Kristina Klarin’s Color Stripes
I came across Kris Klarin’s blog, Color Stripes today and had to share it. Kris is a jewelry maker and is branching into home decor, like these candlesticks. But I really love how she focuses on two of my favorite things (other than design) – color and photography. It’s a joy to look at, and an inspiration.
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Bright Color for Christmas Decoration
I enjoyed reading this trend story over at Color for Your Home. It focuses on using bright colors for Christmas decoration.
It’s nice to see choices that aren’t the typical red and green. To read the post and see all the fun images, follow this link.
I’m Quoted in Stir – Thanks Rachel!
My blog buddy and color expert, Rachel Perls, wrote an article for Sherwin Williams’ Stir Magazine, quoting yours truly. Thanks Rachel!
The subject was online decorating as a profession. I think you’ll find the article interesting. You can link to it here.
For those of you who know me, you know I like to run Design Dilemmas where I redecorate spaces completely from photos. I wish I could do more of them and plan to in the future. It’s a time consuming thing and right now my time is crunched! I would only do these as a freebie and always underscore the importance of checking color options in real life. The reason? Because, as you’ll read in Rachel’s article, computer monitors do not reflect real life. Never assume that colors will match in real life because they do in Internet Land.
That doesn’t mean we can’t run a business long distance. But it has to involve the US mail.
Would you hire an online designer? I’m really interested to know if you have ever considered it.
Interior Design Inspiration: Pink & Gray
With a nod to the 1980′s pink and gray as an interior color palette is making a return to popularity. In the ’80′s, this combination was more of a mauve with gray. Now, the gray is warm and the pinks are either soft pastels, or vibrant fuchsia.
Here are a few rooms to inspire you.
Gray is the grounding color. Pink is the accent. The touch of gold is also important. Notice the matte paint on all the trim as well as the walls. The matte finish is perfect with the unfinished, matte floor.
This is a photo from the new restaurant in the Parisian Hotel Vendome. Grays and pinks mix with the boldness of the black and white houndstooth – the print-of-the-moment.
I love the mix of textures here. The gray wallpaper with the floor is nice.
This is a warmer look. The warm gray, matte again, is relaxing. And the rosy pink gives an inviting burst of color.
I like the painting hung by the bath here. Love the chair as well.
Matte gray with fuchsia is lovely. But you know, it looks like the stylist covered the cushion on the settee with that fabric. I think the bed skirt is new as well. You can see the creases – fresh out of the package. No matter. The point is the color combination – and it looks great.
These flowers are really a fuchsia. But on my screen they look more like purple. At any rate, the statement is clear – gray as a grounding color with pinks as accents makes for a lovely room.
If you’d like to try this color combination at home, I suggest using Benjamin Moore’s Gray Shower and Shadow Gray for gray (obviously). Pink Pansy is nice and soft. Crushed Berries is my Fuchsia choice.
Time to vote! Which look is your favorite?
images: Ricardo Labougle, Nicolas Matthias, Anna Trench
Balance: Benjamin Moore’s Color Forecast for 2011
Will we return to hearth and home and while we seek order in our lives? Will we dream secret dreams? Will community life become the focus of our lives? Benjamin Moore thinks so. They presented these ideas at Wednesday’s Color Pulse for 2012. Their forecast is directed at Designers and Architects. But I thought everyone would be interested in reading about their thoughts.
Their overall theme was Balance, translated into four distinctive influencers: Farm, Order, Escape and Tribes. Benjamin Moore’s forecaster, Andrea Magno painted the picture for us.
Farmville
No doubt, last year’s economic crisis has affected all of us. While not stating this overtly, the link is obvious. Benjamin Moore believes our fears will translate into greater importance being placed on hearth and home with both at least one foot planted firmly in reality.
Earthy browns form the backdrop for milky whites and pale, buttery yellows. Hay and terra cotta mix with “varietals” such as aubergine, pumpkin, tomato and, of course, green. Tints are baked in the warm sunshine.
Beyond pure color, life on the farm includes fabrics suggesting the handmade. We‚Äôll see macram?©, irregular knits, and burlap. Tea-stained effects, tie-dyes and hand-stenciled patterns all suggest a desire to appreciate the simple things in life. Luxury is out.
Order
From the chaos of last year, comes a desire for a sense of order. Benjamin Moore interprets this as a return to basic primary colors applied to a monochromatic scale of blacks, grays and whites. That means lots of red with black. Blue, yellow, green – even pink are paired with grays. No more neon.
Patterns are geometric. Rectilinear shapes, circles and triangles are stacked and molded into larger shapes. Clean lines are the order of the day.
