In celebration of America’s love affair with the color Blue, the mag and some of our favorite furniture companies have teamed up to create a kind of “Where’s Waldo-meets-scavenger hunt-meets….do I dare say it: Blues Clues.”

The blue chairs were placed throughout Manhattan (one even made it across the bridge to Brooklyn) photographed and then taken away into safe hiding…but come March 1, 2010 they will magically appear back in their same spots and guess what?  The ultimate game of Finders Keepers will ensue.

You heard it right.  Figure out where these sky/sea hued perches are perched, bring your pick-up truck (or perhaps hail a cab) and add a bit of blue to your own abode.  Happy Hunting—here are your clues:

the “Avalon Child’s Chair” from Target

Palecek’s “Manhattan Hassock” in Cobalt Blue

The Container Store’s “Polo Desk Chair”

“Village Azzuro” Blue Side Chair from Crate & Barrel

Room & Board’s American-made “Cole” chair

The La-Z-Boy “Carlyle Reclining Chair” in Blue

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ “Wyatt” chair in Bevan-Sky

“Eames® Molded Plastic Armchair” from Design Within Reach

Lee Industries’ 1703-01 Chair in Majestic Blue Fabric with Natural Nailhead trim

Arhaus Furniture’s “Giles” in Ocean Blue

Oh, by the way this baby is mine. And yes I do in fact know right where it is and f.y.i even if you threatened to hold your breath till you turn ‘blue’…I’m not telling!!!

For pricing and links to buy any of these beauties visit HB’s Flickr page.

Then be sure to check out all the other ways that House Beautiful is helping you to GET BLUE!!!!

I love the first two opening pages (shown below) and the ideas expressed.  Off to a good start.

I pulled up my birthdate first.  Although I’ve never really been attracted to the color ‘Blush’ the write up about personality traits seemed to fit.  Here’s a couple of highlights:

YOU love to learn and explore new things especially if there is an artistic or organic slant to the subject. [Yep, that's true]

Although you get along well with others you have a strong independent streak.  You want a partner with whom you can share your life, but one who doesn’t require all of your energy. [True again & I don't think I could have said it any better]

Now I know my sister Julie pretty well so I decided to see if it seemed to fit her personality traits.

There is something about your physical presence that is commanding yet likable. [Commanding wouldn't be a word I would have used but Julie does have a presence and is easily likable so I'd say this rings true.]

You have an artistic ability and a great sense of style. [No question here.  Julie is very artistic, creative and has an innate sense of style.]

So far so good but but I wanted to look up at least one more so I looked at Kiki’s birthdate.

Many people born on this day have a propensity for writing. [True, and I'm so happy about it since we regularly co-write articles, classes, and now books]

Your mind is very active so it is important for you to communicate both creatively and physically.  Sports, dance or the arts are all activities that can bring joy and help you relax. [I'd say this is very true.  After all Kiki is very creative and did dance with the Minnesota Ballet/Stage Door Performing Arts for 15 years!]

Okay, three for three.  I’m not sure if it is just a lucky coincidence or that there really is something more to Michele Bernhardt’s Colorstrology but it sure was fun.

Why not find your Colorstrology color and then leave a comment and let me know if what your birthdate say about you is on target.

source

I quickly discovered I was not alone in my psychological rain dance.  Everyone I chatted up on Saturday seemed to be waxing poetic about even the slightest possibility of a rained out day.  No sports, no markets, no Fall festivals…a free pass, a few hours to do nothing more than catch up.

It wouldn’t be until later the next rain soaked (hooray!) day that I would realize that the color Gray had in fact been very much on my mind the entire week- and not just in form of clouds.

The color Gray is often referred to as the perfect neutral color.  This is why gray boards are used by designers as a background color. I like to think of Gray as a polite hue, secure in who it is… no need to effect or force itself on it’s surrounding colors.

If Gray had an astrological sign I bet you it would be a Libra!

This is also probably why Gray is considered to be the color of compromise (sitting perfectly in the middle of black and white) and balance.  Dignified, authoritative, classic are all words used to describe our friend Gray.

