Color Palettes!

Pantone beer labels by Spanish Designer Txaber

You may have noticed I started a new page on my blog, it is called Color Palettes.  I am starting to work on my Fall and Holiday palettes, attending color seminars,  researching magazines and fabric shops, looking at the runway shows in Paris, Milan and New York.  Even though my concentration is kitchen wares, color is still very important.  Color affects our emotions.  Do you want something bright and cheery in the kitchen? Or something sophisticated and peaceful?  Or feeling the autumnal season, like the photo above?

So check my color palette page and I would love to hear how you put together your palettes?  Is something particular inspiring you this season?

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!

Color of the year, Emerald!

picture from Pantone LLC

Every year Pantone comes out with a new color of the year.  Many industries follow Pantone; fashion, housewares, beauty, auto and home. How do they choose a color?  Pantone, based in New Jersey, researches globally for color influences.  People may assume they look at fashion but they look at all industries; entertainment, films, hot art, trending celebrities, hot travel spots, the economy, technology and the environment. Color of growth, harmony, balance, prosperity and renewal. Many countries have chosen green as a color to represent unity.

 So will we be seeing green in the beauty industry?  The color emerald works with all eye colors. It brings out the hazel in green, intensifies brown eyes, compliments blue eyes and enhances green eyes. It also is perfect complement to all shades of pink. Sephora is partnering with Pantone and launching an Emerald collection in March of this year.

How about for the home?
Having moved into a new home that my husband and I purchased we are doing alot of painting!  Our downstairs bathroom is yet to be painted and I have been wanting to do some sort of shade of green. I have been leaning towards a green glass color or a sea green.  But after reading about emerald I am now considering maybe trying a more jewel tone shade to create a luxurious feel.

green selection from Benjamin Moore

Caterpillar by Behr - LOVE!

While I was swimming around the Internet looking for emerald and green inspiration items I found the most fun blog and if you are soon to be painting your home you might want to check it out. The above 3 photos I found at Favorite Paint Colors blog.

What do you think of emerald as color of the year? You in love?
Would you paint a room green? Too much?

Happy New Year!

Get your mug at pantone.com

Do you tango? Tangerine Tango

So back in December the Pantone Inc released their 2012 color of the year, Tangerine Tango. 

It's April and have you seen TT anywhere? That's tangerine tango not Tracey Toole. :)  One of the things in design school I thought was so interesting was the History of Apparel Design. I actually did a few Independent Studies on these subjects. I found it fascinating how clothing, styles, design elements and colors are all effected by economy, global affairs, politics and trends. Late 2008 the recession hit, the color for 2010 was a nice calm blue. 2011 was honeysuckle. Colors that are vibrant lift confidence and boost energy. Look at the colors of the last 4 years next to each other. 

So 2012 is Tangerine Tango. Recession is "over". I put that in quotes because that is what we are told. None the less, some jobs are popping up and basically people are feeling more confident. That is what this color says.

Instyle 

Crate and Barrel loving the orange couch!

Crate and Barrel orange kitchen bench, love this!

and this fabric which I just bought and I'm thinking of making a  grocery tote in.

Forgot your measuring tape for class? No need to worry with this fabric.

Color of the year by Pantone

Pantone's color of the year for 2011 is Honeysuckle. I must say it is quite a pretty color with not a whole lot of girlishness going on, which is good.
Pantone phrases it as "A Color for All Seasons
Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it."  Did you know the mother color of Honeysuckle is red?

This color will work for men, women and interior. Pantone makes a point of course to make sure the color can work with many industries; apparel, auto, interiors, paints.

"Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. It’s a striking, eye-catching hue that works well for day and night in women’s apparel, accessories and cosmetics, and in men’s ties, shirts and sportswear. Add a lively flair to interior spaces with Honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway." To read more click here.

J.Crew