A Color Story, Part 4

Here's an update of what's been going on in my apartment lately. Last week I decided I had to have a lilac and/or a lavender pillow. Currently I am using a mint green sofa cover and I think mint green and lilac look fabulous together. Shouldn't be too hard to find since Pantone's color of the year is Radiant Orchid. But alas, it was not to be. I was actually surprised I couldn't find accessories in these colors anywhere. C'est la vie. I then stopped at my trusty Goodwill. As soon as I walked in the door I spied this beauty from 50 years away. It's like I have a radar for anything pink.

I couldn't get over there fast enough. $2.00 for this fabulous shade. Score! I love the color, it's kinda pinky-lilac. Since my color appetite was not satisfied, I made the decision to swing over the Home Depot for some paint. If I can't find the colors I want, I'll paint things!

As you know, Behr flat paint is my favorite. Did you know they come in sample sizes? An eight ounce sample costs $2.98. Such a deal. I bought these three gorgeous colors.

And oh yeah, I picked up this cute little eight ounce jar of paint at Target. It's by Martha Stewart and the color is Devine Blossom. Too adorable to resist.

Since I can't paint my apartment, I painted a canvas in Behr's Pink Bliss. Man. Just look at it. I am smitten. I'm going to paint every wall in my next apartment this color. Doesn't it look fabulous with the new lamp shade? For now I just have the shade perching on a vase. I'd love to make lamps out of vases, but I can't find a glass cutter willing to drill holes in vases for me. I couldn't stop there.

Remember this lamp that is now a vase? I'm addicted to the genie shape, but red is a color I really don't like in my decor. I painted the lamp with Behr's little pond. Ahh much better. Don't get me wrong, I love red. Just not so much in place. The canvas is painted with Martha Stewart's Devine Blossom.

Here's a mass-produced vase I got for 99 cents at the Goodwill. I painted it in Behr's Freesia purple. I love it!

Okay, I know you've heard me talk ad nauseum about my new bamboo etagere. I really do suffer with design ADD. After much consternation, I decided that I just don't like the wood color in my apartment. I like my place to be more airy and light. So I painted it white and doubted my sanity the whole time. It was a bitch and half to paint! I had to do it with a brush, having no where to spray paint. It took a million coats, and still needs a little sanding and touch up - but that's on my procrastination list. I must admit, I like it a lot better. I've placed this in front of the counter to be a sort of faux wall to my open kitchen. I think I'm still missing my studio apartment after all this time!

I took a risk and ordered this light purple pillow from Etsy shop owner Sukan. I just had to have a pillow in this color scheme! It's a risk because it's shipping from Turkey. I usually don't order from oversees because of delays in Customs. But I dearly love this color and I've had great luck with Etsy. I can't wait for it to arrive and I'll be sure to let you know how I like it. If I like it, I may order these gorgeous pink pillows.

Now I'm not really liking my mint green sofa cover, and really want something lilac or lavender. Oh, I do love a color dilemma. I'll be sure to do a tour of my place when I resolve the color scheme.  Hope you have a great day!  Stay tuned for an exciting announcement later today. xo

I just can't get enough....

of this color scheme.  Gorgeous art glass in lilac, periwinkle and baby blue from The End of History.

Purple and Lilac

Dear readers, as you know I obsess about color all the time.  Today I'm thinking about purple.  I especially love pale lilac.

Did you see Maybelline's poster for Fashion Week?  Isn't it gorgeous?  Love the purple eyeshadow and pink lips on the otherwise black and white photo.  I could see a room done in this color scheme.  Gray walls, purple sofa, pink pillows...yum.

This purple comforter looks great with the pink bedding.

Love the bedding, the pillows and lamp.

 Above three images Julia Hoersch

Pretty lilac walls.  Love the pop from the yellow lamp.  

  Doe Deere

The always fabulous Doe Deere.  I love her dress and her socks.  If a color pleases you when you wear it, it will make a great color scheme for a room.

 Elle Decor

Mint green is one of my favorite colors lately.  Love the chartreuse coffee table, the lilac walls and the blue lamps.  Not a color scheme I'd have thought of - until now.  Looks totally fab.

Eva Dallo

Beautiful room.  Love these mint green chairs paired with the painting.

Cabin Fever

I know I'm not alone when I say I've been pretty blue lately.  January is always a tough month for me.  This year is no different, the snow and the cold are really getting me down.  I've decided it's time to cheer up.  Since I'm inside more than I'd like, I might as well turn my thoughts to my favorite things.  Decor and color.  Spring is right around the corner, so it's a great time to start thinking about Spring decor.

I'm torn when it comes to my color scheme.  I've been seeing a lot of really romantic grays.  I adore it paired with lilac.  As you know, any color scheme I contemplate must have pink, and of course lots of white.  A new thing for me is that I am also adding a small pop of black.  Here is color scheme number 1:

I received some gift cards for Christmas, and here are the things I bought.  They go very well with this color scheme.

The square lilac pillow is made of the most wonderful organic, shimmery fabric.  The little teapot was carelessly broken by the store clerk, but I was able to fix it.  I want my place to be feminine, mysterious and romantic, kind of like this room I wrote about in an earlier post.