Yet the physical affect that Gray has on our emotions might better be described as being slightly bi-polar (uh-oh, no offense Libras!)  With the ability to both ‘unsettle’ and ‘create expectations’ perhaps Gray’s personality truly is in the eye of the beholder and how this neutral makes us feel is elicited by the very context in which it is being used.

For me the effect of my lovely Sunday Gray morning was quite balanced indeed- unsettling my busy routine while creating the great possibility of me actually getting a moment to organize my messy life. But Gray did not in fact represent itself in such a two-sided way earlier in the week….

A quick step back in time to exactly one week early. A lovely Sunday walk through Central Park just to people watch (my absolute favorite) had revealed that the color Gray was everywhere as far as fashion goes.

Surpassing the typical urban camouflage of Black-I made a mental note to write about Gray being NYer’s new favorite color for ‘out-and-about weekend’ garb. Under some catchy title like ‘Gray Reigns Over Sunny Skies In Central Park’,it was bound to be a good post…but of course thanks to my busy week it never went farther than being just a good idea.

And no I did not snap this picture.  I swiped it off of the Sartorialist’s amazing blog- this fashionable gray loving NYer is admitingly way cooler than anyone I was able to catch on film that day.

And though no doubt Gray isn’t a new color on the city block when it comes to NY, what I did find interesting was how many people were wearing Gray and it’s many moody shades from head to toe and not just as a neutral with other colors.

To me the look is not only super cool, but almost blank slate-like.  The perfect backdrop to life.  Much like how the Grays of the metal, glass and concrete that make up Manhattan’s skyline create the ultimate backdrop for the colorful world that is our beloved city to me these individuals were dressing with great expectations.

Fast forward to Wednesday night. I’ve made my way to the What’s New, What’s Next@200 Lex event.  I was there to hear House Beautiful’s Newell Turner and Benjamin Moore’s Sonu Matthew talk about ‘Colors You Never Get Tired Of’ ( it was wonderful- and much, much more on their presentation to come very soon).

Flipping through the evening’s program I spotted that Traditional Home magazine was also hosting their own stylish event a few floors down at The Grange Showroom.  Being a total francophile when it comes to decor (and having recently spent one of the best nights of my year with TH’S own Sabine Rothman) it didn’t take much twisting of my arm to get me heading quickly to the elevator once the HB event was over ( and after I got in some great private time color talk with Sonu and Newell- but again more on this soon).

Once there, all I can say is I would happily move into the Grange showroom.  If there is a ‘la toilette’ and shower somewhere on the premises- I’m set.

The ‘Princess Lounge’ by designer Marica Harris is one of the many fantasy vignettes featured during the festivities ( FYI- the vignettes will remain on view through October 31st inside Grange’s New York Showroom- New York Design Center 200 Lexington Ave. Suite 201)

The wall color of my fantasy lounge is a custom mix- but I’m told Benjamin Moore HC-108 is a very close match.

The furniture, the colors, the stylish vignettes depicting ‘Family Style Chateau Chic’ created that night all had me internally crying out ‘oh-la-la this is the life for me!!!!’ I was transported into a world of warmth, style and sophistication.  Beautiful, traditional form meets modern day function- why is it that the French always get this blending so right?!

And though there were many colorful rooms to admire and aspire to I immediately realized that it was the two set within a stage of Gray that really caught my eye.

In fact its when I turned the corner and saw the showroom’s kitchen with it’s rich Gray walls, shiny copper pots and creamy cabinetry that my bags were indeed officially packed.  When I caught site of who was pulling out a tray of delicious smelling cheese puffs from the Aga oven within my new found digs , I knew deep within my own gray matter that this night was only going to get better!

To be continued…

Read I Prayed For Gray: Part 2 Here

There is also a second preview that includes lots of fun information including the full chart for the color numerology from Ellen Kennon that I mentioned yesterday.  See both previews at HouseBeautiful.com

Continuing with the color preview I want to mention some fun color finds that the September issue of House Beautiful highlights.

