Pink & Orange

A friend was talking about how ugly pink and orange look together. Of course, I immediately thought about doing a blog post on the combination of pink and orange in interior design.  So here are some examples:


BHG

A Blind Pash

Better Homes & Garden

 

 

HGTV

 

I think that breaking up the colors with white is more restful. When paired together it provides a strong visual punch. I could see this combination working well in a girl's bedroom. Honestly, though, I don't think you will be seeing pink & orange in my living room!

 

Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year 2013 ~ Lemon Sorbet!

Benjamin Moore has announced its Color of the Year for 2013 and its called Lemon Sorbet.  According to Benjamin Moore: " Luscious lemon sorbet (2019-60), our Color of the Year for 2013, is the perfect transitional color between the mid-tones and saturated colors seen in today's home furnishings and the softer, lighter pastels which are emerging for 2013.

This beautiful yellow harmonizes with other trending pastels in the mint, coral, pink, blue, and vanilla families. Uplifting without being overpowering, lemon sorbet (2019-60)complements almost any color palette and provides a unifying element for diverse spaces. "

Looks pretty on the paint chip and in the collage, but how will it look on the wall, in real rooms? Here are some pictures. You decide.

Honestly? I am not too crazy about it. I remember about 20 years ago when pale yellow was the trend for living rooms and kitchens. I actually like it, it made the rooms bright and light. But this particular shade is just a little too bright. To be used as a neutral, it needs to be softer and warmer, in other words toned down a bit.

I did find it interesting to read that B.M. predicts an emerging trend toward pastels. I do like pastels, they can be fun to decorate with, especially if they are anchored by white and used as accent colors in a space. However, I would be hesitant to jump on the bandwagon and paint my living room Lemon Sorbet. I predict it will be a quickly passing trend, but it will be fun to see designers use it in their designs. 

 Here are some inspiration photos of the color yellow used in rooms. I chose the pics because I think they are examples of yellow used in pleasing ways. They are not painted with Lemon Sorbet.

House to Home

Pottery Barn

Country Living


Pantone recently announce their own 2013 Color of the Year ~ Monaco Blue. It will be interesting to see it paired with Lemon Sorbet. I think that Pantone has really hit the mark with this color. Stay tuned for a post devoted  to it!

So what do you think about Benjamin Moore's Lemon Sorbet?

 Are you going to use it in your home?

Fall to Winter in just two days!

The color here in the White Mountains peaked this weekend, on Friday to be exact. By Saturday the wind was blowing and the leaves were raining down upon the earth! Its amazing the difference a day makes. The colors were spectacular this year, but you have to catch it when they are in full bloom, because it doesn't last more than a few days!  These first few pictures were taken on Friday. It was a beautiful 80 degree day!

This is the view from my house,looking down my driveway.

                                            This is the corner of my property.

                                 

                                                 Here is the Pumpkin Witch!

       And this is what we woke up to on Monday morning! This picture was taken from Wildcat Mountain looking toward Mt Washington. Snow on October 8!

Whimsical Kitchens

                                             Diane Keaton's kitchen via Architectural Digest

Sometimes I get so tired of looking at blogs & magazines where everyone is trying to jump on the current trends. Kitchens in particular tend to start to look cookie cutter. I really enjoy finding kitchens that are a little outside the box, not on trend, and definitely showcase the owners own personality! Design doesn't need to be serious. It can be individual. It can include collections, artwork, color and unusual objects. It can be...WHIMSICAL!  I must say admire people who have the confidence to follow their heart and decorate with stuff that makes them happy. Today I am celebrating individuality and funky design choices!

via A Whinsical Bohemian

via Home and Decor

AZ Central

Etsy

Design Art

Inspired by a Peacock!

One of my favorite birds is the peacock. When I was a child, my Aunt & Uncle owned a 300 acre farm and on the farm...Peacocks! Well, there were cows and pigs and chickens too, but I was in love with the peacocks. Every time we visited, we would leave with a big bouquet of feathers, which we would use to decorate our house. Funny thing, one year we visited and the peacocks were gone. My Uncle said that he heard the peacocks making noise, went out and saw them flying away over the trees. He said it was quite a sight!

