Color is everywhere—if you actually pay attention.
We’re all guilty of stepping outside and instantly looking down at our phone: checking texts, catching up on DMs, leaving chaotic voice memos (I am extremely guilty of this). There’s a time and place for all of that, but can I make the case for looking up instead?
Put your phone away. Go outside. And look for color.
A color walk is exactly what it sounds like: a short walk where your eyes are tuned to one specific color. Choose your color before you step out the door, and watch how quickly it shows up. Once you start looking, you’ll find it everywhere—front doors, wildflowers, signage, dog leashes, someone’s socks. It’s like turning up the saturation on your surroundings!
I do this all the time, especially when I feel creatively stuck. In my opinion, there’s no bad time for a color walk, but there’s nothing quite like touching some grass and spotting a rogue red mailbox that feels like a magical sign from the universe to pull you out of a funk.
And if you need science to back this up: a recent study found that intentional, mindful walks (including ones focused on specific elements like color) have measurable effects on improving mood and reducing anxiety. TLDR? Color walks are good for your brain and your nervous system.
These walks are on my mind because I was just talking with a friend about how important it is to find inspiration offline. There’s only so much Pinterest and Instagram can give us before everything starts to feel like a carbon copy. Mother Nature, on the other hand? She never misses.
One of the aftereffects I love most about color walks is how you start to notice what you’re drawn to, without overthinking it. A client once told me that they thought they didn’t like yellow, but they realized they took photos of everything yellow out in the wild. That’s color talking!
When I’m visiting the city and need a boost of inspiration, I try to make it a point to go to some of my favorite color-forward places, which include:
An immersive experience where you quite literally walk through color. Each room has its own theme and includes things from confetti rooms and ball pits to sensory dance parties. I just love this place!
No matter when you visit, there’s always a color waiting to surprise you. I’m partial to the cherry blossoms, but the indoor tropical pavilion literally breathed life back into me during those frozen New York winters.
McNally Jackson + Goods for the Study
Books and stationery as eye candy. The pen wall alone is enough to get me jazzed up.
I honestly don’t remember how I first found this place, but I’ve been coming here for years to get my aura read. They snap a Polaroid of you while your hands rest on these magical little energy detectors (technical term, obviously). It’s always wonderful, no matter how many times you go.
There are also SO many colorful home goods stores in the city, but I’m saving that for a bigger roundup in an upcoming newsletter (inspired by my recent piece on colorful clothing brands to shop that you all devoured!).
But for now, here’s your tiny assignment:
Pick a color. Go find it in the wild. Let your eyes do the work—no screen required (with the exception of taking a photo of the color if it’s really inspiring you!).
xo
Daniela
P.S. If you enjoyed this, I’d love it if you gave it a quick like, restacked it, shared it with a friend, or left a comment—every little interaction helps more than you know. This one’s free, but a paid tier is coming soon with extras like color AMA sessions, behind-the-scenes peeks, and deeper design advice for your home. If you’re into that kind of thing, consider this your personal invite to stick around. 💌
Ok, first, I gotta go get my Aura photo!!! And Jojo's!! Second, a therapist once recommended what is basically a color walk whenever you are too worked up about something and I find it really works - choose one color and look around to see how many things you can spot in that color. It's actually really soothing, especially in the midst of something like a crazy travel delay situation!
Loved this idea, gonna try it today!