a set of blue wheels- yes, blue nails- no way!

It’s all very personal the emotions that colors illicit… so when I discover someone having a colorful change of heart- it’s all very exciting to me.

A few months back I had the fun of interviewing Micheline Taillardat , founder of the amazing French furniture company that shares her name, in her NYC showroom.  At the time I learned that there was one color not represented in her amazing space of richly colored furnishings- blue.  She let me in on the fact that though she felt that blue was a nice color to wear, for home it was a hue she felt was a bit ‘too cold’ for her cozy-color liking. ( I found this little tidbit so interesting- it made me realize that sometimes knowing a person’s least favorite color is as insightful as knowing which ones are their favorites)

So when I caught site this week of her newest collection “Life In Blue’ , a collection dressed in fabrics and finishes influenced by the colors of the sky and sea-I was thrilled to see that Micheline was adventurous enough to disregard her feelings and give blue a fighting chance! In shades ranging from brilliant to smokey- her latest offerings are nothing short of tres magnificent!

Micheline you’ve inspired me to look at my own color boundaries- I noted today that the color green is represented in every room throughout my house…but not a stitch of it lives in my closet. Funny, somehow I was unaware.  My quest for a jewel of a dress- in emerald or jadeite perhaps- begins today!  I’ll keep you posted!

To read more about the message and meaning of your favorite ( or better yet- your least favorite color) check out our home site.

Check out this fun post about a very distinctive blue building and the use of color in branding  by Color Me Happy’s Maria Killam-love it!

pillows and fabrics from Calico Corners

The addition of fleshy golds and fresh greens warms up classic blue and white in home, in fashion- add in a touch of dingy gray, coal black and metallics ( either gold or silver would work) and you’ve got a look that’s totally futuristic boho.

Diane Von Furstenberg Resort 2010, Marni Spring 2009, Marc Jacobs Spring 2009 and Rodarte Fall 2009- images from Elle.com

image from NASA

I will be celebrating Earth Day today by starting a compost pile, planting some flowers, vowing to be more diligent about recycling, re-purposing, conserving water and worshiping all palettes blue and green.  Remember that old saying ‘blue and green never to be seen without a color in between’?  Well that theory has thankfully been blown out of the crystal blue water.. as blue and green make for a trendy and oh- so exciting combo in fashion this year.

Runway looks from Anna Sui, Christian Lacroix and Gucci

Issac Mizrahi, John Galliano, Louis Vuitton and Lanvin

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In home, pairing blue and green has become a modern classic.  Depending on the intensity of the hues – rooms can go from punchy and whimsical ( brighter shades ) to calm and serene ( the watery hues that I can’t get enough of right now!)  I clicked around the House Beautiful website… and here’s a few great examples that I found-

Keep the world a colorful, beautiful place… do something good for your enviroment today!

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Color theory tells us that when we see a hot color  ( like orange ) our eye naturally seeks out it’s cooler- across the color wheel compliment color ( in this case blue ).  The colors live as equals next to each other, balancing out and intensifying each other’s hues.

The Met’s shades of blue and orange are indeed intense next to each other- almost hard to look at.  Luckily the team’s uniforms are tempered by white ( home games) and black ( away ) backgrounds.  I’m pretty sure If the team hit the field in head -to- toe equal values of orange and blue I would have trouble focusing on David Wright as he hit a homerun or Jose Reyes run towards 2nd to steal a base.

Yet if attention is what you seek without clashing… than by all means nothing will achieve it quite like mixing together equal valued complimentary colors,  Funny enough as I sat at the game and looked over the crowd I realized how the Met’s team colors were so fashionable ‘in’ for summer 09.

Totes with a twist of color from Tory Burch and DKNY, polka dot dress by Monkee’s of Irving Park, blouse from Viktor & Rolf, shoes by Siergio Rossi

Notice how the gray, black, brown and white balance out the intense blues and oranges on the totes and shoe, while adding a lighter shade of blue and and introducing pink into the color mix have the orange and blue battling it out for your attention on the blouse.  Meanwhile the dress’s slightly lighter shade of blue allows the brighter orange dots and belt to take center stage.

The colors remain intense even though Dries Van Noten breaks up the pairing with neutral gray, golden tones and black, as does Marc Jacobs ( shown above)

Cameron Diaz hits the red carpet this spring in her own versions of the blue and orange trend. This time keeping the orange bright and the blue faded- black and white again balance out the scheme.

