Seeing Colour – Joy by Dammy Ponnuthurai

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

The untimely falling of leaves in August, so noticeable in the park, makes one wonder if autumn has arrived early. In truth, it is the spectacularly dry summer and the trees’ thirst for water that has caused them to shed prematurely. This unexpected, slightly confusing, scene made me think about the art of seeing, and how the way we look at the world shapes our ability to find joy, even when the weather or the season is less than inspiring.

A few days ago, my teenage son and I met a lady walking her dog, Milo. Milo, a two-year-old poodle mix, could offer his paw on command. That simple moment of play lit up even the archetypal moody teenager beside me. Milo’s sheer joy in being was contagious, reminding us that sometimes to see joy in the world, we need only borrow the perspective of a dog.

This ability to look with wonder is something we rarely consider, but perhaps, as Louise Glück writes in her poem Nostos, only children truly see. Adults, she suggests, observe mostly through the lens of memory. Yet in these uncertain times, I believe it is vital to hold on to faith, hope, and a childlike way of looking. It is in everyday beauty that we can find renewal, especially as autumn’s arrival approaches on the first of September, the meteorological start of the season.

So how do we nurture this gaze of wonder? Travel has taught me that colour can be one answer. I remember visiting Calcutta many years ago and being struck by the dazzling pinks and blues. Such vibrancy seemed to reflect not just the climate but also a way of seeing. Here in the UK and Northern Europe, our palettes tend to be more subdued. Yet as the light fades and the days cool, there is inspiration in surrounding ourselves with colour.

This is where Vlaze brings a special gift. The Vlaze modular Adapt Unit, with its rich palette of nori, ochre, sage, and indigo, makes it possible to bring a sense of sunshine indoors just as outdoor cooking becomes less appealing. As the days darken, colour transforms our homes, creating warmth, joy, and even a fresh frame of mind. Just as autumn’s harvest of squash and root vegetables inspires seasonal cooking, Vlaze’s colours invite us to rediscover beauty in the everyday, reframing how we experience our surroundings.

The natural world itself models this joy: a cat stretching, a magpie hopping, or Milo bounding across the grass. These moments remind us that joy can be found in simply being. Taking this mindset outdoors on a grey, rainy day is a kind of experiment in perspective. Instead of assuming the day is ‘miserable,’ we can hold onto childlike wonder and search for glimmers of light. Science affirms what we intuitively feel: colour uplifts mood, supports memory, and enhances creativity.

Whether or not we place our trust in practices like chromotherapy, what remains is this truth — that by choosing to see differently, to embrace colour, and to focus on what is admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy, we enrich both our homes and our hearts.