A holiday for romance and roses.  Heartfelt sentiments and vows of everlasting love. Flirty hot pink and sensuous deep red.

In my Valentine’s Day fantasy I’m…

…wearing a dress that is so perfect in pink that it could have come straight out of Barbie’s closet…

…embellished with a vintage pin of pink and red colored rhinestones.

I’ve receive a bouquet of pink peonies that I enjoy while…

…propping myself against a sexy red and pink damask pillow…

…on my pink striped chaise.

That’s the fabulous fantasy I’m enjoying on this Pink Saturday while outside a blizzard of ‘historic proportions’ blankets DC in almost two feet of snow.

What are you dreaming about today?

Fantasy photo sources:

• Perfect Pink Dress
• Pink and Red Rhinestone Pin
• Pink Peonies
• Pink and Red Room Interior

Is it just me or are you at a point in life where you enjoy snow more from the inside looking out than being out in it?

I think the many years I spent in Upstate New York and New England digging out my driveway and being caught ‘under dressed’ in the interest of fashion over practicality have tainted my enjoyment of snow.

With that being said and this being the view outside at the moment you can bet I’m dreaming of warmer weather, sunny skies and a colorful garden rather than snow in the backyard.

So here I sit bundled up inside scanning sites like Proven Winners looking for the colors of my dreamy summer garden.  The color red-violet has been on my mind this week after being interviewed for an article titled, “Did Purple Send a Message at the State of the Union Address?” (hint–it was really red-violet not purple as I wrote about in my post on Live in Full Color) so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that flowers in this color seemed to call out to me?

Here a few of my favorites along with how I might use them in my garden or patio planters this year:

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Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso Petunia
I bet you’ve never seen a petunia like this before.  This is a new addition from the Proven Winner line.  I love the bright shade of lime green that rings the pretty red-violet flowers.  This is at the top of my list for plant purchases and best of all it produces flowers all summer long.

To bring out the green in the flowers even more I think I’ll find a pretty plant with bright yellow-green foliage and put these in all the hanging baskets that surround my deck.

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Zinnia elegans ‘Benary’s Giants Wine’
This zinnia stood out and caught my attention.  Benary’s Giants Wine zinnia has huge, fully double deep red-violet flowers atop strong stems, which will make them perfect for cutting.

Paired with flowers in deep gold and dark green foliage this flower will really stand out along the border of my garden and cut flower arrangements.

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Pelargonium ‘Tex Mex Hot Pink’
While the masses of blossoms are more of a shockingly hot pink I think they will marry nicely with the flowers that are a bit more red-violet.  Besides they bloom all summer long even it the hottest weather and I can bring a pot or two into my office to enjoy long after the summer ends.

The bold hot pink color will be a nice contrast against a rich, deep foliage such as Blackie or Illusion Midnight Lace sweet potato vine that has undertones of violet.

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Bandito Rose Lantana

If you’ve been reading my Pink Saturday post you know that lantana graces my garden just about every year.  What I like about the Bandito series of lantana is the compact size of its blossoms and that is produce an extra large number of blooms.  There is also a richness to the blossoms of this variety that make is especially appealing to me.

To soften this bold lantana I might incorporate some white flowers such as white calibrachoa or Diamond Frost euphorbia.

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Grandiosa Cherry Picotee Pelargonium
Not only does this plant produce gorgeous flowers but it also has lemon-scented foliage and is easy to grow.  That’s the kind of three-in-one benefit package I like.  The deep red-violet set off with white edges will be a nice counterpoint to the brighter flowers above.

This is another blossom that would pair nicely with an airy variety like white guara or Breathless Blush euphorbia.  Both will soften the texture of the geranium.

Now this is just the beginning of my summer dream and the snow is falling fast and furious so I’m going to go make a cup of tea and get back to browsing flower sites and  Pink Saturday posts.

I hope I’ve left you feeling a bit more ‘in the pink’ on this very white Saturday.  My spirits have sure been lifted just looking at all these beautiful blossoms!

Early last summer I discovered the most gorgeous roses while driving through Georgetown.  I was so taken by the beautiful color scheme that it inspired me to write my post ‘Raving About These Roses’ for Live in Full Color.  While I was writing my Pink Saturday post last week the beautiful blossoms came back to mind.

They have a color scheme similar to the Veuve Cliquot Rose Ice Dress but with very clear yellows and oranges along with pink rather than just yellow-orange.  Mother Nature put together a spectacular color combination that is a perfect example for learning how to create your own color palette by copying from the nature.

These roses are called Joseph’s Coat and I find the variety of colors on a single rose bush so appealing.  They are a climbing rose but since the ones I photographed were in pots they didn’t show the full effect of how gorgeous these are when flowing over a trellis or fence.

