Color Story: Rustic Glamour

from nz house & garden, august 2010 - photo: jane ussher

Here's one for my "Someday" file: a simple room that is both down-to-earth and elegant. Black walls temper the airy room and plentiful sunshine making the space cozy and intimate. The aged credenza and bare wooden tabletop bring an earthy, rustic sensibility rather like a traditional farmhouse or outdoor dining. Then the details kick it up a notch combining low-key gold luster, simple glass, porcelain and silver into a simple gleaming focal point. And those Tanzanian portraits anchor the restrained color scheme. Despite my allegiance to bright colors, this room seems like the perfect restful space to end the day and focus on the personal. 

Someday...

Color Texture Pattern: Jewel Tones

rich indian bedroom with boldly painted walls

I gravitate toward warmer colors in my home choices. Even my teals tend to have warmer undertones. But there's nothing like some jewel tones for luxurious intensity that doesn't burn your retinas.

Color Story: Chic, Sleek & Saturated

Here's an ad that fairly blows my mind. The image is arresting: simple, spare and yet full of so much movement. The colors are complimentary: yellows to reds to purples. Everything - from upper right down and across - is round and flowing: the hairstyle, the ruffled color, the lines of the dress, the legs, the variations in the wall stain, until the eye arrives at the bottom left corner with the spike of the stilletto and the flower petals. 

And the richness of the colors is offset by the paleness of the model's skin and the depth of the shadow behind her.

Exotic Beds: Sumptuous Ikat

When I stumbled on this bedding from N Natori it almost made me scream. Purple, pink and gold, with a hint of indigo. Makes you want to swan dive into luxury. All hail the Chapan comforter collection!