Chromotherapy Put on your rose colored sunglasses…or yellow…or blue to rev you up or calm you down.  At $14 a pair you can afford to alter your mood.  See a rainbow of choices on page

Mood Rings Slip on a mood ring.  Yep, they are back and circle your with their special powers.  Can these rings really detect your mood?  Slip one on and then turn to page 94 to see what the color reveals.

iPhone Apps I love my iPhone and it seems like there are more and more color apps being added all of the time.  House Beautiful mentions four of the best including ColorSnap from Sherwin-Williams on page 95.

Websites Worth a Visit Included in the list is our own Sensational Color (yes, we are thrilled!) along with four other color sites on page 96

To see more color tools, tips, and ideas, pick up the September issue of House Beautiful, on newsstands now!

Visit HouseBeautiful.com

Follow @house_beautiful on Twitter

Color Snap from Sherwin-Williams

Sunglasses from momentum98

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/hooray-for-house-beautiful/feed/ 7 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/the-best-in-color-august-week-1-the-im-in-house-beautiful-edition/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/the-best-in-color-august-week-1-the-im-in-house-beautiful-edition/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:03:45 +0000 Kate Smith http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=5066 This week we are giving a Sensational shout out to our favorite shelter magazine House Beautiful and their spectacular September 2009 Color Issue!

This is the very best color issue ever and you can only imagine how ecstatic I am to have been included.  Now don’t go telling Stephen Drucker but if he had been in the vicinity when I saw this issue I probably would have kissed him.  That is,  right after I stopped jumping up and down and took that big silly grin off my face.  It’s probably a good thing for both of us that he was in New York.

I admit I’m excited about being included in this issue.  Wouldn’t you be?

And yep I’ll own the fact that I can’t wait for you to read my “What Color Says” blurbs.  Look for them as you read the articles about five homes put together by super talented designers-Windsor Smith, Eric Cohler, Sarah Scaglione, Allison Paladrino and Rob Southern- and the five color personalities their designs embody: Balanced, Rooted, Relaxed, Positive and Dramatic.

The colors people choose to surround themselves with in their home speak to me and tell me things about their personality that they may never reveal to me themselves.  In fact some of these rooms said so much about their occupants that my biggest challenge was in trying to sum it up in just two sentences.  Luckily Julie and I put our heads together and in the end came up with a couple of sentences that captured the color personality of each room.

Look for the white boxes labeled “What the Color Says” on pages 75, 79, 81, 87, 89, 98, 107, 111, 117, 119, and 121.

Special Pullout Color Chart On one side Michelle Bernhardt (author of Colorstrology) tells how to balance a home with color to create order, prosperity, calm, happiness and eight others.  Turn it over and see Glidden’s Top 10 Share the Harvest Colors. Be sure not to miss this. It is inside the front cover.  Isn’t that neat?

Ask a Numerologist I always enjoy talking with Ellen Kennon because we share both a love of color and an interest in its spiritual connections.  In this issue Ellen reveals how your name has a color energy that is linked to your color personality.  Go to page 94 for a chart that shows what numbers are associated with the letters in your name.  Once you have your number and color read Ellen’s insights into what they say about your color personality.

Also don’t miss Ellen’s quote in the Ask a Color Consultant section on page 97.  Three of the Best (Ellen along with Donald Kauffman and Scott Flax) tell you how to arrive at inspired color choices.

Find your Colortime For two decades my friend and favorite color guru Leatrice Eiseman has shown us how to use the Colortime system to find our perfect wardrobe colors and now she is expanding that thinking into finding colors for our homes.  Why not?  Many color consultants look into a person’s closet for clues as to what colors they might enjoy in their homes.  To find out whether you’re a Sunrise, Sunset or somewhere in between take the quiz on page 96.

Feng Shu The art of Feng Shui centers on balancing energy and since color is light and energy color is an important aspect of this ancient practice.  On page 97 there is a diagram that shows the recommended placement of colors within a home or a room to encourage health, wealth, happiness and more according to Feng Shui.

The Last Word We all love color quizzes and expert advice and this issues is overflowing with insights and fun ways to discover ‘your colors’.  Just before you reach the back cover (on page 152) you’ll find  20 color questions to get you thinking about which colors speak to you.   I love that this is how the issue comes to a colorful close, because after all when it comes to your Color Personality- you always have the last word!