Color is not the only thing I am considering.  I want my place to feel feminine but edgy, bohemian, organic, ethnic, with some hand made elements.  I want all these things, yet I don't want it to feel cluttered.  Here are some other things I am finding inspirational at the moment.

Kim of Desire to Inspire, has been doing some interesting things in her place.  Her place seems to be in transition as well.  I love the table runner she made with doilies she died gray.  This is granny chic at its best.  Taking something ultra frilly and adding edge to it.  And check her new black lamp.  Sexy.

Here are two DIY ideas that I adore.  Both are rather casual, which I like.  I adore a certain carelessness in decor.  Lace as art over the sofa, and head board made of cardboard.  Fab!  Courtney & Trevor's Playfully Sophisticated Pad via Apartment Therapy.

I adore this pendant lamp.  It would be fun to wrap a shawl or scarf around a pendant for added romance.  Keep the furniture modern so it doesn't get too sweet.  Image via Living Etc.

I adore this hanging light from Horchow.  But it's ridiculously expensive, so not in my budget.  Why not make your own hanging lamp with wires and beads easily found at the craft store?  Or maybe even little Christmas lights all tangled up?

I'm a lover of genie bottles, and this new one from CB2 is tempting me greatly.  I also adore this pillow.  I wasn't thinking about adding orange to my decor, but this pillow might be changing my mind.

Here is an idea I love even though these aren't my colors.  Layers of mismatched curtains.  A great way to satisfy your craving for textiles.  Image Living Etc.

 

I think this is probably just a mock up, but you can see how lovely gray walls work with pink accents.  I love the coffee table, long low dresser and the rug.   The Bourgie lamp makes my heart stop every time I see it.  Image source unknown.

Here is color scheme number two.  Substituting hot pink and turquoise for the lilac.  I don't think I can live without hot pink.

This lovely room shows this color scheme could work.  It incorporates gray with hot pink pops, and a turquoise lamp.  Image via Desire to Inspire.

Thinkin' 'Bout Lilac ... and Purple

There are many shades of purple.  My favorite is lilac.  Jamie Drake got me thinking about these colors. He designed a home for a couple of art collectors that was featured in Elle Decor, and I just can't get it out of my mind. I've never seen a better use of lilac. It's simply stunning. See previous post here. When I win the lottery, I will hire Jamie to fashion an apartment with lake views for my painting and pottery collection. Ahhh. In the meantime, I've been considering whether I should use lilac, or maybe even purple in my spring decor. Here is some lovely inspiration. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Mundane. I adore the block of lavender framing the painting.


Per Magnus Persson via Desire to Inspire. Love those walls. Love those floors.

Simon Watson. This is one of my favorite living rooms of all time. Love the vases, love the painting.

Hotel Ammos via The Style Files.


Domino.




Purple looks great with turquoise. Images Zara Home.

Here's an example of saturated purple.  The purple of these walls give a modern twist to the Chesterfield sofa. Image Dan Duchars via Desire to Inspire.

My new painting, dedicated to Jamie Drake. I adore purple with orange and pink.  24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas.

Here is the new painting in my living room. Not sure if I'll keep it there, just playing around. But it does sorta make me want to paint the walls lavender. Think I need a turquoise pillow.

Blogging - Elle Decor

Elle Decor is one of my favorite shelter magazines, I never miss it. The editors have outdone themselves in the January/February 2009 edition! Almost every room they feature is stunning. If you are a design lover, it is simply not to be missed. The apartment featuring the work of designer Jamie Drake takes my breath away. I just can't stop staring at it.

Over the last couple of evenings, I have soaked in a bubble bath and studied every inch of this apartment. Apparently, Drake is a lover of lilac and has me thinking seriously about lilac. I want to paint my apartment lilac! Over the long New Year's weekend I plan to work on several paintings, and Drake's work will definitely be influencing mine.

The owners of this apartment are art collectors with an extraordinary eye. Drake fashioned an environment for their fabulous collection. I am in awe of the heavenly collaboration that occurred. I want to move in! Here is a peek at this beautiful apartment:

I just can't help dissecting it. Marvelous colors in the first picture. And of course, the work of glass maker extraordinaire, Joe Cariati, adds to the romance. I adore Cariati's work, I've written about his work before, see previous post here. Cariati makes me think I should collect glass rather than ceramic. Ryan McGinnis' wonderful triptych couldn't ask for a more sublime environment.

The color scheme in the second picture makes me want to put a brush to canvas immediately. Too bad I am short on supplies. That purple with the pale orange of the chair is stunning.

The dining room makes me insanely happy. I adore the combination of blue and orange. This is a fairly new combination for me, that I have been experimenting with over the past year. It's one I never thought I'd use, but now it's one of my favorites. I am so in love with Jeremy Stenger's paintings, I wish I'd painted them!

This apartment is a fascinating study in color. I adore how the color repeats throughout, so while there is a lot of color, the effect is cohesive.

There's more, so you simply must pick up the new Elle Decor. Drake's work will be influencing my creative ventures this weekend. My painting will definitely include the color lilac. I love his use of orange and blue in the dining room. Perhaps my orange and blue ceramic vases will come out of the closet. Stay tuned. And Jamie, thanks for being an inspiration!