After reading my Orange post, a friend informed me she had heard the new it color was going to be Pink.
Rather than be left holding the (orange) bag: no pun intended, I thought I should play around with pink, for the sake of being prescient. Pink is a tough color. Tough to wear, tough to pull off in the home (unless it is in a girl’s room or space or a boudoir…) but it’s not impossible.
My cousin’s living room was all gray, taupe and, she had soft pink accents; it was gorgeous. Pink and brown and beige can be very alluring, as can pink with other brights such as orange and turquoise a la Kathryn M. Ireland boho chic. (No, not the swimsuit model).
My mother has successfully integrated magenta accessories into her overall neutral scheme, mixed with some acid greens, browns and creams– it is a very off-beat, but beautiful palette when done with a purposeful “mismatched” effect.
Let’s see how pink translates…
Manuel Canovas can pull off pink perfectly, and in the bath—I would take this bathroom any day!
Small pop of corall-y pink with other ice cream shades makes for a yummy sofa.
Uber sophisticated and modern, with hot pink carpet!
Bright, young, and fresh entry hall with punches of pink and turquoise.
Soft and refreshing: could be your living room in your Palm Beach house..
Pink and Red: unlikely partners, but they marry well!
A few nights ago I watched Colin Firth accept a Golden Globe for….something….what was it? Some category for the new film “The King’s Speech”. I do love Colin Firth as an actor, and seeing him last night took me back to a film that he starred in last year that, once overlooked, had one of the most gorgeous set designs I have ever seen—ever.
If you haven’t watched him in Tom Ford’s “A Single Man”, well, you should, if for no other reason than to observe utter 1960′s design perfection. The film, while brilliant, is dark and serious, sad and downright disturbing….. but the set design is GORGEOUS!
I would give my right arm (well, maybe that is a bit exaggerated, but I would give something meaningful…) to live in the home that Julianne Moore inhabits in the film. The vintage bedside table lamps, the unbelievable carved and gilded chests in her living room, the Moroccan inspired headboard covered in of all things: Laura Ashley for Calico Corners Ikat fabric!!!
Such fabulous-ness is rarely seen on a movie set, so I looked up some still shots to entice you…
When living in LA in a super retro 1960′s home, if someone had predicted I would move to Boston and become obsessed and fascinated with toiles, I would have called them crazy.
But, it happened.
My mother became worried; I think she imagined me drinking gin and tonics every afternoon, donning pastel colored Cable knit sweaters wrapped around my neck, sitting in toile covered rooms doing crochet, all while petting my poodle. For the record, this is NOT the kind of toile I am in love with.
The new, modern toiles, in crazy color combinations with even crazier depictions—are so much fun, I am dreaming of doing an entire room in nothing but a toile! (Yes, Mother!) The mere mention of toile sends some of my clients into a tizzy, but it need not be! Toile can be fun, fresh and even progressive!
No need to worry, Mom, I’m not getting a divorce!
For years, I have wanted a Moroccan rug, or at least the chance to use one on a project, and my dream may finally be coming true—I am very excited at this prospect. Moroccan rugs, to me, add that element of rustic, global, modern and whimsy—all at once. They can make any room look utterly cool. The combination of shaggy pile, geometric pattern and casual appeal translates into perfection for me.
Take a look at how a Moroccan rug looks in various settings:
