Color Story: Sultry Romance

catharine malandrino gown, femina magazine [photo: armit sharma]

This is the feeling of the season as the days sort of tease back and forth between hot and cool. Rich, flowing silk in a deep mango shade wrapped in cool shades of lilac, rose, and fuschia with swipes of teal and black. Imagine the fabric is so fine that cool air can reach your skin all over. 

No need to worry about your crevices sweating furiously all evening. :sigh:

Color Story: Cool Brights

amazing uniforms at an indian spa

Over the years, I've designed a lot of PowerPoint presentations. When I first started doing them at work I gravitated toward blue backgrounds. Teal, navy, turquoise, lavendar. Always blue-based backgrounds. I could literally feel the relief in my retinas or irises or something. The colors not only enhance and offset the images being displayed, they invite the viewer to keep looking. Once, someone showed me one done in reds and oranges that actually hurt my eyes to look at. That's one thing that's so great about bold color. You can have blazing, eye-searing bolds. Or you can have vibrant, eye-soothing bolds. Neutrals are not the opposite of brights. Brights are the opposite of brights. 

Fuschia + Aubergine: A Ladylike Rug

urban outfitters' vine flourish rug

Put on your dancin' shoes! Here's a rug that fits my brand-new obsession with Emma Stone's custom Lanvin perfectly. I really wish it fit my apartment, but I already have my large rug, and the two just don't mesh. So it's just a crush for me (for now). And who could deny this? It's very easy to care for with that typical woven cotton of Urban Outfitters rugs. The damask is a lively, feminine pattern energized by the two rich colors popping against each other. You could play this one uptown or downtown. 

Fuschia + Aubergine: Canvas Decor

canvas wall art from target

Emma Stone's fabulous Lanvin gown at the Golden Globes is so inspiring I've been looking all over for that color combo. Word is the colors were much richer in person than they appeared on film (this from Kelly Osborne on E!'s "Fashion Police.) I can believe it! Turns out, I didn't have to look very far for more. Not only do I have the Moroccan patterned wall-hanging above, but also the pink boxes below from IKEA. Sadly, I never got the purple ones. Kept putting it off and they were discontinued. Too bad, the pink is a searing shade, both incredibly bright and incredibly saturated. The deep dark purple was the perfect companion to ground that sophisticated pink.

Single-Girl Style: Moody, Modern & Eclectic

Of the handful of things I wish I had studied in high school and college, Russian is not one of them. Which left me at a loss when I came across this gorgeous apartment profile. Such a bummer because this lady, whoever she is, has a really cool home. The contrast of the purple brocade wallpaper next to the brown bamboo wall sets the dark, moody tone of the space. The vivid grain in the dark wood floors stands out and contrasts beautifully with the smooth, shiny lacquer table. Not to mention the nubby, wool kilims and the modern leather chair. 

source: glamour russia  photos: will webster

But it doesn't stop there. 

The Bandwagon: Missoni for Target

purple zigzag pouf - the one item i am seriously considering.

some of the other things i liked: this print is delicious. but i don't need any of this stuff and i'm able to leave it alone. thankfully.

 
It is hard to know who to blame for my disappointment with today's launch. Certainly, some of the onus is on me. Waking up fully rested at 6am and deciding to web browse was my choice. Forgetting that today was the day, also my fault. And to be honest, I didn't really want anything, delicious though I find the brand. 

Color Story: Jewel-Toned Walls

When Kimhas7cats from Desire to Inspire first painted her kitchen cabinets pink, it was like a revelation. Not only was the independence and ownership of that choice inspiring, it reminded me of a long-ago visit to a classmate's home in grade school. I was struck by the fact that the kitchen was done in white and sage green, right down to the linoleum tile. It was airy and fresh and...the sage complemented the red-haired family. 

Since Kim's bold move, I am somewhat drawn to similar spaces where they're just putting it out there, allowing that color choice to lead to more bold and stylish choices that elevate the whole home beyond basic functions. 

It really is your thing. Do what you wanna do!

kitchen cabinets in a deep rich, pink! the windows keep the room so light that it can bear this level of saturated color