Sunday, December 30, 2012

25 most bookmarked Colourful Homes in Houzz 2012!

I've found this collection of 25 most bookmarked Colourful Homes 2012 in Houzz and really enjoyed the collection. Of course I love some more than others, but all of them are a good example of how color can help to make you feel better in your home. Which ones do you prefer?

As for 2013, I guess blues and greens are going to be on spot...

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Dutch decorating for the Holidays.

Being in Houzz is great, since I can surf looking for wonderful articles like the one I post today, about how they decorate doors in Christmas Season in the Netherlands.

With some natural elements like pine branches and cones, and dried orange's slices, they make wonderful wreaths like the shown in the slideshow. Silver decoration and white elements embellish brick façades and make them look happy, soft and elegant, without being over-decorated. Merry Christmas Season to everybody!


Isabel de  Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.



Sunday, December 16, 2012

A thank you from the heart, and my best wishes...

...to my 20.000 readers in English!!!

By the end of 2011 I reached 10.000 visits. And I have come to 20.000 pretty before the New Year and this means the visits to my blog have increased. I do appreciate the nice comments that some of my pro friends have left. And I have a deep feeling of gratitude for all of you, for your warm welcome. So let me say a big thank you and wish you all the best with this image of Christmas Decoration Colours that I shot some days ago.

La Colorista in Tumblr.

Let the light, the deep blue, turquoise, white and gold soothe and warm your hearts at the same time.
And may your Christmas Season be full of love, peace, prosperity and all kind of blessings!
Merry Chirstmas and Happy 2013!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista,

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Tiffany's Christmas Window Displays in Barcelona

Yesterday I went to Barcelona and had a walk along Passeig the Gràcia, where you can find some well known Luxury Brands like Chanel, Loewe and many more. 

Since I signed up for Instagram and Tumblr, I have become used to chase images of things I love with my mobile device. It's light, it's easy and it helps networking.I love  chasing colors, and I love chasing Window Displays, since you can learn a lot from them. I confess I didn't know we have a Tiffany&Co in Barcelona, and I was amazed at their Christmas Window Display

Tiffany Barcelona
by IdY (Isabel de Yzaguirre), La Colorista.

They are like a window into a home, where someone has prepared a wonderful present wrapped in, what else could it be? A wonderful Tiffany Blue wrapping paper.

Tiffany Barcelona
by IdY (Isabel de Yzaguirre), La Colorista.

I learnt from haft2, that Richard Moore is the Visual Merchandiser who has designed this beautiful displays. According to him, each window ”reveals a glimpse into the precious moments families celebrate during the holiday season, with love and romance.”As long as I could see yesterday, they have diplayed the same concept in Barcelona, and I love it!

Tiffany Barcelona
by IdY (Isabel de Yzaguirre), La Colorista.

This precious displays remember me of the Catalan tradition of building diorama in Christmas. And what is a diorama? According to  www.dictionary.com "it is 1.a scene, often in miniature, reproduced in three dimensions by placing objects, figures, etc., in front of a painted background. 2.a life-size display representing a scene from nature, a historical event, or the like, using stuffed wildlife, wax figures, real objects, etc., in front of a painted or photographed background. 3.a spectacular picture, partly translucent, for exhibition through an aperture, made more realistic by various illuminating devices. 4.a building or room, often circular, for exhibiting such a scene or picture, esp. as a continuous unit along or against the walls."

Tiffany Barcelona
by IdY (Isabel de Yzaguirre), La Colorista.

We use to reproduce scenes from the Bible and the birth of Jesus in the Christmas Season. Every artisan makes his or her own dioram and we celebrate Exhibits and Contests. And we love to go to watch the wonderful small sceneries made with all kind of details. I wonder if the Tiffany team did know about that?

Tiffany Barcelona
by IdY (Isabel de Yzaguirre), La Colorista.
My son is the best jewel!

I never thought a blue could be so warm as Tiffany's. I find it a precious hue for Christmas, and I confess I crave for Tiffany Blue. Not for diamonds, but yes for something bearing this jewelled color.

Merry Christmas Season to everybody!
With Love from

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Emerald, 17-5641, Pantone's color of the Year 2013!!!

And in the end, the new baby is born!!!

We welcome PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald as the New color of the Year 2013. Remember what I said in a previous post, in October the 14 th.? Go to the end of it.I made my bet for Emerald or Grayed Jade. And I nailed it!!!




Before relating  to the official release, my own thoughts:

this election makes a lot of sense to me. This color is very close to that in the Tangerine and Orange tree leaves, and it marries well with previous Tangerine Tango, being it's complement. We go from the Red-Orange Family to the Blue-Green one. So, ladies having bought some Tangerine Tango clothings, don't worry at all! You can complement them with a beautiful Emerald item...




What does the Pantone's team say about this colour? An image is worth a thousand words:


Associated to the gemstone that bears this name, it's a sophisticated and luxurious color. Since antiquity, it has been the color of beauty of new life in many cultures and religions.



As the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® Leatrice Eiseman says:

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum.” 

"Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Since this is my main interest, how can we introduce this hue in Home Interiors?

Add some accents, accessories and paint in Emerald and you will rejuvenate your Home. This jewel-like hue will add a luxurious sense to any room in your home, and it will shine as an accent wall in your living-room.




Source: Thom Filicia, Via Houzz, Via Isabel in Pinterest


Source: Rikki Snyder © 2012 Houzz,  Via Isabel in Pinterest

Font

Bedding, pillows, bath towels and accessories in Emerald will  help you in creating a relaxed, soothing and energizing atpmosphere at the same time.




Via Isabel in Pinterest, from Houzz

"Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty                      
                        that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony."