I did find this ’story book’  shot of fully blooming Joseph’s Coat flowing around the window of Our Little English Cottage Amongst the Oaks. Doesn’t that look just perfect?

Mother Nature chose to put this same tri-color scheme in another of my favorite plants, Lantana.  I have often enjoyed a mid-summer explosion of color when my wrought iron hanging baskets were overflowing with Lantana.

When if come to cut flowers tulips are one of my favorites.  I especially like the French tulips and find that I select a mix of blossoms that create this same pink, yellow, orange scheme.  This collage from Rainflower Company shows the colors I might mix in a single arrangement.

Keep in mind that even if a color scheme doesn’t show up all together on the same plant when you mix different colors of the same type of flower you can create a naturally harmonious scheme.

And don’t feel that you have to match the colors exactly.  Choosing a variety of tints, tones and shades of each hue will be much more interesting than matching everything to just three colors.  The colors shown above will give you an idea of the variety of colors you can use in this ‘three color’ scheme.

Just look at this awesome analogous scheme and think how much more interesting these lovely ladies look than if they had all been wearing identical dresses in just one, two or even three colors.  I think that it was said best on Style Me Pretty where I found the image–

The bridesmaids dresses…how can you not love them? They were all designed by Kay Unger who is one of the more talented designers I’ve ever seen. Her dresses are effortlessly beautiful, each one making that particular girl look and feel ridiculously gorgeous.

When developing your own color plan pick out a few elements that deserve this same treatment.  Think not only about your color scheme but also how you are going to apply it within the room or design.  There should be at least a few elements that you want to have standout and look ‘ridiculously gorgeous’.

I just love this image and the caption “Mon Amour.”  Have you ever seen a wine bottle look this sexy?  I don’t think I ever have.

While clearly what lies beneath the soft pink wrap is a bottle it is so provocative that the ad might as well be a photograph of a sexy, sultry model or movie star.

The simple and elegant buttoned up version has a classic, never go out of style look that reminds me of the wide-eyed and always alluring Audrey Hepburn.

While the low cut, half unzipped pose is as tasteful and tantalizing as the Italian beauty Sophia Loren.

Veuve Clicquot sure knows how to give their products Super Star appeal!

I especially love how the color palette speaks to both sides of ’sexy’; the soft pink (a hue perfect to represent rose champagne) is so feminine, delicate and demure and the yellow-orange (the signature color of Veuve Clicquot) is warm, open and catches attention without being too brazen.

My first thought was, “Wow, how perfect this color combination is on so many levels”  My next thought was that this is a combo sure to capture any man’s attention.  As I gave it more thought however I believe it actually goes much deeper than that.

This combination invites woman to be comfortable with the sensuality of the images and I suspect sparks something in our subconscious that makes us feel like buying Veuve Clicquot Rose will make us as desirable as the bottle in the elegant Ice Dress.

I don’t know about you but I’m ready to run out and buy a bottle.  I’m also ready to completely surround myself with this combination so I started hunting for other examples of this alluring color combination.

Martha Stewart seems to be as taken with this combination as I am.  Here she shows it in a mix of candy she recommends for wedding favors.

In her suggestions for flowers

And for serving pieces.  Being partial to tabletop china, pottery and glassware I love the shape and colors of these pieces.  I want them all!

This inviting room showing the softer side of this color combination is from Domino magazine.  I could easily spend a few hours on that sofa with a good book and cup of tea.

I found these framed vintage textiles on CountryLiving.com.  I think my aunt might have owned that geometric scarf or one very much like it back in the day.

A brighter take of the yellow-orange and pink scheme is a natural for anything that includes gerber daisys including these favor boxes from Daisy Days.

Another bright combination looks young and playful in this bedding from Neiman Marcus.  It brings in a bit of red with the pink, and yellow-orange plus has a very trending “never seen in nature’ pink and white zebra stripes fabric for the bed skirt.

While we’re on the subject of Veuve Clicquot inspired colors you might enjoy reading my post from yesterday on Live In Full Color —

My Color Coded New Years Resolutions: The Yellow (or Is It Orange) of Veuve Clicquot

You might also like to see all of the Pink Saturday posts.  This is my first week participating but there are 123 post in all this week and the links to all can be found on How Sweet the Sound

Over the last few years pink has gained popularity as a viable color choice for Christmas decorating. It’s feminine, youthful, and some values of pink have the same high energy as red. Pink has the power to lighten and brighten up a room for the holidays. Today I’m sharing 5 simple steps to using pink this Christmas.

