Happy Chinese New Year! This Sunday, February 14th, (yes, Valentine’s Day) marks the start of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The only thing I’ve ever really known about the definitions behind the different signs is what I’ve read on paper placemats at Chinese restaurants or on visits to Chinatown in NY and San Francisco, however Asian design has always been an interest of mine. I never really considered how the two correlated until I read Julie’s post on Live in Full Color from last year’s celebrations, Are Our Perfect Colors Written in the Stars? She took all 12 of the Chinese signs and gave examples of how they translate into the home. Here’s this years Tiger below.

•Tiger (lucky, courageous, vain, undisciplined): 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Interesting Tiger Facts:
Zodiac Stone: Sapphire
Special Flower: Violet
Best Hours: 3-5 am
Season: Winter
Horoscope Colors: Green, Blue, Yellow

Ever since the Beijing Olympics in Summer 2008 we’ve continued to see a strong influence in Asian inspired design, and as we approach the official start of the Chinese New Year 2010 this bold yet simplistic style of interior decor is still easy to spot.

With the resurgence of wallpaper and our new found love affair with wall decals, injecting a little Eastern botanical flair in a space has become a fresh way to revitalize an interior and bring the outdoors in, a common element in Asian style.

As one of the most fashionable decor trends, bold patterns are a unique twist on the traditional botanical print. And along with botanicals inspired by Asia comes Eastern meanings to colors, that when paired together have a strong effect on design. I’ve gathered some of these looks combined with the colors so you can gather your own reactions to these styles.

Red: Summer, the South, good luck, joy, good fortune, and fertility.

Very interesting how all of the red examples above are accompanied by teal and turquoise…which is one of the hot color combinations for 2010. For more examples of this scheme see my post on the influence of this color trend, Trend Tuesday: Turquoise takes a compliment…”Hey you look good with red!”

Yellow: Earth, Sun, power, royalty, masculine, warmth, happiness

Blue: Sky, Water, feminine, nature, described as deep or shallow rather than light or dark.

Green: Wood, Spring, youth, birth, exuberance, enthusiasm, prosperity

Orange: Love, happiness, plentitude, good health

Purple: Spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing, trust

Gold: Prestige, wealth, status, prized for its preciousness and radiance

Black: Depth, truth, life, stability

White: Autumn, pure, neutral, metal, death and mourning

For more information on the symbolism and psychology behind color here’s the link to our color messages and meanings section on Sensational Color.

We’d love to hear how bold botanicals and Asian influences might work their way into your interior projects.

Today’s color dilemma…

I’ve been reading about Dorothy Draper but most of the pictures are in black and white. Can you give me some examples of the colors she actually used? I’d like to decorate my apartment in bold colors and thought her palette could inspire me. Thanks, Riley K.

Kate suggests…

Benjamin Moore put together a special palette of their colors that captured the style of Dorothy Draper a year or two ago for a museum retrospective show. Here are the colors they included:

Dorothy Draper was the Grand Dame of using bright, bold color and texture combinations in her day and thought to be quite outlandish. While in her day using these hues might have seemed quite brazen today it is no longer that unusual and in fact quite fashionable.

Find out more about America’s first interior designer in my article on Sensational Color…

Resources:

• Type in your zip code for a list of Benjamin Moore dealers near you.
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.