Things are getting interesting

You might be wondering why my blog postings have been so sparse these days.

 

This is why.
I've really got my hands full!

Small space? Paint it bright and dark

I recently did a consultation during which we discussed the merits of painting small spaces. Take guest bathrooms for instance. They are small. They are often windowless (read: dark). They are generally not rooms in which you spend too much time lingering, right?

 image source

Well, unless you have some excellent reading materials to peruse...

So why not stop fighting against these space's inherent characteristics, and instead, embrace them?

image source

Powder rooms- often called Jewel boxes for their saturated bright colors, can be beautiful.

Likewise, so can other spaces.

 image source

Take this lovely fuchsia room featured on House of Turquoise. Love it, love it love it. Would I have the guts to paint one of my own rooms this saturated hue? Realistically, probably not. But it's pretty cool, right?

My one request would be more balance between the warm and the cool. My eyes are starved for a respite from the overwhelming warmth of the colors, and keep jumping to the stripe of turquoise on the pillow. Maybe a green leafy plant, or teal throw rug?

  image source

Luckily, this space is virtually surrounded by the cooling effects of aqua. So really, it's a burst of color in an otherwise super chill space.

I sometimes wear your face as a mask to inspire me

2011 color trends- where's the fire?

...Or is it all smoke and mirrors?

I like this quote I just read in Landor's 2011 Trend Report

"Color trends are fleeting and ephemeral; color connections, told through compelling design stories that speak to the consumer’s heart, mind, and soul, are the future of color direction." (source)

 image source

Fire appears to be the new color story of the moment. Fiery passion towards sustainability, hope, and new goals. I do snicker a bit at their call to action, though:

"The coming year will challenge brands to set themselves on fire with passion. The brands that come alive with honest, intense warmth and understanding will succeed in attracting customers to their tribal fire."(source)

How exactly is this new color theme to be played out in merchandising by multi-billion dollar corporations? (says she with just a hint of skepticism)

Any brand experts out there want to weigh in on where color is headed?

(thanks Jane for the tip!)