This is one issue not to miss and there is so more to talk about but that’s enough for now.  Stay tuned all week as Julie and I share more Best in House Beautiful Color!

Visit House Beautiful online at HouseBeautiful.com

Discover more about the designers and companies mentioned above:

Windsor Smith

Eric Cohler

Ellen Kennon

Leatrice Eiseman

Michelle Bernhardt

Glidden Paint

Click here to view the embedded video.

Like the Barefoot Contessa I’m a rather relaxed hostess and love to focus on my guest rather than the details. I also like to make it look easy but I confess that I can obsess over every detail of the food, tabletop and space beforehand so that I don’t have to think too much about each element once my friends arrive.

I would bet Ina thought about every detail and maybe even obsessed a bit but boy does she make it look easy! This is definitely a kitchen I could linger in for hours. Here are a few of my favorite details from Ina’s kitchen.

All images were captured by the sensational color maven April Clark who joined me at the event as the our official photographer. Thanks April!

Ina was there and was absolutely gracious as she chatted with the many guest and yes she is just as delightful in person as she is on television. 

Of course no party is complete without fabulous guest and here are some of the many people that joined me at the House Beautiful debut of the Kitchen of the Year. I bet you’ll recognize many of these familiar faces.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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!

House Beautiful has an incredible line up and I’m thrilled to be part of this event. I hope to see you there! More information is availble at Capital Design.

1. I live outside of Washington, DC and as he points out just a few miles from “the farm”, which is the CIA center you may recall seeing in the movie “The Recruit” with my favorite Matt Damon (sigh).

If I were a secret agent I’d want to be either Agent 99 or Emma Peel

2. He doesn’t really understand what I do or why anyone would pay me to do it. However he humors me by saying “Well you always seem to have money so it must be coming from somewhere.” He then adds with a sly wink, ” If you tell me it’s this color business I’ll go along with that.” (Well I guess in that case I’m glad he thinks CIA and not…well never mind).

3. I always seem to get to meet incredible people or have opportunities that others might only dream about (except of course those folks in the CIA that according to my brother have instant access to all people and places).

Okay so I have met or rubbed elbows with high-powered Washingtonians including Presidents, congressman and societies finest so I can see why he might wonder.

Appearing on CBS Sunday Morning, interviewing Tim Gunn and having breakfast with a reporter from the New York Times only added fuel to his fire but this week was the clincher. He’s now completely convince this color stuff is just a cover.

What happened? Well let me tell you because it was almost as unbelieveable to me as it was to him.

Yesterday, on the 44th floor of the Hearst Building in NYC I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Stephen Druker, Editor-In-Chief of House Beautiful Magazine in front of an audience of the who’s who of the NYC design community.

Q & A with the brilliant Stephen Drucker

I have been a fan of Stephen Drucker for years. I have watched while with his guidance House Beautiful has risen to the top of the “must read” list of professionals and do-it-yourself decorators alike. He is an inspiration to me.

Stephen is not only an “editor extraordinaire” but one of my idols. What a thrill to be his guest!

Month after month House Beautiful has provided us with the keys to unlock the “beautiful home in each of us” and for 2008 they are putting a major focus on color. It was for this reason that my ‘name twin’, the lovely Kate Kelly Smith, Executive Publisher for House Beautiful recommended me as the guest for this year’s event.

From left: Hearst Magazines president Cathie Black, designer Christopher Peacock, and House Beautiful publisher Kate Kelly Smith.

Stephen questioned me all about color, color trends and the direction of color in the home for 2008 and beyond. He also opened up the floor and allowed the designers to ask their questions.

Stephen and the designers asked many excellent and thought provoking questions which I am going share with my readers over the next couple of weeks by posting many of those questions and my response on the Color Pro blog so please stay tuned.

Right now I’m going to go pinch myself one more time just to make sure this was real and that I wasn’t simply having a fabulous dream.

With my idol Stephen Drucker, Editor-In-Chief, House Beautiful

P.S. As far as the CIA thing goes just a few words for my brother– “Not a chance!” No one in the CIA would ever get to have this much fun!

Credits: All pictures from MinOnline