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!

Furniture and Product Trends 2013, Maison & Objet.

Product and furniture of the near future are presented in this video by  Trendease. Here you will find  2012-13 Trends as seen in Maison&Objet early this year.Translation to English provided. Enjoy!

Pantone Plus Colour Series creation.

It's very interesting to see how Pantone's Colour Series are created and what designers and people  involved in the process say about that. How useful is colour and how it helps to have them well defined and organized. How colour conveys feelings and a meaning, and how it helps in the design process, from fashion to graphic, to product, to interiors and so on. This is about the new Pantone Plus Series, with new Pastels, Neons and Metallics. Enjoy!

 

Colour is a universal language. 

Are you afraid of it? I can help you!

Moià's Architectural Colours (1).

Moià is a small village 50 Km. away from Barcelona, right in Catalonia's countryside. This is where I live. I haven't been doing my colour palettes for a while and I was truly missing that. A few days ago I went to the Medical Center and I could capture this image from there. I have a project in mind. It is about studying the colours of this place, both in landscape and in architecture. I'd love to do the same with some places in Catalonia, and I have a specific idea about Barcelona's Art Déco colour palettes. Time to time.

What did I love from this image? The citrus yellow in the old small house against the blue mediterranean sky. I could extract this olive green which pairs well with yellow and yellowish white. Together with pastel and sky blue and dark blue, they make a happy, luminous and well balanced colour palette. I'd love to gather my own collection of colours!
Enjoy!

2012 Kips Bay Show House in New York

As Lawrence Karol explains in an article featured in Houzz, top New York designers have transformed two 6,000-square-foot two-storey apartments for the Kips Bay Decorator House. The Show has payed tribute to the legendary Decorator Albert Hadley and is full of Color  everywhere!

Go and see yourself in the showcased slideshow. Enjoy!

Two Apartments Enthrall at 2012 Kips Bay Show House

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Furniture on Houzz- For Example:

Armchairs · Buffets And Sideboards · Coffee Tables · Dining Chair Cushions · Dining Chairs And Benches · Dining Tables · Rocking Chairs · Sofas ·

On White.

White - Blanco - Blanc.

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

I have recently created some Colour Ideabooks in my Houzz profile, to collect beautiful images gathered by Colour families. Today I'll begin showcasing White.

Traditionally used in neutral colour schemes, the use of whites was a predominant trend  in the 20 th. Century, between the 50's and the 70's. Considered by some to represent purity and cleanliness  and thought to be an ideal background to colourful decorating items and effects by many Interior Designers, Colour Expert Frank Mahnke devoted a chapter to White in his book "Color and Light in man-made Environment". The Chapter's title was "The Case Against White". There Mahnke argues why, "on a psychological basis, white is sterile" and is not recommended in Hospitals and Old-age Institutions. It seems that we humans need sensory variety in our homes and this can be introduced with the help of colour and the use of texture and patterns (wallpapers, textiles). On the contrary, the predominance of white can become boring and tedious in the end.

Via Pinterest

There are other issues with white: in contrast with bold colours, it can lead to eye strain, as it requires  "extreme adaptative changes from light to dark".

Via Pinterest

Being highly light reflectant, too bright whites can cause a distressing glare. This is why, according to Mahnke, white should not be used as a predominant colour in Interiors:

Via Pinterest

On the other hand, Design Writer Linda O'Keefe has devoted a book to White in Design. There she states that "White has the ability to pull everything together in a way that is kind of seductive". A timeless colour, it endures Seasons and Trend changes and never dates. As she says "all begins and ends with white"...

Linda O' Keefe

What do you think on this Colour Trend?

And if I can help you in some way, please contact me!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,

La Colorista.

Browse Lighting on Houzz- For Example:

Bathroom Lighting And Vanity Lighting · Ceiling Fans · Ceiling Lighting · Floor Lamps · Kitchen Lighting And Cabinet Lighting · Pendant Lighting · Recessed Lighting · Track Lighting ·

"Mona de Pasqua", an Easter's Catalan Traditional Cake.

Today I want to present a Catalan Easter's Tradition to my international friends. It is a sweet and colourful one. It's about a cake we call "Mona de Pasqua", Easter Mona. The traditional one looks like this:

Font

It is a sweet cake that was eaten togehter with boiled eggs, chocolate and a kind of dried pork sausage that we call "llonganissa". The name comes from "munus", which in ancient greek meant "Present". Or maybe from the arab word "munna", which means "food for the mouth". The Mona is known by its name since the XV th. century. It meant the end of the fasting period previous to Easter.

