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Ok, so you won’t necessarily walk into a home and think it’s a Jewish household. In the same way that you might not walk into a Christian, Muslim, or Rastafarian home and assume there is someone following a religion living inside. However, what you will find are subtle — or sometimes not so subtle — hints dotted around, which might make you wonder if someone has a specific cultural belief or religion they follow. A Jewish home is no different.
Below, we will look at some of the interior design themes that you might link to Jewish traditions and why you might think to do that.
Blue And White
Blue and white are perhaps the two most symbolic colors of Jewish tradition. For one, the Israeli flag is blue and white, two beautiful colors that symbolize peace, enlightenment, and wisdom. That’s why many Jewish people like to have splashes of blue and white around their homes to pay tribute to their faith in the country their ancestors grew up in. Blue and white are also linked to the celebration of Hanukah, which is right around the corner.
Many contemporary designs of the Hanukah Menorah have some sort of blue and white feature to pay tribute to the celebration of light and the country of Israel. Whether it be the Menorah or a painting, you’ll find some hints of blue and white in a Jewish household.
Bold Reds
Red is a very important color in Jewish tradition. Well, not necessarily the color, but Jewish people associate the color red with the tradition of the teaching about pomegranate. Pomegranates symbolize knowledge, wisdom, and righteousness – and they are said to have 613 seeds that represent each of the 613 mitzvot of Torah, also known as commandments. You may find subtle hints of red throughout a Jewish household, but you may not have related the color to its traditional meaning.
Elegant Golds
Gold is a very symbolic color in many religions, not just Judaism. In Judaism, gold is the symbol of the divine light – or the glory of God. It’s also linked to the Menorah. The original Menorah is said to be crafted from pure gold to give to the Lord himself. Plus, it’s a beautiful color that, when used right, combines elegance with a traditional class that works well.
One designer, Rosie Cohen, used the color gold to create a gold-plated bookcase to house scriptures for her client, and it looked amazing.
Olive Tones
Olive is very on-trend right now, and you might wonder whether it’s linked to Judaism or not. Generally speaking, people are most likely selecting olive tones in their homes without realizing it pays tribute to Jewish culture and religion. Believe it not – the color olive is linked to the Menorah again.
The Menorah — it’s worth saying — is one of the most religious and sacred Jewish items that you’ll find in a Jewish household, characterized by the seven or nine candle cupholders. The number depends on whether it’s used for Hanukah or not. Anyway, Israel chose to put olive leaves around the Menorah for its emblem. Traditionally speaking, olive leaves symbolize peace, and the olive itself symbolizes light.
Plus, it looks so lovely in the home and is an easy color to use. Black, white, brown, and other colors work really well against olive.
As we started by saying, you won’t walk into a household and see that Jewish people live there. You might now notice colors and perhaps even a Menorah ornament. What you’ll definitely notice is the style, grace, and beautiful interior design themes that work.