How do you want to color?

Color has an extraordinary affect on everything in our lives from the beauty in nature to the clothing we wear or the car we drive. Color reflects our soul and is a symbol of our emotions. It is a fundamental element in our world and carries with it specific thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Color is the mind, body and soul of visual perception; however, color is more than a visual experience. It is also a psychological influence that can radically affect mood and emotion. It is a classic form of communication that projects your personality and sets the tone in each room of your home.

Reactions to color can be subjective, but generally, colors can produce particular responses. Warm colors like red, yellow, and orange can produce feelings of warmth or aggressiveness, while cool colors like green and blue can be calming or depressing.

Applying, adapting, incorporating

While color makes a big impact on your surroundings, it is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to bring continuity to your furnishings and décor. Introducing a new color might be the perfect pop to add a fresh perspective to your room.

Incorporating color into your space can be challenging but these tips will help you get started.
1. Pick your most expensive or larger items in the room such as your furniture and rugs.
2. Review the color palette of those items and select from that or choose a complementary color.
3. Ensure these colors reflect your style and express the feeling you wish to convey.

There are many ways to adapt color to your space and selecting those perfect shades is something I specialize in with my clients. As an Interior Designer, I frequently start by understanding my clients’ color preferences. A good place to start is in the closet? Not only do I grasp their color likes and dislikes, but it also leads to understanding what colors and shades are flattering on them.

“There is a synergy between fashion and Interior Design. Style is a lot like love: even when you try, you just can’t stop it.” -Kim Shui-

Another vantage point of color is to utilize it to express your passions, lifestyle, and hobbies. Life experiences can be expressed through strategic use of hues ranging from bold to barely there.

“Tying color into everyday happiness is exciting,” says Michael Plank, Sherwin-Williams director of color for wholesale markets.

Each year, Interior Designer’s anticipate the release of the ‘Annual colors of the year”. This has become a popular tradition of paint companies as well as the Pantone Color. Founded in 1963, Pantone is an industry leader in color and according to its website, “more than 10 million designers and producers” rely on its products and services for color inspiration and guidance. Pantone’s first-ever color of the year was in 1999 and each December since then, the creative world has eagerly awaited its annual prediction.

How do you want to color? Trends are trends and most are short lived. It is fun to see them unfold but the truth is this is your home, a sanctuary to transition, to de-compress and relax. It is a very personal environment. I focus less on trends and more on building your home with intention and lasting ways.

How do you want to feel? What mood do you want to set? I’m ready to help you create your personal spot that enhances your mood. I am client focused because I want you to be happy and comfortable in your refuge.

“Good design is timeless and less is more.” – Paddy Rasmussen

Flowers are utilized throughout every facet of life, from love and loss, to celebration and comfort. All our senses are touched when we receive a floral arrangement or stroll through a garden. Texture, aroma, and color help us connect with this beautiful piece of nature and it evokes great emotion. Flowers and other elements of nature are inspirational in art and design and create a harmonious connection with our surroundings. 

 

According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, “Our response to color is intensely emotional and flowers can be catalyst for feelings that stimulate more than just our senses of sight and smell.”

 

There have been many studies on the effects flowers have on our psyche. In one such study, flowers were placed in a room where everyone could see them. The participants experienced a heightened sense of happiness.  According to the Rutgers researchers, the presence of flowers has an immediate impact on happiness and flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods.  Other results show that people who live with flowers have fewer episodes of anxiety and depressed feelings. 

Flowers stimulate social trust in many ways. They communicate the intention to invest effort in a relationship. And they convey a respect for fragility. We feel the impermanence of flowers, and it reminds us that care is necessary to sustain life. Relationships can be as fragile as flowers and the care we give to plants helps us remember the care that our relationships need.

Decorating for the season begins with a plan that pulls together color, style, and spaces.