If bright orange and blue is too intense for you… than the classic pairing of a greener/blue with a reddish orange ( like the oh-so popular turquoise and coral ) may be more up your colorway this year.

greenish blues and orange are a knockout together when paired with brighter blues, paler oranges and gold

Runway looks from Jonathan Saunders and Pucci… bracelet from Intermix.com

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Drew Barrymore , always a fan of trendy colors, hits the red carpet last week in a white gown with accents of turquoise blue and coral beading

A current ad for Target uses a similar color scheme

And if you are in the market to go really bold this season, then pair the complement of blue and orange in an all new direction-

There really are some amazing color palettes with blue and orange happening out there, this runway look from Marni and a bench from Antropologie are two of my favorite schemes- I just love them paired with the unexpected shades of violet and green!

Hmmm, I wonder if the Met’s would ever consider adding just a little dash of purple to update their look?

Images Elle.com

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/color-trend-cheering-for-team-blue-and-orange/feed/ 3 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/color-trend-coral-yes-still/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/color-trend-coral-yes-still/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:30:48 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=2971 Ah… coral motifs.  I have to admit I just can’t get enough of them. When their vibrant colored silhouettes first began popping up a few years back…my red/orange loving self was thrilled.  Their color was the perfect foil for the greens and jewel tones through out my house… slowly but surely tiny pops of their mysterious shapes and shades made it into my home.

Coral Melamine dinner plate from William Sonoma Home

But with all things that become popular in our fast moving society I feared that coral ( though a classic motif for sure ) would perhaps become overexposed and fizzle away…. but this is the case of a trend that just keeps getting stronger.

And funny…. it also is perhaps a color trend that first got hot for home and then moved into fashion and beauty ( usually it tends to be the other way around)… the trickle down effect of trends, fascinating- right!

Embroidered Coral Pillow from William Sonoma home and DVF dress from Intermix.com-  separated at birth?

So why are these bright colors of the underwater world gaining even more strength as we move into summer 2009?  I’m guessing that 1. with the economy still down people are drawn to colors that have an ‘uplifting’ effect , much like why citrus tones are also very popular right now.  And since the color and motif of coral has proven itself to have staying power- for some that may lead to it’s appeal as a good classic bright color to invest in.

And 2. with a growing awareness of the destruction of coral reefs worldwide ( caused by not only the harvesting of it to sell… but also by the residue of sunscreens coming off of swimmers in the water ) their importance in the eco system has been in the forefront of news as of late.  So this summer make sure that you surround yourself with faux-coral only and always wear an organic based sunscreen when on the beach!

A bevy of coral delights from William Somoma ( who is calling Coral the ‘Color of the Season’) and Pottery Barn ( keeping the motif fresh by pairing it as a splash of color alongside neutrals.)

For fashion I’m loving coral even more! One key piece can be used so many different ways throughout your wardrobe.  It can give neutrals like gray and khaki a ‘little kick’, put a fresh spin on the classic combo of black, white and red ( or better yet navy, cream and red ) or look super chic paired with unexpected colors like bright aqua blue and violet.

Coral loving fashion by Chris Benz, Herve Leger and Carolina Herrera from Style.com

Coral hues are also making a splash in beauty as a sunny alternative to dark red…

Nars blush in Cactus Flower, In Style picks coral lips paired with golden eyeshadow their summer fav( here Shiseido lipstick in Day Lily and Nars eyeshadow in Night Sun ) and Rescue Beauty Lounge polish in Coral

Told Kate I was posting about Coral today ( she is quite aware of my obsessive color behaviors ) so I asked her to throw in her 2 cents about her favorite combos of this intriguing hue for home.

Kate’s Picks for Coral in home interiors

Julie has always loved coral for home decor and I became a huge fan of this color when I chose a muted coral for my kitchen.  I have loved this color from the minute the painters started putting it up and plan to use even more of this color in my next home (more on that later).

When Julie asked me to add a couple of examples of how this color works in the home it was easy. All I had to do was open my design idea file that includes several pictures I had saved from my favorite shelter magazine, House Beautiful.

Here’s a few different color schemes that include coral.

The two-color scheme of coral and golden yellow really bring this sunroom to life.  It’s sunny scheme has year-round appeal because as designer Ashley Whittaker shared with Frances Schultz of House Beautiful, “A colorful cashmere throw over the back of a sofa or on the arm of a chair adds instant warmth to an otherwise summery room.”

I can just imagine sitting in this room writing in my journal every morning.   I bet it would be filled with nothing but happy thoughts.

From the same home, this dining room caught my eye when I first spotted it in House Beautiful and I still love it.  The drapes and wallcovering are in one of the colors I love to have around me…cool, watery blue-green and the lush, coral fabric invites you into the room.  I have always liked this complementary color scheme.  Add to that the table includes hydrangeas…one of my favorite flowers and you’ve got a room I where could easily feel at home enjoying any meal.

One of my favorite coral color schemes is the diad harmony of red-orange/yellow-green/blue-violet and in this room by John Willey that was featured in House Beautiful this palette is perfectly executed.  In the magazine he says, “This is a guesthouse, and it’s meant to be fun, to be a bright, cheery departure from the usual Nantucket blue and white interior. The invitation was to let go.”