In October, my Trend Tuesday: Thinking Pink post honored Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the color pink, but we all know efforts to cure breast cancer aren’t reserved for just one month, it is constant and ongoing. Many groups around the country host Holiday fund raisers supporting these research endeavors, calling them Pink Christmas. Here’s an example of one organization from Michigan.

As a favorite color to many females and young girls, along with the worthy cause pink represents, it’s easy to see how the color can become fashionable across generations, cultures, apparel, interior design, and even Holiday decor.

So how do you create a pink christmas for yourself?  Follow these 5 simple steps…

Step 1: Start with the tree. If it’s pink all over you’re looking for starting with the backdrop in pink will create a strong statement. Here are a few of my favorites.

Pink Trees across top from left: Ashley tree from Target, KSA tree from Christmas Trees Galore , Sterling tree from American Sale

Across bottom from left: Fantasy tree from Target, KSA tree from Christmas Trees Galore, Punky tree from Treetopia

Step 2: Add pink lights. There are lights with white wire or green wire to blend in with your tree and other decorations. There are even pink LED lights to help you save energy.

Lights from Holiday Treasures

Step 3: Use pink ornaments. Just about every store out there is offering some collection of pink holiday ornaments this year. Use varying pinks from pale pastel, to dusty mauve, to intense hot pink for interest and a monochromatic palette.

Step 4: Put pink on the table and mantel. Spreading around the layers of pink across the space creates the mood of Christmas cheer. This year at market my colleague and friend Jim Marvin showed off his take on a pink christmas with some new pretty items.

Step 5: Decorate fresh garlands. Use live and faux pink flowers adding a natural element around doorways, above windows, over mantels, or framing a mirror. The green backdrop of the garland will act as a neutral against all the different pinks in the decor.

Follow these 5 steps and your Christmas will look like these…

Oh and don’t forget to decorate the outside. Pink will look pretty there too!

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/trend-tuesday-pink-is-the-new-red-this-christmas/feed/ 0 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/trend-tuesday-thinking-pink/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/trend-tuesday-thinking-pink/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:46:16 +0000 Kiki Titterud http://www.sensationalcolor.com/colorforyourhome/?p=1895

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, this week I thought paying homage to pink would be an especially sweet treat. 

Pink is a tint of red, or red with white added to lighten the color. Pink can also go red-orange (Coral) or red-violet (Magenta aka “Hot Pink”). It can be youthful, fun, exciting, and some shades even have the same high energy as red. They are sensual and passionate without being too aggressive. The softer pinks are often associated with romance. It is the color of joy and happiness, and for women the attraction to pink can speak of a desire for the more carefree days of childhood.

Inspirations of pink in the past and present have been rooted in the designs and lifestyles of a few iconic people.

In cosmetics and cars…

In fashion design…

In 1947, fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli introduced the color “hot pink” to western fashion. She dubbed the shade “Shocking Pink,” though today the color is more well-known as “magenta.”

In interior design…

Inspiration for Men…

As a trendy hue pink can stand alone in a Monochromatic palette veering slightly away from red being influenced by purple resulting in a bright magenta or by orange as a clear soft coral. In color combinations pink paired with orange in a Diad harmony is fresh, new, and conversational. Building off  today’s high-contrast in color trends, complementary schemes with pink plus blue-green, green, or yellow-green blend the masculine cool side of the color wheel with the warmer, lighter, more feminine hues. And going off the wheel putting pink with yellow in an experimental combination is warm, fueling feelings of optimism and creativity. So how does pink translate into the interiors of today? Let’s take a look.

Monochromatic…

Diad Harmony…

Complementary Combinations…

Off the “Wheel” schemes in pink and yellow…

Today’s color dilemma…

I saw a post on Jill’s blog when I visited again after first learning of ‘Forever & Ever House’ when I posted my thoughts on the entries for “Spring green roundup”.

Jill was sharing that her four year old daughter wants a new room color. You can see the entire entry on her blog but here’s how it begins…

There was ONE exception to the “need to renovate” rule at our house and that was my daughter’s bedroom. Seventeen years ago, when our home was built, it was painted a very pretty, classic shade of yellow and it has remained that way to this day. So, when we moved into our home I said to myself “Self…well, at least THERE’S one room that doesn’t need to be painted.”

Madison’s bedding and valance from our starter home even had some yellow in it and with a few strategic placements of art, the nail holes in the walls from previous owner’s art would be covered.

Easy-peasy. Yippy Skippy.Well, you know where this is leading now, don’t you?

My daughter really wants a pink room!

Kate suggests…

Well Jill if you end up painting yet one more room my first thought is to pick a hue that you and your adorable daughter can live with for years to come so you aren’t repainting it again anytime soon.

