Radiant Orchid, Color of the Year

I've been reading a few blogs and apparently some find this color difficult to use.  I think my mother was onto something last year.  I noticed in her house she started to use lavender shades with navy quite often.  Mostly towels in the bathroom and kitchen.  I really liked the combo, and started pairing it myself in quilts,  reversible napkins and bandannas.

Pantone carefully selects the color of the year.  They do thorough research of fashion, beauty, interiors and industrial design to decide what the color of the year will be.   Radiant Orchid is a beautiful blend of cool and warm undertones.   It will look lovely with red, turquoise, teals and lighter yellows.  It will complement olives and deep hunter greens.  And it will pop neutrals, greys and tans.  You can't go wrong adding this to your closet, home or beauty regime.  Which is exactly what Pantone is looking for.

Holly of decor8 blog has a great post on Radiant Orchid.  She shows many different ways of decorating with this new shade.  

I think it is a great way to add color to a room.  I would love to use the color in a bathroom or on one wall.

Check out this post and the beautiful and simple floral shot.

From stagetecture.com

Lucky Mag

Ok the above clip is from Lucky Magazine.  The shoes and clutch are pretty boring in my opinion but they are demonstrating ways to add the color to your wardrobe.  I do love the model wearing two shades of radiant orchid.  Her outfit looks fantastic!  Color blocking, eye catching and vibrant!

This is more my style: this simple, geometric handbag from MaxMara shown on the runway last September.

 (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

http://www.glorioustreats.com/2012/05/purple-ombre-mini-cakes.html 

What about adding this color to your wedding celebrations?

Check out favecrafts.com for this inspirational post on adding radiant orchid to your special day!

I am so not a fan of the bridesmaid dresses.  Well I am just not a fan of matching bridesmaid dresses to begin with.  However the flowers, the cakes, the chandelier or the purple drinks???? A little goes a long way!

Seeing that ombre radiant orchid cakes makes me think of radiant orchid macaroons. 

What do you think of the color of the year? Will this be a radiant orchid kind of year for you? Maybe nail color? Dress color? Cakes? Chandelier? Might make a beautiful quilt.

Kona cotton swatches.  This is something I was playing around with in Illustrator.  These are Kona Cotton fabrics.  I love the dark blue into the purples finishing with the pool color.

Or a patchwork:

Playing with color can be exciting.  This can be peaceful, vibrant, cheerful.  You decide!