Thanks Kate! Love the rooms and the color wheels!

What’s your favorite use for this lively color- Coral?

Look who else is talking Coral trends this week- one of my favorite blogs Franki Durbin’s Life In A Venti Cup!

I met Jake when he called to check facts for a story I was going to be quoted in and before I knew it we were chatting about color and Jake was conducting an impromptu interview about my business.  It seems that his natural curiosity started the conversation but his journalist instincts soon took over and he wanted to explore an idea he had for a story of his own.

It was great fun to talk to him and after our conversation and a couple of follow up emails he came up with so much to write about that the article spilled over into two days.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I) and (Part II) Thanks Jake! 

But getting back to the colorful t-shirt pics…

Jake’s girlfriend wanted him to go with her to her high school reunion and he wanted my opinion on which color would make the best impression.  He sent me over a few pictures that he had colored in to show me what colors he was considering.

Although we all probably give a bit more thought to our appearance on occasions like this I’d already learned enough about Jake to guess that this wasn’t really a decision he was agonizing over so I served up the following color advice complete with a dash of humor:

YELLOW – You are letting the world know you are energetic and have high spirits. You will catch attention with bright yellow and it is the perfect color if you want to share your creative spirit and original thinking because you’ll attract curious listeners all evening, just like bees to honey.

RED – Are you wanting to let your girlfriend’s former classmates know that you are popular and powerful? Then red is the way to go. It will also let them know that you like to have fun and are at the ready to take charge of just about any situations, even the reunion party, if it isn’t as lively as you’d like it to be.

GREEN – You’ll come across as a very social person, yet as someone that places value on status and may even have a tendency to talk about people or judge them by their appearance. Not a color that will put people at ease with you right away. Choosing a yellow-green might be better, as it says you are a high energy, adventurous person that is too busy for gossip.

BLUE – Blue will have you looking cool and confident. It is a color that is naturally appealing and on you, with those blue eyes, it will be that much more attractive. Be careful, though, as blue lovers are susceptible to flattery, so don’t let the admiration of those former cheerleaders and beauty queens go to your head.

Curious as to which color he chose?  You’ll find the answer at the end of Part 2.

Jake’s entire story can be found on Entrepreneur magazine’s blog Daily Dose.

Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part I)
Jake Finally Learns What A Color Strategist Does (Part II)

The windows of Lord and Taylor in New York City capture the fantasy with a scheme of yummy gingerbread and confectionery colors.

At Macy’s the colors are reminiscent of the most fabulous toys from my childhood technicolor dreamworld and even if you can’t see the windows in person you can visit macysbelieve.com for a bit of holiday magic online.

In a palette of blue and white the Saks straight-faced snowflakes are just waiting to break into a show-stopping smile.

For more on the holiday windows in NYC visit a Guide to the Holiday Windows.

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 and trust. It is the stone most associated with mutual understanding and faithfulness, making it a popular choice for engagement rings. At the moment I am on the hunt for the perfect sapphire for this very reason!

Yesterday I held a gorgeous 1 carat Ceylon blue sapphire, remarkable to say the least. Today I was in awe when I saw these beauties, each over 2 carats. One is velvety, the other bright and I adore them both.

I will keep you posted on the ring’s progress, of course it is a surprise so keep it a secret!

Blue is by far sapphire’s most popular color, however; only one of it’s beautiful hues. The palette ranges from bright pink and mandarin orange [a personal fave], to pale green, lilac, vibrant yellow, and luscious red [that sapphire is called ruby- another story and month all together.]

I use all the colors. I find each one unique and inspiring to create with.

My newest ring showcases sapphire in blues and greens, it also has a special story.

While my parents were on vacation in Italy my mother bought a stunning souvenir from a shop on the famed Ponte Vecchio in Florence. This medieval bridge spanning the Arno River is renowned for the best goldsmiths in Italy.

My brother, sister and I were very young and it was the first time my parents had gone away together since their honeymoon. My grandmother took care of us and as a thank you my mother gave her the souvenir – a beautiful ring. I based the design on the structure of the original ring. Rather than 18k gold, my interpretation is in silver and set with cool tones, pale green and deep blue sapphire. The cluster of gemstones in the center resembles a flower. I love how tall it sits on your finger. Che bella!

I hope all you September babies had a very happy birthday. Perhaps a gift of sapphire was something you received?

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.

In the dining room the furnishing were a variation of three tints that appeared almost white.  The floors were a warm and mellow medium golden brown.  The overall look was fresh and inviting.The room came to life with a coat of bright coral on the walls.

The accessories continued the theme of many tints that were almost white.  The cottage style scheme would be perfect for waterside cottage whether on the bay, the beach or a mountain lake.

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…