Posts Tagged ‘blue’
I am very excited to write about sapphire because it is the stone I use most in my work. The incredible sparkle and virtual rainbow of color choices make it a pleasure to design with.
When thinking about sapphire, the color that most comes to mind is blue. ‘Sapphirus’ means blue in Greek. September’s birthstone can be a deep, velvety blue like an evening sky or the ocean at dusk, to the vivid blue of the sky on a clear summer day.
We associate the color blue with peace and harmony. Like diamonds, sapphires are given to strengthen love (more…)
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With only an hour to browse before catching a cab to the airport I didn’t have much time for snapping pictures and matching colors but I did see a couple of rooms at Redford House that I wanted to share.
Both rooms had neutral furnishings, floors and accessories with a bold color on the walls. The bedroom was a blend of warm brown, tans and gray. Everything was a sophisticated blend of neutrals which were beautifully at home surrounded by a mid-tone blue.
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I continue my exploration of the Colors of India with a stop in Jodhpur.
Here a sea of aqua blue houses is beautifully juxtaposed against the dry browns of the desert that surrounds it.
But beautiful blue is only one of the many colors that you will find in Jodhpur.
Journey along with me through the streets to see more of this colorful city…
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Our celebration of Earth Day has had everyone talking green. The color has become symbolic of the environmental movement and can clearly communicate an organizations concern for sustaining the planet. Even the NBC peacock shed its rainbow colors in favor of green this week.
As we all become more eco-conscious our view of what it means to be earth-friendly broadens. It is no longer simply about ‘recycle-reuse-renew’ but is expanding to a broader understanding of the interconnectedness of our planet.
A shift in our collective view is what can bring about a change in our desire for certain colors and this is where trends begin. While we still have a desire for green and find comfort in brown our more global perspective is being expressed with the color blue. (more…)
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In my search for simple yet sophisticated courtyard designs I found this courtyard garden designed by Topher Delaney for a home in San Francisco.
This very sleek design caught my eye because although it is an adult only space (maybe a bit too ‘kid unfriendly’ for my lifestyle) I am drawn to the beauty in its simplicity. Plus I loved the use of blue light to highlight the edge.
See a slide show of the Zen garden.
Interesting how the more immersed I get in my creative endeavors the more I desire uncomplicated and very clean surroundings. Do you ever feel the same?
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Leave it to the make-up geniuses at Chanel to create yet another nail polish frenzy. Much like their “Noir” that was sold out everywhere in Fall 2006, they have followed up with “Blue Satin” a shade that is currently in such high demand it may take a bid on Ebay to score a bottle.
I wrote about seeing blue polish on the trend horizon last spring… now it’s the hot color du jour. I asked Kate about this trend and she said, “As we ushered in the new year many hues of blue from sky to navy were already appearing in home and fashion stores everywhere and buyers are scooping up items in this universally appealing color. Blue is also a popular color this year among car buyers, global color authority Pantone named blue their color of 2008 and Yves Klein blue is making a come back internationally. Is it any wonder that the blue nail color trend you saw beginning last Spring has found such a following? ” (more…)
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The gorgeous hue Blue Iris was chosen as the color of the year for 2008 by Pantone a global authority on color.
The color of ocean and sky, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives. As the collective color of the spirit, it invokes rest and can cause the body to feel calm and isn’t a feeling of calm just what we are seeking as the world around us becomes more complex?
Purple gives Blue Iris a sense of mystery and luxury. It takes blue from tried and true to new and intriguing.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute shared with me that they chose this blue-purple blend because it is a color that represents the overall color direction Pantone sees for fashion, cosmetics and home products in 2008.
Wellspring palette from the Pantone Home Furnishings Forecast
While blues and purples are shown across the eight Pantone palettes they make an especially strong showing in Wellspring a palette described as, “Universally understood as cleansing and clarifying and as the world’s most precious commodity, water provides the Wellspring that literally supports and sustains life.”
“Blues and aquas clearly define the liquid’s cooling and more soothing qualities, highlighted by a glimmer of effervescent undersea green, violet and indigo. The undulating tones of mother of pearl and sandy shades of the shore bring a beautifully warming balance.”
More on Pantone’s color of the year on Color Pro…
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The latest color trends forecast released by Pantone shows what they report to be the ten hottest colors for Spring 2008.
See the colors here…
Download a copy of the report here…
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The way Farrow and Ball’s Stone Blue looked in Dominique Alexander’s Fall 2007 runway-inspired room in The Washington Design House was spectacular.
I couldn’t stop looking at the color from all different angles, and it is too bad that the photo doesn’t do this gorgeous color justice.
While the overall look of this room didn’t immediately grab my attention the way the Chanel-inspired room did, the turquoise niche certainly drew me in. It also made me want to go back and take a second look at how the fashion designers who had influenced his thinking used turquoise in their Fall collections.
In talking about his design, Dominique Alexander said, “Each of the fashion designers I drew from for the inspiration for this room is wildly different from one another.”
“Narcisco Rodriguez offered subtle intensity with fresh pretty clothes. His collection can best be characterized as simple and modern.”
“Alexander McQueen was perhaps the most inspirational to me. His runway collection was futuristic. McQueen was heavy on the drama and fantasy of fashion. His silhouettes were very tailored and expressive.”
“Moving onto the legendary house of Versace, the fall collection was sophisticated and glamorous, while still being fun and fresh. One of the things I love most about Donatella Versace is that her collections have never been literal.”
“I chose to be less literal in my interpretation of ‘Turn Up the Turquoise.’ I utilized turquoise to highlight volume and to draw the eye to a particular shape. Overall, the palettes were neutral and very geometric.”
“In the room I designed, you should notice that the colors chosen are very fresh. I wanted to draw your eyes to the fantastic curves of the seating arrangement. I used color to enhance the character and depth of the room.”
I really appreciate that Dominique took a more subtle approach in his interpretation of the theme. I think his strategic use of color is very effective and adds interest and a bit of glamor to this modern room. What do you think?
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July 4th is a day when Americans celebrate our country by decking out our homes and ourselves in red, white, and blue. But why were these three colors chosen to represent our nations?
In 1776, with America’s hard-won battle for freedom behind them, the people of our country wanted a national flag that would symbolize not only their independence, but their spirit of unity. The Continental Congress responded by passing the first “Flag Act” which established the first official flag for our nation.
It stated: “Resolved that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field.”
The significance of the colors was defined thus: White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness and valor; Blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Our founding fathers recognized the ability of color to communicate meaning, but whether Americans today know the specific significance of the flag colors is not as important as the power of these colors to evoke our patriotic spirit and unify us as a country.
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