Welcome be this jewelled, luxurious and healthy hue!
Long Life to Emerald Green!!!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.

Monday, November 19, 2012

A year with Tangerine Tango...

The current year is coming to its end and in a few days Pantone will announce their Colour of the Year 2013.Tangerine Tango  was a surprising choice that enlivened our life in 2012. The Orange family is usually  looked at with much controversy: you love it or you hate it, it's something experts know. Personally I love it for it's optimism and energy, not so strong as red, but still very warm.

Yesterday I was looking at the best Tangerine Tango photos published in Pantone's blog and I collected my favorites in  the Interior Design field. And I'm bringing this anthology to you as my humble homage to this happy hue before it's kingdom comes to an end and we forget about it.


How did Tangerine Tango help us?


Infusing life in a sophisticated neutral room...


In beautiful textiles married with white, yellow-green and green hues.





Combined with bright hues in Folk textiles and ambients.




Being the accent to its complementary.


Creating a sensuous atmosphere in a room.



In a contemporay home.



From the 60's? In Antiques.



In this neutral contemporary home, tangerine makes the sofa's corner a cozy one.



In intimate and warm lighting.



Even in the patio!


In furniture.



More textiles, photo by Leslie Williams.

My wishes are that this year with Tangerine Tango may have made us more daring with colour.That may we have good memories of this passionate hue. And that may you have enjoyed this selection I made for you 

Isabel de Yzaguirre, 
La Colorista.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Dance with Color!

Thanks to the many sites I vist in the net while looking for Color and Design news, I found this beautiful video. Not Tango music, but wonderful as well as the chorepgraphy. Dance with color and Enjoy!




Isabel de Yzaguirre, 
La Colorista

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Christmas Decoration in all the rainbow colours.

It's a little bit early, but it's never too early to prepare your Christmas decoration, and I found a collection of wonderful ideas in Houzz this week. They have thought even of countries celebrating Christmas in summertime!


Houzz

You will find ideas in all kind of colours, not only white, red and green. And I hope you will find  something that will fit your personal taste. Enjoy!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

How color can help a community: the Heidelberg project.

Today I found this interesting post in Houzz that shows how a Color and Art project has helped to save the Heildelberg and Elba street neighborhoods from being demolished. Making a turn to the CMG slogan, we can state that "Color helps".
How powerful a tool to help others!!!




I hope you enjoy it and remember that colour can help in Healthcare Design as well. Be happy!!!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Which will be next Colour of the Year 2013?


The time has come when we begin to wonder about this question. And I have come back to think about that after reading Azkonobel’s Color Future’s 2013 and after finding an interesting post by Laura Bielecki reporting the predictions made by the prestigious trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort in a meeting in Design Days Dubai 2012.



While we don’t know about Pantone’s choice yet, AzkoNobel and its division Dulux have chosen Indigo as their colour of the Year 2013.



What qualities explain this election?

As they say, Indigo is associated with wisdom and honesty, and gives a sense of tranquility which is very restful. It’s a benevolent colour that has the trustworthy nature and elegance of blue at the same time.


 Font

Indigo is a rich and deep colour that, being scarcely accessible in our natural world, instills a sense of wonder and magic in us.





Within a colour palette, indigo is versatile and pairs well with brights of a similar saturation level, citrus, warmer neutrals and other blues, purples and greens.






Curiously, in her seminar in Dubai, Lidewij Edelkoort presented yellow as being the new pink in Interior Design, and that makes sense with its being the complement to the purple family. According to her predictions, yellow will make for vibrant and stimulating colour palettes, fabrics and fittings. And it will come with more staying power than Tangerine Tango, it seems.



I can say that I have seen that trend for myself in Ikea Barcelona Autumn/Winter Textiles display yet. And yellow adds a vivid and hot accent that makes fabrics look wonderful!



And what about Pantone’s Color of the Year 2013?

Last year they published it in early December, so we won’t know for a while. But there are two colours that I have seen in their Fashion Reports and that have caught my attention. They are Emerald Green and Seafoam, or Grayed Jade, as they call it. If they are not the colour of the Year, I bet something they will be a hit. And they both combine well with blues, purples and yellow families.






While every Corporation publishes its Colour and Trends Forecasting, time will say which of them meet the costumer’s favor. But let me say that, from what I see when comparing Trends Forecasts, all of them are related and interconnected, with special accents to their market.

For me, an exciting Season of the Year has begun, that of Colour Future’s guessing!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,
La Colorista.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Interesting facts about Pantone Queen Colours Guide

I don't come to explain something new, since this has been in the press for a while. But I found this video so interesting that I thought I would share it with you. Here the different professionals involved in the creation and making of Pantone's Queen Guide explain how everything was done. I hope you enjoy it!





As you know, this was a commission to Leo Burnett London agency and the limited edition of this fan deck of course has been delivered by Pantone.







Designboom

On the other hand Vogue UK also followed the Queen colour choices for one year and made this beautiful chart. It turned out that she wore blue on 29% of her public appearances! Look at the different shades of blue, amazing! This can give you a slight idea on how important colour choices are...

Font

According to Apartment Therapy, Pantone hypothesized that Queen Elizabeth dresses monochromatically to make herself look taller. That makes sense, since cool colours tend to contract or recede visually. 

And remember Colour Psychology

As Kate Smith explains, blue -the colour of the oceans and the sky- is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed. And this are the most desirable associations that a Queen would love to awaken to the citizens of her Kingdom! So, no wonder about this colour choice. This is the best proof about how COLOUR MATTERS.

So be wise, and if you need colour advice, come and ask for professional help. It will be my pleasure!