I have noticed peacock colors creeping into home decor over the past few seasons. I have also noticed the explosion of peacock influenced fashion design! It is not surprising that what is trending in the fashion world influences interior design as well. Deep turquoises, Teals, Greens & Chartreuse are being seen everywhere. 

upper left: Peacock Blue- Glidden,  upper right: Caribbean Blue- Benjamin Moore,
 lower left: Tidal Teal: Sherwin Williams,  lower right: Tidal Teal: Valspar

         

                                                                                      

Young House Love

The Lennox

Designed by Markham Roberts

via House of Turquoise

Even if you don't want to commit to such a deep color on your walls, you may want to try using the colors in accent pieces and accessories.

Luckett Store

Or what about these peacock chairs?

 New York Studio Dror for furniture manufacturer Cappellini

And lastly, here is fabric by Amy Butler. I am considering this for some curtains I plan to make. This is what got me thinking about peacock inspired design in the first place.

So what do you think about these peacock color inspirations?

 Would you use these in your own home decor?

Where have I been hiding? (The Notchland Inn!)

It seems like forever since I wrote my last post! I have been busy. First, although I keep politics out of my design blog (design transcends politics!), I must tell you one of the reasons I have been blog-absent is that I am running for State Representative. This isn't new for me. I am on the School Board and a bizillion community committees. I am happy to report I won the primary, and now the countdown to the general election is on! So please excuse me while I run around and knock on doors.

       The other reason for my disappearance from Blogland is my new job! I am working for my friends Ed & Les, owners of the fabulous Notchland Inn, located in Hart's Location, NH. Never heard of Hart's Location? Not surprising, as it is the smallest town in NH, boasting a population of around 40. However, its claim to fame is its "first in the nation" voting, which takes place at midnight. They share this honor with Dixville Notch (which always gets the national press attention). Anyway, I am learning to become an Innkeeper!
The Notchland Inn is a quiet, lovely romantic inn. It truly is a step back in time. No tv, no cell phone service (though they work several miles down the road), just peace and quiet. Mountains, rivers, hiking, skiing, leaf-peeping, kayaking, are right outside our door, and of course, outlet shopping, train rides, more skiing, golfing and restaurants are down the road.
     The Notchland Inn has private bathrooms & real wood fireplaces in every room. It was built in the 1860s and retains the feel of a distant era. This is the perfect place for a quiet, romantic getaway!
     Since I spend so much of my time at the Inn nowadays, I will be wiring about it in my little blog. There is so much to write about (and look at)...antiques, collections, furniture, period pieces, Arts and Crafts decor ( the front room was designed by Gustav Stickley!!), gardens...so stay tuned for all sorts of fascinating posts!

               The above picture is the Franconia room. It is located in the main inn and was the master bedroom of the original owner, Samuel Bemis.

    This is a picture of  the Willard Cottage, which is one of two newer additions to the property. This little cottage has a nice deck with a great view of the mountains. It also has a fireplace and whirlpool tub in the bedroom. Very romantic!

Is Purple the new Gray?

Home dit

I was in the grocery store yesterday, and on the magazine rack sat some home decor mags. As I glanced at them, something struck me. Both Traditional Home and Veranda had the same color scheme on their covers. I turned to my 14 year old daughter and asked "What do you think the new color trend is in home decor?" She immediately answered "purple'! Yup, the magazines were filled with purple.  Some articles were touting it as the new gray. Gray, of course was pushed as a neutral instead of shades of beige for a few years now, and works nicely with a wide variety of colors. Purple is a little more difficult to coordinate, but the key to making it a neutral is to add gray! Gray tones it down so that it doesn't overwhelm a space. Of course, some people love bright shades of purple, and these can be used effectively as pops of color. The problem I find when using bright or very dark purples in a space is that I grow tired of it rather quickly, so want to make sure it is something I can change easily (and cheaply).

 Here are a few examples of purple in home decor:

On Home Design



hiscafe.net

 

                                                              Love the purple door!

House Beautiful

Coffee and Pasta



Purple painted furniture!



La Petite Fashionista



          Do you think that purple will become the new neutral? Would you paint your living room purple? I don't think I am that brave!