There are so many reasons to love June. Of course, we celebrate Pride in June and all throughout the year! The LGBTQIA+ community has had such a tremendous impact on the interior design industry and creative arts. I’m always inspired by the many close friends, family, business partners and colleagues who I have in my life. AJC Design stands by loving a person for a person and love is love! We encourage everyone to engage with this loving community by listening with an open mind, supporting LGBTQIA+ businesses and most importantly, staying informed.
Another reason why we love June is because it’s the official start of Summer (or more formerly, when the Summer Solstice occurs). Summer is a season of more daylight, warmer temperatures, and better ability for fruits, vegetables and flowers to bloom. And more vegetation means brighter colors. For us in New York, June’s weather gives us a constant reason to celebrate, from weddings to graduations to even barbecues, and all things in between. Move over boots and wool, here come sandals and linen!
The other sassy thing about June is that it’s officially the midpoint of the year. Yup, 2021 is already half-over! That means, it’s an opportunity to reflect on what personal or professional work has been done so far or still needs to be done. Are you on track with achieving your goals for the year? What is out of balance? What changes do you need to make? My biggest learning over time is that, “Life is a journey. Remember you can always go back and knock on another door.” So if something is not going right or not going where I want it to go, I can always course correct. Even if it means checking in with my favorite spiritual mystic!
The rainbow flag may be synonymous with June and Pride month, but to me its much more than that. I don’t just see the colors ROYGBIV as the many distinctions of sexual identity that exist today. Instead, the colors possess a larger promise of hope as I can sense what is coming to fullness and what is out of balance. So my designation of ROYGBIV is a little more spiritual:
R (red) is a symbol for love and passion. It also stands for reflection. Am I doing the things I love? Am I surrounded by the people who love me and who I love?
O (orange) is a symbol for joy, creativity, and determination. It also stands for openness and the primary hue in AJC Design branding. Just as windows and doors stay often this time of year, so must our minds be open to new experiences, possibilities, and even people.
Y (yellow) is a symbol for optimism and friendship. It also stands for yearning. At this point of the year, what are you yearning for to happen in the second half of the year?
G (green) is a symbol for nature and luck. Even thou I may be Irish, this Lass is a firm believer in gratitude. What am I grateful for now in my life? Am I showing my gratitude to others in the same way?
B (blue) is a symbol for calmness and trust . I am always seeking balance especially in my work and family life. Is my body in balance? Are my priorities in balance? Have a created symmetry in my design aestetic?
I (indigo) is a symbol for spirituality and devotion. Personally this translate to innovation. What do I need to innovate? Improve?
V(violet). It also stands for prosperity and royalty. For me, it stands for versatility. I’m drawn to objects and especially spaces that have multiple purposes.
Although I haven’t touched upon color theory, ROYGBIV is extremely important in the color scheme of interior design. The spectrum of our imagination is vast when it comes to coming up with color pairings and accentuating new hues. In the end, everyone is entitled to their own interpretation of Pride and rainbows, and so am I. The half arc of the year is complete and now I’m ready to channel my spirit colors into the the other half.