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. 

Color Story: Natural Harmony

Just a little image that represents my sensibility when it comes to color. This image went into my Style Tray because the harmonious combination of color and objects. The whole scene is simply perfect: blue smoke, deep green trees and pink blossoms above a rich floor of light brown soil and dark fluid wood. Then there's the player dressed in natural dyes of purples and fig, holding her black and red instrument. The pipa should be striking with it's bold colors against all those natural shades, but somehow the red/black draws attention to it subtly. The music is the focus without the pipa being jarring. 

screencap from the movie "the forbidden kingdom"

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. 

Color Texture Pattern: Soothing Blues

So, apparently it is now mid-August and a lot of us are wondering where the summer went. Consensus is that the various heatwaves drove us all indoors seeking air-conditioned relief. While we were burrowing, June and July slipped away. All I know is that I want my 39th summer back! 

Since it is unlikely summers will get milder in the years to come, here's to homes that are built for this sort of thing. Where you can linger indoors and enjoy the feel of cool tiles, in soothing shades of green and blue, arranged in orderly patterns of squares and rectangles. Calm, soothing relief...

timeless kitchen in brussels: high ceilings, shimmering tile, sconces that fade into the walls, rustic wood floors and the slate blue ceiling and chimney wall
source: maison francaise  photo: francis amiand

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