Nevertheless the red roses, candies and cards inevitably show up on store shelves almost immediately after the Christmas and Hanukah decorations are put on clearance and shortly after our New Year’s resolutions are on their way out…
We always hear about the love stories, the cards and even the heartbreak, but what about the hue that has forever been tied to February 14th? Why red? Why not blue or green or purple?
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I think my brain has finally gone into “fashion overload”. I’m not sure what finally set me over the edge- perhaps the gazillion photos of Spring ready-to- wear images I’ve been looking through recently or maybe it’s my nightly habit of watching hour after hour of Full Frontal Fashion’s coverage of New York’s Fall fashion week. What ever the cause- I’m ready to admit that I’m in need of a couture detox.
Case in point… when I woke up this morning and began researching floral bouquets for a post I was working on for Valentine’s Day I discovered every bouquet I liked had a fashion reference….have I gone completely mad… or do you see it too?
Lavender cool water bouquet from Eco Bouquet and Prada (more…)
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Happy New “Year of the Rat” to all!
Today is the beginning of the fifteen day Lunar New Year (aka Chinese New Year) celebration in Asian communities worldwide.
Red for good fortune and happiness along with gold for wealth are the auspicious colors of the New Year. (more…)
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Wishing each of you a very happy holiday. Thank you for your encouragement this year and allowing us to add a bit of color to your world. We truly appreciate the support you have shown through your regular visits, comments, and emails. We look to getting to know you better during a very colorful 2008.
In celebration of the holiday I thought I would share a few of the holiday decorations I viewed recently.
Holiday Glamour Tree designed by Jamie Drake
Glamorous gold adds a warm glow to the holidays and shines beautifully as it adorns the Holiday Glamour themed tree that greets guest at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Georgetown section of Washington, DC.
The decorated tree is the creation of master designer Jamie Drake of Drake Design Associates in NYC and was one of the trees up for auction at the Georgetown Jingle charity event held to benefit the wonderful Pediatric programs at Georgetown University Hospital.
Jamie has created some of the country’s most dynamic, distinctive, and livable interiors for everyone from Madonna to New York City Mayor Bloomberg. He recently completed the renovation of Gracie Mansion, the ceremonial residence of the Mayor of New York.
In addition to having a phenomenal ability to work his magic in both traditional and contemporary interiors, he uses color boldly, fearlessly, and with great flair. What a talent! I’m a big fan of his and enjoyed seeing him while he was in DC.
Jamie Drake with Kate at the Georgetown Jingle
The beautiful suzani fabric from Donghia seen in my photo with Jamie Drake above and the one below was the inspiration for this festive tabletop designed by David Herchik of JDS Designs.
A suzani is delicate needlework on cloth and has been part of Central Asia’s folk art history for centuries. Donghia has updated the suzani with unexpected colors while capturing this time-honored art in its true form.
One Thousand and One Nights of Hope designed by David Herchik
The jewel tones celebrate the mysticism of far away lands and set the mood for a modern holiday dining experience. David’s delightful wit shows up in his designs as he mixes fine china and crystal with bright acrylic flatware.
The design and decoration of the tree created by Robert Pahnke and Susan Pilchard reflects the style, color, simplicity and rhythm of the artist of the Washington Color School.
In the style of the Washington Color School artists
The bold color, scale, design particularly pay homage to Gene Davis a key painter of the movement. The bright white tree illuminated with white lights create a backdrop reminiscent of the walls in Jefferson Place Gallery and show off the painting of fabric that twist around the branches from bottom to top.
This tree is a beautiful reminder of a time when Washington, DC was in the forefront as the United States developed their own movements in the arts.
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It happens every year- you’re left with that one person on your gift list that has you completely stumped- perhaps it’s a brother who has everything, an overly picky best friend who never seems satisfied or a co-worker whose name you picked for the office gift pool- but you barely know… whoever it may be, the big question remains- “what do I give”?
Well I found myself recently in this same gift conundrum-(let’s just say to be fair, my friend has high standards !) What could I possibly give her that would possibly wow her without breaking the bank? I discovered it was as simple as using a little color knowledge, to turn a practical purchase into a spectacular gift!
