Are we afraid of color?

We swoon over the soft teal fabric with a touch of citron, and the orange accent lamp with the brocade shade. We fall for the red bedspread, and the hand-woven rainbow rug. When our color lust is over, we choose beige. Why?

Susan Sargent, author of the “Comfort of Color” calls this chromophobia – a fear of color. You have to wonder what we’re afraid of. After all, there was clearly a time when we couldn’t get enough pink.

Paint companies know this, too. While there is always that wall of color swatches, the majority of us choose neutrals. Creams are safe. It’s why most brands premix bland colors like Navajo White and keep it stocked for us chromophobics.

Sargent says it’s not that we love white, it’s just that we are afraid of the alternative: color.

But color has its benefits besides looking lively. Color can affect our mood in a room. Finding our inner color and celebrating it can give us a space that feels right for our personality.

To find your true inner-hue, take our color test. Check off the statements that are true to you:

1. When your high school friends went out for sports, you chose the debate club
2. Face it. You return more than you keep after a shopping spree
3. You practically married the first person you ever dated
4. You are the yes person at work- volunteer often and work extra hours
5. You are the boss, and everyone knows it. You leave early
6. EST, Kabbalah and Neti pots. You’ve tried them all
7. You have been called arrogant by everybody but your grandmother
8. There is nothing wrong with a good cry at a movie or wedding
9. You record “Jeopardy”
10. You’re involved in too many charities to count
11. Cat person. Plain and simple
12. You believe in life on other planets and admire the blue chick with the eight arms
13. No doubt you are one of the most interesting people you know
14. You did and still do spend a part of your day daydreaming
15. Sweating the small stuff makes things go easier later
16. You define yourself by your family
17. You were always good at sharing. Still am
18. You haven’t given up your dream to live off the grid
19. You make your own decisions and stick to them
20. You’d rather be home than anywhere else
21. Spontaneity is not the same as impulsive. Okay it is
22. You almost never say no when someone needs help
23. You are confident and sure even in job interviews
24. When you played army, you were the leutenent
25. You are often the life of a dull party
26. You wear white even to a wedding or funeral
27. You rather give in than get what you want
28. You frequently rearrange rooms
29. There is no such thing as too much of anything
30. Broke? No big deal. You make your own
31. You can’t wait for jury duty
32. You can relate to Tinkerbelle, especially the flying part
33. You always tell the truth, even if it hurts
34. You talk to complete strangers in stores
35. You wear the pants in your family
36. You are a licensed back seat driver
37. You protect your turf. Literally
38. You would rather shop the Farmer’s Market than South Coast Plaza
39. Winning is everything
40. People say you are stubborn. You don’t agree
41. You rather travel than read a good book

Count how many a, b, c, d, e and f traits you circled in the quiz. Take the two letters you chose most often. The letter you chose most is your dominant inner color. The next letter is your secondary inner color. Read your inner color profile below.

1. You have a confident and caring character, are affectionate and seek peace. You relish nature, birds, sea creatures and wide-open spaces. Use fern green, sage and basil colors with whites. Open the windows. Try a terrarium and succulent centerpieces.
2. Yellow people have positive energy and a great sense of humor. They are the original happy face people. For 2014 choose soft washed lemon with celery green. Citron and gray make a sophisticated palette for yellow lovers.
3. So what if everyone says you’re still a hippy. You never miss the Sawdust Festival and have collected every Harry Potter book. You are a child of the Universe. For 2014 lean plum, hydrangea or a tad of violet with soft sage green. Lavender people also love the arts but are more subdued.
4. Orange people are foodies and highly sociable. You cook, you entertain, and you are a dedicated Farmer’s Market shopper. Use lots of copper in the kitchen, with soft blue accents and pops of orange with Fiestaware.
5. Blue people like their surrounding safe. Blue provides a calm environment and an escape from a busy day. Blue is a great color for a bedroom retreat and master bathroom suite. Think white subway tiles and soft blue towels. Turquoise is a bit more adventurous, while blue-gray is a compromise color.
6. Red people are certainly passionate, ambitious and perhaps a bit pushy. Choose red for floral arrangements – not carpet colors. Tone down your passion with soft-grey pinks, the color of romance.