Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Saturated Color

Our storm is officially a blizzard! We have at least 24" of snow at 4 PM and it is still coming down. But I am more than happy the power is still on.

Back in October I blogged about coral popping up in Spring 2011 fashions. NeimanMarcus sent this email today.

Color bursting forth in fashion is always good news. Models bursting forth in smiles? I'll go out on a limb and predict we'll have quite the wait for that news flash.

Here's a round up of current (yesterday and today) color thinking from the interior design world.

Heather Clawson, an up and coming New York designer, has impeccable taste and writes an excellent blog, HABITUALLY CHIC. Here's Heather's take on the emergence of green this Spring:

"I thought it was interesting that Pantone chose Honeysuckle, a pink shade, as their Color of the Year for 2011.  The color that keeps catching my attention in both fashion and design is green.  It ranges from peacock to emerald but looks elegant and interesting in every shade.  ...it seems every designer sent green down their runway.  Green is definitely good!"

Heather showed this runway shot from Michael Kors' Spring show, and some great examples of green interiors.

Just before Christmas I did a client's powder room in green, Schumacher's "Toile Florissante" wallpaper, color Peridot. I love this paper. http://www.fschumacher.com/ 
Like many old houses in New England, the powder room is tucked under the stairs. The installer, Dan Moynihan, did a fabulous job on the curves and angles of this corner and ceiling line.
A quick check of on-line retailers reveals their "new" items.

The Williams Sonoma roster of brands plays it safe:Pottery Barn
Williams Sonoma Home
West Elm

Design Within Reach http://www.dwr.com/ covers the spectrum. Latest catalog announces "Modern color: from black to white to everything in between".
  The cover is certain to appeal to our friends in graphic design...lots of white space...but flip to page 38-39 for the "plum" story.

Flor, http://www.flor.com/, one of my favorite sources for stylish and eco-responsible modular carpet and rugs also takes the brave plunge with "Making Waves" in Pink.
Love the texture.

So what's the real color story? I won't presume to know other than it is an evolving tale which I will happily report on from time to time.

I'd love to hear your take on intense color. Would you wear it? Use it in your home? In a big way, like a chair, a rug? Or add it as an accent, like a throw pillow or vase? Love it? Hate it? 

Thanks for reading,
Linda Pakravan

5 comments:

  1. I have an old North Face intense purple down jacket I have had since the early 90s. Even to this day, I always get compliments about the color. Its as deep,intense and clean as a purple can be, while stopping short of leaning to ultramarine blue.

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  2. Intense color can be great, if its the right color for your liking. I want to paint my whole living room a deep mossy green, (not a sagey green, but live moss-type green) Still searching for the perfect paint color. Also I have ALWAYS loved GREEN and PURPLE together, ever since the days of coloring with crayons. I could see an intense blue-violet purple suede couch with my moss walls.

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  3. By the way, that Scumacher "toile florissante' green wallpaper is really beautiful.

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  4. I love MAKING WAVES. As I need a carpet, I might just get that one.

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  5. I agree about the green and purple going great together. And yes, I do like intense colors. I had a screaming orange bathroom for several years.

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Please do. I love to know what you think!