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.

Countries across Europe started to put their own signature imprint into the center motifs of each damask design. English damasks included images of roses, fruits, and horses. France added swans, bees, and laurel leaf motifs while Italy used dogs, musical instruments, and food.

The damask has expanded the globe over centuries and is a consistent decorative element. Damask is the perfect design to bridge the gap between modern and traditional decor.

The photo above features the damask Marrakech from Jaima Brown Home and is colored in chocolate, the new classic color for interiors. It blends beautifully with Seaglass, which is on the ottoman in the Field Greens fabric. Nature never looked so good! This color combination evokes luxury and is here to stay!

They are only going to produce 1,000 units which will be available only in the Middle East, beginning this month.

No price is listed, but I imagine the cost of indulging your love of Prada, chocolate, gold, and gossip all at the same time is quite high.

Silver? Black? Red?

Find out what your color choice says about your personality…

If you were able to buy your dream car in the perfect color, what would it be?

Brown has become an important color for fashion and home. Both men and women are discovering how sophisticated brown tones can work as a wardrobe staple in the same way that they have always used black.

Brown is being worn beautifully in combinations that include everything from the softest blush pink to warm straw, bold reds, and water inspired blue-greens.

For home, the the mid-tones are warm and inviting and the deeper tones rich and sensuous. Brown, in all of its wonderful variations seen this season, is elevated to a new level.

Here is some of what is being said about the trends for brown:

“People are tapping into the sensuality of brown. When you think of brown as stockings or foundation powder or dark roast coffee-you get the feeling of the richness of it and how warm and sensuous it can be.” -Aimee Desrosiers of California Paints in an interview with HGTV

“Musings about neutrals rarely end in exclamation points. They’re too safe, too recessive, too conventional. Not to worry. This season it’s all about beautiful mid-tones and deep shades. Think cinnamon, gourmet chocolate, Turkish coffee. Think tortoiseshell. Think skin tones from ports around the world.” -Sherwin-Williams Color Trend “Sumptuous Browns”

“The green movement, this time meaning environmental rather than color, is affecting the color forecast. This movement’s impact on color is expansive from the return of neutrals with linen, taupe and beige to materials like raffia, bamboo and exotic woods.” -Home Accents Today magazine

“This look combines sensuous shapes with beautiful smoky colours, taking inspiration from contemporary designers influenced by the legacy of the Arts and Crafts Movement.” -from The Still Live palette from Dulux

“The big news in color is brown. Yes, people, brown is the new black. Paired with baby pink and blue, rich jewel colors, or black and metallics, brown is really happening.” -Nancy Bernard of Step Inside Design magazine

Photo from Sherwin Williams.

One savvy couple from Washington state bet that brown plants and flowers would catch on.

Marie and Bill of the Chocolate Flower Farm combined Bill’s love of chocolate with Marie’s love of gardening to develop a unique niche in the world of gardening with their unusual chocolate brown flowers.

Other flower fanciers have also found brown intriguing. An article in The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “Plenty of chocolate cravings were aroused at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, London’s influential showcase of landscape design and plant trends.

One of the most popular gardens was the bronze medal-winning Roald Dahl Foundation Chocolate Garden, inspired by Dahl’s classic book (and upcoming movie) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Like the black plant craze ignited by Karen Platt of England a few years back, rich brown plants are capturing the fancy of flower connoisseurs everywhere and growers are beginning to make dark chocolate flowers and plants available to florists.

Dark flowers add drama to a garden or floral arrangement. Combine that with the appeal of chocolate and who can resist these unusual blooms?

If you’re shopping for a new pair, the current color trend is rich, dark blue – especially for the cooler weather. The silhouette is a bit slimmer with a bit higher waist than has been shown in past seasons.

The funky, faded look is being replaced with embroidery and stitching, while the vintage look remains strong.

To jazz up your look, add a new pair of jeans in one or more of the many colors being shown this year. Gray was a favorite among designers, but black, tan, and green are also available in most styles.

Whether teamed with a leather belt, dressy blouse, or favorite sweater, jeans in an unexpected color will spice up any look.

Below is a quick look at general responses to colors based on research, historical significance of color, and word association studies. Different cultures react to colors differently, and this brief overview focuses on the responses of people in the Western Hemisphere.

Red has more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant red is inherently exciting and the amount of red is directly related to the level of energy perceived. Red draws attention and a keen use of red as an accent can immediately focus attention on a particular element.

Curious to delve deeper into the world of color? See the full article on our main site: SensationalColor.com…