Determine your strategy by deciding to decorate by theme, zones or décor style. The next step is to create a space that reflects your design personality type. Carry the Theme Throughout your home. Having a unified design helps the look to flow from room to room or tree to table. You might choose a special ornament or sentimental item to build from. Gather up items that are special to you. Decorating themes can come from many different sources. Think about the colors, shapes, symbols, patterns, even a style or mood can shape your theme. Create a consistent color scheme throughout your home. Focus on the colors you have in your home year ’round and select complementary colors that bring out the seasonal feeling. Focusing on shapes or symbols creates a theme enhanced by a central motif. Include a few larger pieces to make a big visual impact without looking cluttered. Harmonize your interior for an easy transition from room to room. Consider which zones will have the greatest impact. Start with the most visible areas of your home to accentuate your theme. Depending on your house, perfect zones to decorate might be:

• The front door
• An entry hallway
• The kitchen
• Fireplace mantle
• Office
• Buffet table

Decorate for The Holidays by Emphasizing Your Décor Style What is your holiday decorating personality type? Are you a Minimalists where less is more or just the opposite Over the Top – Maximalists? Minimalists – Simple style decorating with a few impactful colors and objects. Start with a white background to appreciate every detail. Bring it to the table by using linen tablecloths and napkins. Set your space aglow! Choose candles and tapers in soft whites, creams, and warm metallics to create a neutral, cohesive look. People do lots of seasonal cooking and white dishes showcase the food you’re serving. Mixing all periods, shapes and materials of white—earthenware or porcelain. Instead of festooning the space with many decorations, select a few ornaments to display in a large bowl on the table, thus paring down the sprawling detritus of holidays past to one simple, meaningful centerpiece. Minimalist decor doesn’t mean sacrificing on cozy! Layer lots of chunky knits, sheepskins and warm, textural decor to bring the snuggle factor. Maximalist – Eccentric style, mixing colors & pattern with old and new decorations. Play up pattern when it comes to your table setting — don’t be afraid to mix and match with seriously colorful china. Is the philosophy “more is more” kinda your thing? Have your tree be as over-the-top as you can dream up! Punch up your mirrors and walls with wreaths in bold colors, shimmering metallics, and interesting textures. Nostalgic – Traditionalists in color and a classic style. Big on tradition but small on space? Just add a mini tree potted in an antique brass cachepot! Spruce up your libations station with fresh cut greenery, plenty of winter citrus, and classic linen cocktail napkins. Let your antique ornament collection be the star of the show! Make sure to put the bubbly on ice. Fill antique champagne buckets with everything from booze to festive branches to ornaments! Take your sips outdoors with vintage enamelware mugs & wrap yourself in plaid blankets. Modernist – Clean and crisp style. Warm up sleek serving pieces with plenty of soft linens, richly hued fruits, and ceramics. Keep your overall hues moody but add a pop of lightness to the space with a sweet, Scandinavian-inspired star pendant. This is the time to let your sleek stemware be the star of the party. Gather gorgeous vessels in varying shapes and heights on your mantel, and fill with single branches for a dramatic effect. Turn your tree into a modernist work of art by keeping the overall palette to a few colors and choosing sculptural ornaments that can shine on their own   Modern Glamour – Art Deco in style, with plenty of brass & gold accents. Impress your guests and make your home truly shine bright by bringing out your finest and fanciest serving pieces in shades of metallic. Embrace your wild side with animal print accents, layered in rich, sumptuous velvet and silk pillows throughout your living space. Then sip in style with sleek crystal stemware and lucite ice buckets. Rustic/Industrial – This style emphasizes the use of unique materials. Compose a cozy atmosphere with a cabin theme of flannel, distressed wood, pine boughs, and burlap. Embrace your green thumb! Understated greenery brings a clean, organic elegance to your space. Construct a Christmas tree of copper piping or pennies. Build tree decorations using gears/hex nuts of different shapes for ornaments. Form wreaths by hanging mason jar lids and attach ornaments inside. Fabricate wall versions of rusty hardware & springs turned into snowflakes, the rustier the better.