Design with Heart

As I have mentioned before I love the beginning of the month when the latest issue of my home magazines arrive. The latest Pantone color Marsala, which has gotten flack, but I love it. Marsala is wine color with a hint of gray. That will be another blog posting.

This month the stand out for me is the editor’s page of Architectural Digest. Margaret Russell states “buy what you love.” YES, thank you Margaret. The most memorable homes are the ones that reflect the homeowners life, memories and inividuality. It’s okay to mix it up, modern and traditional, brass and silver, creams and grays, new and old. Ignore the trends and buy what you love. That is my design philosophy. I have a client that has a great style an loves to mix it up. That is makes designing a home fun and exciting, but also creates a unique home.

I recently read an article in the New York Times about the auction of Bunny Mellon’s estate. The writer was stating many of the furnishing were out of fashion. I have a previous posting about Bunny Mellon’s classic style. Her home was beautiful and elegant.

This year I will be encouraging my clients to really think about what they love and go for it.

Have a blessed and Happy New year!!

 

Let the Sun shine!

Since attending the workshop on branding and color imaging I have applying the theories to interiors. I love color so the philosophy of color adds another level. I have so many clients ask about what is trending in color. Color is a personal choice, just like your interiors. It’s not about what is the hottest trend it’s about how the hottest trend fits into your home or office. Just because a warm gray is the newest trend for wall color it may not be right for your home. One size does not fit all.

The color I have been thinking about today is yellow. I love yellow. It’s warm, friendly and can be uplifting.  I live in Texas so we have 352 days of sunshine. However I have yellow walls in my kitchen and it drives me crazy. They came with the house.

 

Yellow is the first color the eye sees. Yellow and gray are a favorite color combination. Gray provides the neutral to the intense yellow of this room. I love the bright golden yellow on the walls in contrast to the acid yellow lacquer on the table.

 

I love this softness of this kitchen. The soft creamy yellow of the tile and cabinets, accented with blue and white. This is a classic use of yellow, blue and white. Yellow increases concentration.

 

Yellow represents happiness and high energy. I think I would be happy if I had this bathroom. Sophisticated and playful.

 

How cool is this color combo? Soft lemony yellow accented with a vivid magenta. Yellow is exciting and magenta, which is part of the pink family brings a joyful and youthful edge to a traditional design.

Color can transform amy interior whether – traditional, modern, french country, formal or casual.

Do not use yellow if you are feeling nervous or don’t want to be noticed.

My Blue Obsession

I recently was reading a stack of older magazines and I noticed a cover of House Beautiful 2010 featured the color blue. The entire magazine is dedicated to various shades of blue – indigo, navy, robin’s egg, green blue etc. I was surprised the blue decorating trend is celebrating fourth year of popularity. I can’t really think of anything or anyone that has universal appeal, okay maybe the Royal family.

So I have been wondering about this trend for some a while. Believe it or not, I do have other things to think about, besides the color blue.  Trend of blue fascinates me, or the longevity of the trend. While I was at a lunch event on branding. The presenter, Catherine Hatcher, President of Personas Image Dynamics, demonstrated the power of color in presentations, brands etc.  and how the color you wear to meeting can influence the tone. The color blue in the only color the has world wide appeal, 85% of people like the color blue.

This is why the color blue is a mainstay in interiors and continues to be a color focus.  Blue is like a good friend, comforting, appealing easy to be around.

Here is a close up of the tile and the light fixtures. the inside of the light fixture is painted blue.

The color navy blue conveys trust, responsibility, credibility and truthfulness.
White signals refinement and purity. White is also the color of genuineness, innocence and youthfulness.

 

I think this one of the most beautiful kitchens published. Look closely and many shades of blue appear. the cabinets a blue gray, back splash tile a subtle blue-green and the it of brass make it shimmer. Blue green mixtures have different meanings. A blue with more green like aqua conveys prestige, high ideals and attracts attention. Turquoise, which has more blue than green suggests high powered and youthfulness.

 

A bright true blue signifies sincerity and truth, also friendly and approachable. This room mixes a playful palm pattern. I love palm patterned fabric and wallcoverings. The color green adds a pleasant and refreshing element. The color green denotes peacefulness, balance friendly and candid. A dark green implies wealth and tradition. The pop of red adds energy to the space. Red is passionate, angry, provocative and memorable.

 

The images are from House Beautiful’s website and the color descriptions are from Catherine Hatcher’s color guide.