My suggestion would be to go for a paint color that tends to be softer and more neutral than say ‘Barbie Pink’. Here are some examples from Pittsburgh Paint but similar colors can be found from other brands.

Each of these fits your daughter’s demand for pink but may also appeal to you since as you mentioned on your blog you love natural things and neutral colors.

From warmer pink to cooler pink as you go from left to right

Another natural pink you might consider is Pink Ground from Farrow & Ball. Even non-pink lovers like this neutral pink.

Pink inspired by the vintage French rose called Cuisse de Nymphe

In this month’s House Beautiful magazine they quote interior designer Ann Dupuy as saying the following about this color, “This is a very serene pink, the color of an old French rose called Cuisse de Nymphe, which translates as the thigh of a nymph. So charming. And everybody looks good against pink — that’s why men wear pink shirts.”

You have great style and I think going with a color scheme that suits your little girl now but can morph into a new scheme as she gets older would be perfect.

Pink and brown might be a good place to start. All of the pinks I mention would look wonderful with almost any hue of brown from light tan to deep, rich chocolate.

Stretched canvas design in pink and brown by Kelly B. Rightsell

You can use mostly pink with just touches of brown now but could expand the color scheme at any time. So many other colors could work with this as a starting point. Think green, aqua, sky blue, lavender, even tangerine or the right red.

The color scheme Julie (style expert and editor of our Live In Full Color blog) used in her daughter’s room is a wonderful example. She chose a pink, green and brown scheme with a few blue accents.

The walls are Georgian Green from Benjamin Moore. Like the hues of pink I am suggesting this color is quite neutral. The bed linens and window treatments are a mix of pink, green, tan/brown floral, check and print fabrics plus a touch of blue.

Julie has combined new and vintage items and many hues of each color. This approach has given the room charm and interest that wouldn’t be achieved if all of the furniture, fabrics and accessories were the same style or matched exactly.

I love the touch of blue and Julie said that she likes to always add a bit of blue to every girls room. You can see how she has added the blue in with the mirror, shelf, and in the plaid of the throw.

Jill I hope these suggestions spark your imagination. You are so creative that I feel certain that Madison (and I) will love whatever you decide on.

***Readers if you have other ideas or suggestions I welcome you to add them in the comments. I’m sure Jill would love to hear your thoughts too!***

Resources:

• Type in your zip code for a list of Pittsburgh Paint dealers near you.
• 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.

Today’s color dilemma…

“I have chosen to do my daughters room in pink, black and white. I don’t want a light pink, but I don’t want Pepto Bismol either.

She is 11 yrs. old and we are going to put black and white self adhesive polka dots on the pink. Any suggestions? –gg

Kate’s suggests…

Pink, black and white is a great choice for you daughter’s room. A classic color combination that is often associated with the 1950’s, poodle skirts, and rock and roll this combination has stood the test of time and polka dots are a natural in this colorway.

Many designers, artist and do-it-yourselfers enjoy creatively using pink and black polka dots. Here are a few items found on etsy that make imaginative use of this theme: tags from paperologie, the tote from baffinbags, or the hanging tiles from parischicboutique.

Pink, black and white is a popular color theme chosen by young women on Polyvore’s outfit editor site as seen in the outfit above but women of all ages seem to find this combination appealing as you can see by the response to Grace’s post about this color combination on her blog Design Sponge.

Just like the Donghia fabric I wrote about recently Madeline Weinribe has given an updated look to this suzani fabric through her use of pink and black.

While once considered mainly a feminine or “girly” color it has acheived more widespread popularity among members of both sexes as I talked about last month on Live In Full Color.

As you already recognize walls painted pink can make a bold statement and some hues of pink may be overwhelming. I think that the key to enjoying the color for years to come is to chose a pink that is a bit more sophisticated and let the polka dots add the playfulness that attracted your daughter to this color scheme and decorating style.

A middle value hue will give the room the fun feel I believe you are after but it will also be restful enough so that your daughter can have a peaceful “beauty sleep” each night.

The wall in this room designed by Diamond Baratta and featured in House Beautiful are covered in Ralph Lauren’s Spectator Pink in linen, which goes beautifully with the black and white houndstooth rug. This is the intensity and value of pink I would recommend.

A couple of other options might be Silk Kimono #MS011 from the Martha Stewart collection, Berry Red 2 #LA202 or Plaster Pink 2 #302 both from Laura Ashley Home or Valspar’s Seaside Retreat Pink Flamingo #SR504 all of which are available at Lowe’s.

We’d enjoy hearing how the project turns out and having you post before and after pictures on RoomVues.

If any of our readers have suggestions for other pinks that they have used successfully please let us know in the comments.