Color Inspiration

Color is an essential part of life. From its importance in art and design to fashion, it helps if we all understood it a little better. The first step is to find inspiration and then analyze how the colors work within a particular scheme. Finally, understanding how the colors make you feel will allow you to create something extraodinary.

You can find inspiration everywhere you look. Don't take anything for granted. When you are running errands, stop and take in the architecture of the buildings around you. What colors do you see? Examine how the light affects the surface of the building. How do the tones reflect against the environment?

{The warm colors of clay, green and creams remind you of the desert while inspired during late afternoon in the city}

{Colors of late summer with a touch of peach will make you feel the cool whispers of the trees dancing in the breeze}

Nature can be the best place to find ideas. Since Mother Earth has created such a beautiful palette for us, we just have to take what makes us feel good and go for it. Blues, greens and neutrals are just the beginning. The seasons carry bright autumn hues, winter whites and flowers born with every color of the rainbow and beyond.

{With a calm olive being the main color, the light blue and cheery yellow add the colors from a spring garden}

{Cool blues and gray with a touch of brown mimic autumn birch trees while the soothing mustard yellow adds some brightness and warmth}

{Brown and olive green neutrals keep this palette calm}

Another way nature helps us in the color department is through food. Everything that grows from the Earth is unique. Depending on its nutritional content and origin, veggies, fruits and plants provide an array of colorful ideas. The next time you make dinner try arranging the plate with style. Don't forget to take a picture!

{Olives and creams contrast each other while mustard and brown helps even out this pasta inspired palette}

{A warm hearty breakfast shares a neutral toned backdrop with light touches of creams and lavenders}

Wherever you find inspiration, it's good to start with one main color and then pick no more than three to compliment it. Keep saturated, bright colors to a minimum and muted; darker tones for backdrops. As long as they all come together in harmony, your project should be beautiful.

{This nautical themed palette of neutrals will create a calm and relaxing space in any home}

{Vintage blues and grays set a nice tone for the reddish brown and dark cream to create whimsy}

{I am currently working on a series of Photographic Palettes with Kate Smith for Sensational Color and so excited to start sharing them with my readers. So many new and fun projects lined up for 2012 so keep an eye out and I promise to keep you posted}

Vintage Inspiration

I have just recently put up a ton of new vintage style photographs in my Etsy shop and I feel they are great inspiration for design ideas. Even if the theme has nothing to do with yours, you can use the color palettes and whimsy feel most of them have. I wanted to share a few here that I think are a great foundation for unique decor for your special events and home. Enjoy!

The Natural Palette

Recently I have been working with color expert Kate Smith which has inspired me to think more about color. Since nature is where I get most of my inspiration from I wanted to share some tips on how to use the natural palette in your home.

Analyzing a space is a smart thing to do once in awhile. I recommend you do it every six months or so. Tastes change and so does your life. Adjusting your space to your everyday is how you will get the most out of it. If you aren't benefiting from your home than something is wrong.

A place to chill out should be reminiscent of what you love. What makes you truly relax? You should be able to clear your mind and be totally comfortable. For me, nature is my true love. So I take colors from Mother Earth and bring them inside my home. This means using neutrals such as blues, grays, browns, greens and colors from fruits and veggies. Natural tones in nature is what helps me sit back and relax. I find that most people feel the same.


{Seeing nature as a whole is truly breathtaking. From the sky to the water, you will find inspiration from every angle}

Now, this natural palette isn't just an inspiration for color but also how to use it. If you look outside the Earth seems so perfect. Trees have brown bark to ground the green and many other lighter colors in their leaves. The sky is all sorts of gorgeous blues, whites and grays while the ground presents more greens and browns. This is a free lesson in how to coordinate and arrange the colors in your home. So, mirroring nature in your space is a great way for successful design to shine. Put the sky on your walls so the room feels airy. Depending on the tone of the color, the trim can be crisp or slightly blend in for a softer look. Antique whites, creams and light grays work well. 


{Look closer to find various tones and hues of color on trees during different seasons as well as notice all the different colors in the leaves}


{The colors of autumn are a true inspiration for spaces to feel warm but relaxing}

Flooring should ground the room and provide the necessary weight for all other elements to feel natural. You don't have to necessarily have really dark floors, but they should be a darker color that the walls so their is some type of contrast. The more texture there is, the more warm the space will feel. Eco-friendly options such as bamboo, cork, cement, brick and stone play very well in a space like this. Adding a rug will bring even more comfort and warmth.

Your furniture should also help weigh down the space. Having pieces appear as they are floating can somewhat look out of place. You want a consistent feel to the room. For a more spacious design stick with darker toned pieces that aren't heavy. Maybe they have open shelving or thin legs, either way it will work. If you want or need more heavier furniture that is fine too. Just take note of size and the proportion to the other pieces in the room.


{A great example of how texture in natural elements can bring so much to a space. See all the various gray tones from the Earth}

Your accessories are the details that bring the whole room together. From the window treatments and lighting to smaller decorative items such as vases, trinkets and books. Pops of color bring a whimsy and fun feel to the room so look to the seasons for inspiration. The details on your furniture play a big part as well. Handles, knobs and special engraving can sometimes make or break a space. If you are incorporating grays in the room I suggest colder metals like silver. Warmer highlights such as golds and brass, go well with autumn colors like red and orange.


{Light wood tones and soft colors make this bathroom calm and soothing. Silver blends nicely with the colors of the room}

Color is so important when creating a space. Especially, one that is meant for relaxation and comfort. Feeling like you are at a park when in fact you are sitting on your couch reading a book, is a successful result to great design. Everything should accent each other and blend in a natural way, as if the room was meant to look the way it does. So sit back, take a look around and discover the power of color in your home. Creating a space that empowers, inspires and keeps you calm when the day is rough truly makes all the difference. I can guarantee you will be smiling more often.

Spring is Here!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the colors of spring! Pinks, blues, purples and light greens are fresh, clean and airy. Here are some inspirations.