Start with a simple gift that anyone would be happy to receive- a beautiful ball point pen, a warm, cozy scarf or an ipod case for example- in a color that best represents who you think that person is. Then on the gift tag, explain to the lucky recipient why you choose the color.
For example…. you gift your brother with a red ballpoint pen, the message being ” Red represents action and confidence, it increases enthusiasm and stimulates energy…. just like you do everyday for your family!”
A yellow leather post-it note holder for your co-worker’s desk with the message-”yellow represents optimism and creativity… just like you bring to all of the office meetings”
And just so you know…. my picky friend will find herself opening a lovely, soft winter scarf in the perfect shade of purple because- “purple is the color best worn by those with mystic and royal qualities”- a true fit for her “inner- princess”!
Read more about the messages and meaning of color- you’ll never look at gift color choice the same way again!
and just in case my gifts might work for you, visit…
More fun gift ideas in a spectrum of color choices…
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We’ve been writing a lot about the popularity of metallic colors over this past year. Whether it be fashion, home, garden, technology or automotive- the shimmery hues of pure metal truly appeals to designers and consumers alike.
Elle Decor’s look at the trend of metallics
So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that advertisers and retailers gravitated to this trend for the holidays. After all it’s glitz is both sophisticated and festive.
But while silver seemed to be on everyones minds this summer and fall ( remember those silver ballet flats that were on everyone’s must-have list), gold seems to be the hot metallic to ring in the new year!
Everywhere I look lately there is a golden glow- as Gold is the color du jour for fashion, home decor and even advertising.
Just take a look at how these companies are enticing shoppers to “go for the gold” this holiday….
Gucci choose a golden palette for both their jewelry and newest fragrance campaigns.
Macy’s featured an all gold accessories campaign for the holidays.
Donna Karan named her newest fragrance Gold, while the ads for both Sarah Jessica Parker’s Covet and Fendi’s Palazoo seemed to be dipped in gold dust.
Burberry choose to feature their iconic trench in gold for their winter campaign, while Coach followed suit- showcasing a golden version of their famous signature C motif.
Bebe and Arden B., known for their spicy apparel use gold to rev up the sex appeal even more- in a Studio 54 kind of way.
Mikimoto’s golden pearls and Neiman Marcus’s gold clad model exude to consumers a desire of pure materialistic luxury!
The newest ads for American Express feature a jet-setting Beyonce decked out in all gold- Do you suppose she coordinates with her gold American Express card?
Have you noticed a golden glow in ads lately?
Some of what we’ve said about glamorous gold recently…
Metalics at home
Metallics in garden
Metallics you wear
Liquid Gold
Glamorous Gold
Gold shines as “Color of the Year”
Next, I’ll be taking a look at the trend of gold for holiday fashion and home decor…
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I enjoy flowers and almost always have a vase filled with fresh blossoms on my desk.
Today, there are a dozen bright red tulips bowing to meet my glance whenever I look up from my writing. Tulips are one of my favorites because something about them instantly puts a smile on my face.
Everyone has their favorites, but the color of the flowers may have more of an effect on your mood than the type.
Chromotherapy is a solid science; “Light therapists say light is a nutrient to the body, just as food is, and that humans need light in different intensities and color ranges to regulate their biological clocks.”
Yellow is the best color to send if you want to brighten someone’s mood.
Find out what floral color scheme might create just the right mood…
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I just had to share these fabulously colored eggs with you.
They were dyed and photographed by the very creative John Suler. Visit him on Flickr to see more of his photos.
So, what is the most popular color of Easter egg dye?
Americans love the color purple, according to a survey by Paas, a company that makes egg decorating kits.
Thirty percent of those responding to the survey picked purple as their favorite color for egg dying.
Teal ranked second (17 percent), followed by green (12 percent), and red (11 percent).
An estimated 180 million eggs got a splash of color for Easter this year.
What is your favorite color to dye an Easter egg?
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Red and green - move over. This year, it’s all about picking a holiday color scheme that compliments your home and your personality.
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