Un parrain offrant une mona à son filleul. Vers 1865-1866.

Font

This evolved to the current Mona, which can be made with butter,candied fruits and chocolate. And it is usually decorated with colourful feathers and yellow chiks.

Font

Font

Font

This tradition is specifical to Catalonia and Valencia. There, the Godfather  or the Granpa used to give the Mona as a present to Godsons  and Goddaughters or to Grandchildren on Easter's Day. And it was eaten as a dessert on Monday's Easter familie's celebrations. 

The Egg seams to be a symbol of the Resurrection of  the Earth in Spring. It is found from Catalonia to England to Ukraine. And we can relate it with the tradition of Easter Eggs in Northern Europe and USA.

Font

Isn't this a sweet tradition? I hope you will love to know about it as much as we do.

By the way,I hope a resurrection of colours in Spring.!

Happy Easter to everybody!!!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,

La Colorista.

AzkoNobel's 2012 Color Trends

Color Futures Via YouTube

In this video AzkoNobel's Color Futures features their four 2012 Color Trends, which are:

• Delicate Mix: about elegant, refined, understated, subtle, luxurious.
• One Small Seed: about new life, healthy, precious, fragile.
• Living Scrapbook: about life, collecting, narrating, sharing...
• Rediscovered Heroes: about legacy of the past, industrial, robust, revitalized, appreciated.

To develop further in future posts.

Guest blog by Joanna from Design Shuffle: Wonderfully Colorful Walls!

Hi! I’m Joanna, a writer for Design Shuffle, a terrific site featuring everything interior design. On the site you can find the latest designs from prominent designers and up-to-the minute news on the interiors industry. I LOVE my work. I get to spend my time searching the Internet and shelter mags for the most beautiful interior designs and bring them together to share on blogs like La Colorista. Thanks for letting me share today!

If you’re not faint of heart when it comes to wearing or decorating with bright colors, then you know the joy of a boldly hued outfit or interior space. I especially love color, but have a hard time committing to just one. That isn’t a problem for the designers of the rooms below. They went all out when choosing colors that pop for their walls.

 

A wall doesn’t have to be a solid color to be bold and bright. This wall has all the colors of the rainbow and becomes a cohesive burst of wonderful color.

 

An accent wall in a modern home office acts as a decorative entrance to a master bedroom.

 

This dining room (from the same home as above) is full of character and personality with its red and purple

accents.

 

All pretty in pink, this bedroom design wears the color beautifully. This would be a lovely room to awaken to every morning, don’t you think?

 

This fun retro room full of 60s charm would be a blast to hang out in with its comfy, stylish seating and brilliant colors.

.

Mum’s the word in this pretty corner spot. I love the pink velvet chaise and the dramatic black chandelier.

 

This room may seem as if it is shouting, “look at me!” but I find it dramatic and chic. Does it inspire any ideas for your bedroom design, den design, or any other part of your home?

 

Honeysuckle and silver cover a bold wall over a daybed. The silhouette adds personality along with rich textures and hues on the throw pillows.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

Longing for even more colorful inspiration? Then head on over to Design Shuffle where you can explore various interior design styles and browse through the portfolios of Chicago interior designers and more!

Purple

Purple is a trendy color. It was chosen by CMG as Color of the Year 2012 and they named it Boyz'n'Berry:

Font

Recently, Color Strategist Lori Sawaya produced this Colorgraphic that shows Purple's meanings:

Lori Sawaya

Color Marketing Group think that "From office to home, from youth market to luxury goods, purple has as much masculine as feminine appeal.  Confident women and real men wear purple!" I love this turn of purple towards men!

Lori Sawaya has developed a palette of plums and purples in an Infographic that explains how and where you can use purple. If you want it, you can download it in PDF format here:

We are currently seeing purple and its related hues featured in many products, as in this sofa from Anéguil:

Or in this jardinière from the same brand:

Source

Also in this glass washbasin from Courant Verre:

And in this beautiful carpet by Heuga.

As for Colour Palettes combining purple, I love this one created and shared by Kate Smith:

Senstional Color

Purple was showcased by CAUS as early as in their 2011-12 Trends Report in GLOBAL ARTISAN TREND. Don't you be reminded of Pantone's Tangerine Tango by some of the hues in this palette?

CAUS

I love how Jane Hall used purple in this interior:

Via Pinterest

And how JPM did combine it here:

JPM Design, via Pinterest.

We could go on and on... and it would take long. I only expect you love purple as much as I do,be it trendy or not!

And if you need Color Help, please contact me.

Yours in Color!

Isabel de Yzaguirre,

La Colorista.