TANGERINE TANGO

According to the official announcement, the deep red-orange color is intended to give us all a big energy boost; a refresh and a recharge. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Institute tells us more about the choice for 2012:

Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.

And keep an eye out for the Color of the Year beauty collection, part of a new partnership between Pantone and cosmetics retailer Sephora. Launching in March at Sephora stores in North and South America, the limited-edition collection will include eye shadows, lipstick, lip gloss, and nail polish.

As a designer, one of my ongoing challenges is finding the perfect lamp and I bet it’s not easy for you either.  Lots of people have sad, non-committal lamps that they bought because they would “go with everything”.  But the right lamp is such a critical accessory. So I am proposing that you consider making an investment in a lamp that you love.  Nothing crazy or outlandish, just a beautifully balanced lamp with good bones and a little bit of wow factor.  This type of lamp will be around for years to come so here’s how to find one…

Lamp Basics

Size & Shape

• To keep things proportionate, your total lamp height (including shade) should be approximately the same height as the table it is sitting on.
• Tall and thin tend to be more modern. Wider, bulbous shapes are more traditional.

Shades

• Your shade height will be about 3/4 the height of a traditional lamp base.
• Shades for modern lamps are more extreme and may be as small as 1/2 the height or as large as 2x the height of the lamp base.

Color & Pattern

• I tend to favor solid color lamps in everything from ivory to fuchsia.  Use pattern on the shade for a change.
• Base patterns are great but don’t try to match your fabric. Go for a smaller or larger pattern.  Texture is always nice too.

And the shape of your shade will change the look dramatically so you may want to consider buying them separately.  Either way, I think it’s time you bought a lamp that you love and will hold onto for years to come!

Here are some of my favorite online lamp stores:

Mottega – Design your own lamp and receive it 2 weeks.  Sleek styles and bold colors.

Layla Grace carries Jamie Young lamps. Very hip and wonderful shade options.

Candelabra has a wonderful selection of modern and earthy Arteriors Lamps.

This a photo of my office, which has a vaulted ceiling that was previously white. This time I painted the walls and ceiling Prescott Green and I love how it opened up the room.

We recently had the interior of our home repainted and it’s so wonderful to see clean, fresh colors on the walls.  So I chose some new colors…nothing too earth-shattering.  I stayed with the palette I love….blues, greens and earth tones.The trusty Benjamin Moore Historical Collection has been my color home base for years.

First we had some prep work to do. The painter did a great job of repairing the cracked plaster on the ceiling which made a huge different.  You see, we live in a Bungalow that was built in 1981 and by South Florida standards that is OLD! Now old is not a bad thing.  I like old. I grew up in a house that was a Grist Mill built in 1840. Old meant original hardwood floors, exposed beams and a house that oozed character and charm. It also had lots of cool places to hide. But in this house “old”  means quirky building details, odd-shaped rooms and every room has vaulted ceilings.

So the important changes I made this time around were with the ceiling colors.  In most rooms we have vaulted ceilings….which means 2 things.  A fifth wall that covers a lot of real estate and no crown moldings. I love this house, it just always requires a little extra imagination to pull it all together.

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Big deal, right?  Well it is a big deal if you want a cohesive look and the ceiling is the crowning touch.  So here are some tips on choosing colors for your ceiling:

Vaulted Ceiling –  Without crown molding you rarely get a straight edge where the ceiling meets the wall which looks messy and distracting.  A good solution?  If the wall color is on the lighter side, I like to paint the ceiling the same color.  It makes for a smooth transition and the room looks larger. I don’t recommend colors that are too dark for rooms with vaulted ceilings. If you paint the ceiling that same dark color and don’t have enough light in the room, it can really make it feel closed in.  As human beings we feel most comfortable with darker colors below and lighter ones above….kinda like the ground and sky!

Flat Ceilings/No Crown Molding – You have a few factors to consider.  If the line between the ceiling and wall is nice and straight, then you can certainly go with different colors. But choose a soft white rather than the chalky Ceiling White that most painters will automatically use. When you look at the whites side by side, you will see some are warm (pinks and golds) while others are cool (more blue or gray). Choose accordingly.  You can also choose a lighter shade of your wall color.

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Our Living Room has a plank ceiling with a simple band of trim around the edge so it basically the same as having a crown molding. So we painted both Atrium white which has a ever so slight pink hue. It compliments the warmth of the Chestnut walls.

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Flat Ceilings with Crown Molding –  Since you will most likely go with a white tone for your crown, it’s best to do the same with the ceiling.  I often use the same color for the crown as the ceiling (but of course a satin or semi-gloss for the trim and flat for the ceiling).  Don’t use the wall color on the ceiling.  The crown is going to look like a big white stripe around the room.

