Have you ever wondered why the same shade of colour can work beautifully on a hard surface, appearing crisp, fresh and invigorating, yet transfer it to a soft furnishing or textile, and it can appear dull or dated? Rather than a question of taste, this shift comes down to how materials handle light – reflecting, absorbing and diffusing it in different ways.
Russian painter and art theorist Wassily Kandinsky’s colour theory, detailed in his 1912 treatise 'Concerning the Spiritual in Art', posits that colours are powerful forces that bypass the physical eye to directly affect the human soul. He developed a psychological framework where every hue carries distinct spiritual vibrations, emotional weight, and musical associations. While he described yellow as the "piercing, brassy blast of a trumpet sounding Middle C” – he wasn’t such a fan of grey, saying that it was “soundless”, possessing a "hopeless stillness".
For Josef Albers, however, colour was never fixed, but constantly shifting – shaped by light, context and the surface it occupies. A grey that appears flat or lifeless on a smooth plane can take on depth and atmosphere when applied to a textured surface. If Kandinsky understood colour as something felt rather than simply seen, then material becomes the medium through which that feeling is either sharpened or softened.
On a hard, smooth surface – such as lacquer, enamel or polished metal – light is reflected cleanly, allowing colour to appear brighter and more defined. Textiles and paper behave differently. Their fibrous structure absorbs and scatters light, softening edges and subtly muting tone. The result is the same colour, but with a very different presence.
Context plays an equally important role. As Albers demonstrated, colour is always perceived in relation to what surrounds it. This is something we consider carefully when developing our collections. “I tend to think in groups of colours, rather than picking each colour individually,” says our founder, Rowena Morgan-Cox. “I like to have a good mix of light, bright and dark shades within a collection or colour capsule. For our forthcoming Gala collection we are also including a multicolour colourway to show off this concept of balanced colour groups.”
A colour that feels balanced in isolation can become sharper, softer or more saturated when placed alongside another. In lighting, these relationships are further heightened, as illumination changes throughout the day, continually altering how colour is perceived. Many of the colours we use at Palefire fall into what Rowena describes as “new neutrals” – unexpected colours that sit surprisingly easily alongside other tones and patterns.
“Our ‘Brick’ colour – which is one of our most popular – is a very good example of this,” she explains. “It is quite a punchy colour but it miraculously fits into any colour scheme.” Alongside these hard-working colours, we typically add one or two more “difficult” shades – something acidic, like “Citrine” in our U/V collection or “Oxide”, as seen in Volta.
“Our ‘Brick’ colour – which is one of our most popular – is quite a punchy colour but it miraculously fits into any colour scheme.”
This approach also informs our Colour Capsules – seasonal groupings of colours designed to work together. Colour Capsule Vol. 1 was inspired by the work of Helen Frankenthaler, whose paintings show how multiple colours can balance one another without relying on neutrals and a single contrasting accent. The palette brings together shades that complement and soften each other through their relationships.
What is clear is that we need to pay attention to how a shade lives in a space: on a surface, in changing light and in relation to everything around it – but most importantly, ask yourself whether it brings you joy.
