull back the curtains of time. Give your entryway some whimsy, some nostalgia by simply painting a door in chartreuse.
Where will the spirit of chartreuse take you today? Let us join in on the fun. Like chartreuse, we have multiple avenues to help guide you through the magical world of color. Will it be a Preval Sprayer experience or will it be our vFan Portable Airbrush System? Choose your own adventure and let us know.