Small Ceilings - In powder rooms and small laundry rooms I like to use the same color on the walls and ceiling.  It makes the room look more unified.  If you have wallpaper in a small powder room, wallpaper the ceiling or paint it the same background color as the paper.

I hope this helps you have more confidence when it’s time to paint.  I am sure you will find that your newly painted (non-chalky-white) ceiling will give your room a light airy feeling!

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At first glance, a well-designed bedroom allows you to  just settle into the whole space.  The colors, the furniture and the tiny details all work togehter harmoniously.  Ahhhh, the cohesive loveliness!  But as a designer, my next step is to start breaking it all down… the bed, the pillows, the window treatments and lamp.  Why does it all work and how can I learn from this?  I want to help you develop the same critical eye because this is the difference between a so-so decorating job and a room that comes alive.

I designed the room above for two teenage girls about 10 years ago.  They liked feminine details but were growing up and did not want anything too cute.  They loved horses but did not want the whole room to go “horsey”.  It’s always a balancing act between “this” and “that.” So these are the steps I took to pull together this great little design without breaking the bank. 

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Color – We went with a warm peach because it was feminine, bright and fun.  It’s a more complex color than pink or purple which spoke to their sophisticated tastes (yes teenagers now have sophisticated taste!)

Beds – These iron beds are classic and budget-friendly.  The choice of many finishes allowed us to select one that tied in our coral, ivory and green palette.  (I don’t usually recommend iron beds for master bedrooms but for kids or guest rooms they do the job at a great price.)

Bedding- Custom bed-skirts and shams echo the colors with a designer look but we saved some money by using a matelasse coverlets.  These could easily be replace by down comforters and duvets when it gets cold.

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Some Ladder Tape options from Smith + Noble. Simple wood blinds step up the style with this designer touch.

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Windows - Simple 2″ wood blinds.  The big slats work with the scale of the large windows.  A color-coordinated ladder tape covers the strings that hold the blinds together (the ladder).  Now instead of plain old blinds that control light they ARE the window treatment.  Plus Ladder Tapes cover route holes so sunlight won’t poke through when blinds are closed.

Chair – We bought this wicker chair new but any old wicker chair can be painted for an instant face-lift.  You can also just wrap the fabric around the cushions and safety pin them on the back if you are a not a seamstress.

Lamps – Two simple and affordable lamps that could be found at a local home store.

Artwork – I love to use colorful and interesting artwork in kids rooms and posters are an easy answer. The pieces in this room are prints of famous horse paintings.  By going with more modern art, it gives the room a more updated feel and the white frames are simple and fresh.

I hope this helps you see, once again, that good design results is more than the sum of its parts.  Consider the look you want and then approach it one step at a time patiently and thoughtfully!

Let me know if I can help you with any design dilemmas by commenting below or contacting me here!

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Great little piece in the New York Times on using throw blankets to add some color to your room.  Designer Brad Ford shares some of his own tips.  For a small investment you can make a chair look brand new, a den look super cozy and a give a monchromatic bedroom a colorful lift! 

Wrapping It Up

Here are some of my favorite sources for Throws.  Some for the prices, others for the selection…

Dash & Albert

Jonathan Adler

Pillows & Throws

And if you Join My Secret Database you will find wonderful new sources for anything you need for Your Home!

Have a good weekend:-)

mmm

Turquoise!  

Pantone, the world’s leading authority on color trends just unveiled this year’s pick!  This will lead us to a sea of turquoise sweaters, pillows and bicycles.  But that’s fine by me.  I can easily incorporate shades of turquoise into my color palette if my clients are on board.  It has so many beautiful hues and easily works with other colors.  Last year’s color was “Mimosa” and while it was a pretty color, it was not one I saw making it’s way into my projects anytime soon. 

Here is their take on this luscious color:

“Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well-being…..With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.”

If you love the many shades of Turquoise, here are some great ways to add it to your home:

• Pillows & Throws
• Lamps
• Turquoise Stones
• Rugs
• Artwork

This is a wonderful way to to give your home a New Year’s lift and add some bright, happy hues to the long, cold days and nights of winter.  If you’d like some more wonderful turquoise interior inspiration, visit Erin’s blog, House of Turquoise.  Right now she has posted some lovely holiday decorations and she also maintains a group of sites dedicated to different colors.  So no matter what color is your favorite, you’ll find you’re in good company!

Happy Holidays!

Seedling Modern Pillow from Inhabit Living

 

The Glass Zinnia knob from Anthropologie would brighten up any bathroom or dresser.

 

 

 

 

Flamingo Porcelain Lamp in Turquoise from Cottage & Bungalow

  

 

Spa Organic Bed Blanket from Ralph Lauren

1" Penny Glass mosaic tile from Ann Sacks in Water Matte.