Weekend Color: Pantone's Color of the Year - Why It Is Important and Why It's Not

By now I'm sure you have heard about Pantone's color pick for 2011.

This is quite an energetic pink!

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Color is moving towards fresh, clean hues.

What exactly does that mean?

I discussed clean/dirty color here, if you'd like to read more about it.

I don't ever advise a client to fill their space with the latest and greatest color unless they truly LOVE it.

What happens next year?

If you are using this hue simply to be "on-trend" 

are you going to be satisfied when it no longer is the top color?

If you have created a fairly neutral shell, or you have used other clean colors that are roughly the same value, you can easily bring in vibrant pink accents.

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Domino

I think the we should look at the entire palette from Pantone

 to get a clearer sense of what is happening with color.

The silver cloud and silver peony are still holding the grey and blush front.

I wouldn't place Silver peony with any of these other colors 

because it simply is not saturated enough to hold it's own.

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Russet is signalling an influx of brown - we need something to balance out all this freshness.

In interiors that signals a return to brown woods, rather than all the grey tones we have been seeing.

Domino

The remaining seven hues are all similar in their intensity and clean tones.

You could place any of these in space together and they would work.

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Blue Curacao is a softer version of last years turquoise.

I love the regatta blue - it's time to bring blue back from the green side :) 

Honeysuckle, which looks so vibrant when examined alone, 

fits in to this group without stealing the show.

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Pantone's color choices give us a look toward the future,

they interpret our societies emotional climate and the colors reflect it.

It seems right now people are quite ready for a bit of light-hearted fun.

Honeysuckle - will you use it?

til next time..

Weekend Color: The Color You Need In Every Room

What if there was a magic color - 

one that wakes up and enlivens every space..

just a splash in each room would unify your home and, 

best of all, actually create a better living environment?

There is.

While the shades and tones will vary, the hue stays the same - green.

More specifically, the color of greenery.

bring on the PLANTS..

my living room

Green has a unique effect on (the majority of) us phsychologically:

it calms and restores balance.

That means while you are relaxing you are also regaining strength.

Green clears the head and gives you the energy to focus on the tasks at hand -

 making it the ideal color in an office 

(I just painted my own this color, and the change in ambiance is fantastic - pics when I'm done :)

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But you don't have to go so far as painting your walls emerald recieve the benefits this hue has to offer -

simply add a few plants to each room, and enjoy.

Lauren from Pure Style Home has made botanicals and plants a signature in her work.

I love this "garden corner" she created.

Topiaries and urns raise the bar, allowing plants to stand alone in her display.

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A lone topiary add a graceful note.



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in pairs..



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 hanging plants become an unusual chandelier..



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 simple and sculptural display





Using a really easy-to-maintain variety in abundance to great effect.



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Even a single plant can work it's magic.





Large scale plants can wake up static spaces -
this room would have been lovely without the plant, but it makes the design more dynamic.
 Your eye is directed to the rear corner of the room,
 a trick I use in staging all the time to make a space feel larger.



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I love this room for more than just the plants, but I thought this was interesting -
 these are actually cuttings.
While I wouldn't cut down a tree to use as display, you could have a similar effect with potted plants.





Fiddle Leaf Figs are my favourite large plants..
imagine these rooms without them.







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it's a bit like sitting under a tree in the garden, isn't it?

If these feel overwhelming,
start small.. a pot here and there..



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Succulents are really easily maintained, put them in a sunny corner water sparingly!

they look fabulous in groups..


 

as do bulbs..




For thumbs that are more black than green, using zero maintenance garden cuttings may work better.
anything, from herbs to "weeds"..



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or self-sustaining terrariums..





That's a project the darlings and I are going to try this winter.

If you travel frequently or just really don't like the bother of plants, even a bit of reference in your decor can give you some of the rejuvenating effect.

wallpaper.. oh, this room is incredible.


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art..

LOVE!



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and fabric.




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The best plants to me are useful ones, and I love fresh herbs in the kitchen.





Last supring Coco and I started herbs from seed, which I've never done before.
It was going great, then they all began to die.
We didn't have enough direct light to sustain the poor little things.
We popped them outside for the summer, where they thrived.
Now we're trying to find shade loving herbs to place in the kitchen..

I'd love to hear how you brings plants into your space.

til next time..

Weekend Color: How to Add Color to Your Office in Thirty Seconds

Not many of us are fortunate enough to have a space like Betsy Burnham's to work in..

Soothing cocoa walls enlivened by the active print on the curtains and chair, freshened by the white console, and visual interest added with hits of blue..

Recently I mentioned I was working on a color scheme for a clients office.

Poppy, of Project Gadabout, 

commented how much her dreary grey office needed that same treatment.

 I imagined trying to be inspired at work in a space described as dreary -

 thus this post was born, the simplest way to bring color into your workspace - accessories.

This chic space clearly had good bones, the wallpaper and furniture are fantastic,

but the hits of green bring balance to this high contrast scheme..

Green is one of the best choices for an office, it offers intellectual stimulation while calming nerves.

 Color enlivens tiny spaces. 

The power of red.  One single red box amps up the energy level of this space hugely!

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Tiffany blue is the perfect complement here - adding a lovely, pretty edge to this delicate space.

What about cubicles? you obviously can't go wallpapering the walls without some raised eyebrows..

let alone installing a ball pit?!!

I love this idea below -

Jennifer placed a bright graphic wall decal on the floor of hers cubicle - fantastic!

You often see people adding carpets, 

but they don't allow your chair to move around very well, do they? 

Floor decals are the perfect solution.

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fabric covered magnetic boards are easy to find and a cinch to change..

just use double-sided self-adhesive velco strips to adhere.

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How about a new, ergonomic chair?

Even the most formal of offices can't argue employee health :)

In cherry red, or lemon yellow..

It's really easy to add these small bits of happy to your office, wherever it is, and 

you may be surprised how much it lifts your mood..

imagine being able to smile at the guy three desks down who insists on eating chili every day,

or the girl who has that ridiculously-loud-every-three-second-laugh going on -

okay, maybe not that much ;)

The office I consulted on has added new mossy green chairs for all it's employees,

 fresh taupe paint on the walls, a living wall for better air quality,

and some new acoustic panels to control office noise.

Simple improvements and the change in their office atmosphere is enormous.

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Hope you all are having a great weekend,

I'm perusing christmas craft sales with my Mum and the girls..

til next time..