February, the month of love, is a great time to add some color to your life. A burst of a new color to your wardrobe or a fresh coat of paint is a great way to brighten up a gray winter day. Even daydreaming about a new spring gardening scheme can shoo away the winter blues.
So let’s take a peek into my mailbox for a little color inspiration that will have even old man winter craving spring.
(more…)
(No comments yet)
·
Bookmark this post
There are still 2 days left of the Fall 2008 New York fashion week and normally I like to wait till the last catwalk closes before I start writing about the color and style trends for the upcoming season.
But the fact is I’ve spied my favorite color on so many runways already that I’m selfishly prepared to jump the gun a little this time around and joyfully exclaim, “All Orange lovers rejoice! Come next Fall, all shades of this energetic hue from citrus to pomegranate to pumpkin to blood orange and all the juicy shades in between are sure to be in style.
Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera
(more…)
(4 comments so far)
·
Bookmark this post
Baby it’s cold outside… but my mailbox is a hot bed of color talk, color trends and color advice… as another colorful, exciting year begins!
So cozy up with me by taking a quick, colorful peek into a few of my favorites issues….
“Soft hues of Gray and Beige are making a comeback this season”…notice how Harper’s Bazaar used these “new neutrals” for their cover shoot of Uma.
Lucky has a really great spread about mixing “rich, bright colors into your winter wardrobe”…”a peek of baby pink sweetens the vibrant tomato red of this jacket; gray pants an a cream turtleneck make everything that much more refined.” I absolutely love tomato red… I never would have thought about combining it with a soft pink… I will definitely be trying this!
Wouldn’t Elsa Schraparelli be proud “They Went Magenta-Way”. According to InStyle all you lilting-lilac girls, antique-rose sweeties, blush babies and cotton candy cuties get-outta-da-way because here comes a powerhouse pink that takes on all comers when it’s a match and takes no prisoners when it’s not. You’re either meant for magenta or your not.
House Beautiful asked top designers: Which paint color do you always come back to?…Keith Irvine listed Benjamin Moore’s Dark Royal Blue 2065-20 “I’m mad about this dark inky blue, as it gives great vibrancy and depth to a wall- especially if you put a topcoat of good varnish over it. That’s what we did in Rex Harrison’s Manhattan apartment in this fabulous little dining alcove.” Read more….
In a really fun issue O at Home showcases talented readers/decorators… “Winter White…It may be cold outside, but the design climate right now is warmer than ever-welcoming a slew of styles, from modern to rustic to downright baroque. So how to tie last year’s woodland craze into this season’s rococo revivial? A unifying dose of the ultimate neutral.”
Hmm, Elle Decor was on a similar wave-length… “Winter White…As crisp as a fresh snowfall, the color of the moment strikes an elegant pose, from an alabaster lamp to plush fabrics to a wintry ensemble.”
The “Color you need to now” according to Southern Accents… “peacock blue... One of those old-school colors that makes you think of grand hotels and beautifully appointed dining cars, peacock blue covers the wall of libraries, butler’s pantries and other spaces where intimacy and a little intensity seem appropriate.”
Metropolitan Home looks to brighter side with a “colorways” report on “Unmellow Yellow…. The color forecast this winter calls for a bright sunshine with a twist of lemon” I love those little stoneware hot/cold drinking cups!… they would brighten up my daily teatime, for sure.
Home’s latest is chock full of great color knowledge and ideas… This was a spread on a East Hampton house by designer Jamie Drake. I love Jamie Drake so much that whatever color advice he’s giving… I’m listening! “Drakes recipe: first choose a main color you love, then add a complementary shade, and finish with two dollops of an accent color. Voila!
New kid on the block, Vogue Living’s winter issue, featured these cool colorful rugs by Miami designer Gene Meyer. “I’ve been able to lose myself in color,” enthuses Meyer, : I’ve always loved it. I am a child of the sixties. Color then wasn’t the exotic thing it has become today.”
The cover of Martha Stewart Living features cool, sunshine yellow kitchen accents, but it was this article about houseplants that caught my eye… “The upright, linear effect of the snake plant, is emphasized by tall windows, while planters echo their verdigris colors.” I love what a color statement a common house plants can make in the right planter.
Coastal Living’s “Island Hopping… to chase away the winter chill, head somewhere tropical. Dress the part with accessories in warm tones of faux tortoiseshell and shades of golden sunshine.”… good idea, let’s pack our bags right now!!!
Read any fun color advice or discovered a new color trend you love this month?…. Let me know!
(2 comments so far)
·
Bookmark this post
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…
(3 comments so far)
·
Bookmark this post
Can understanding the color forecast help you to predict the trends for designer rooms, clothes, and appliances years ahead of time? Yes, it is possible and useful, as these color predictions will affect all the things you buy in the coming years.
All the current events and controversy at hand in any given country or state can affect the colors of fashion and décor. Issues ranging from environmental awareness to supporting your community will alter the color choices of the future.
(No comments yet)
·
Bookmark this post
