ROOM OF THE WEEK 5.19

I thought it only appropriate that today's Room of the Week be punctuated with vibrant yellow on such a sunny day...

I have a feeling this is going to be a love it or hate it for most of you! While I'll fully admit that I don't find the space relaxing (or functional) enough for my personal bath, it would be fantastic in a larger home where you can get playful with all those spare rooms floating around. Or a hotel, for that matter. But that's the point of this series, right? Incredible designs that make you go 'wow', and this one sure did it for me.

The yellow sink was the icing on the cake - it looks like the paint is dripping from the ceiling and wall right down the drain. The triple mirrors was an interesting choice. I think I would have just continued the wrap around mirror that's above the bath on one side, and left the right side empty (or maybe some very sleek floating shelving?)

Soooo - love it? Or hate it? Either way, it is quite the room!

*room via red online via pinterest

FRESHLY SQUEEZED

I don't think I've been getting the recommended daily dose of fruit lately...


In my home or my wardrobe. Obviously it's time to stock up on some oranges, grapefruits, lemons, kumquats, tangerines...

*home images by laure joliet, orange wedge handbag at kate spade, citrus top at zara, stella mcartney clutch

FROM FANTASY TO FÊTE: CITRUS BRUNCH

Camille Styles here, with bits of inspiration for a citrusy spring brunch! In honor of the lovely forecast, I'm planning to start the weekend early with a relaxed get-together full of zingy citrus flavors. Our mood board in shades of lemon + cream takes a similarly carefree attitude...

 Don a flowy goddess dress and set a table on the lawn with cheerful ranunculus & laid-back succulents. Spend an afternoon nibbling on bundt cake & sipping cappuccinos with a gaggle of girlfriends, soaking up the first blissfully sunny day of the year.

Blend a batch of limoncello champagne cocktails, and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint for a bright and bubbly way to toast the season.

Monochromatic bunches of yellow tulips, gerbera daisies and daffodils are so sunny; stark white vases keep the look thoroughly modern.

Serve foods in keeping with the color palette for a table that's as visually appealing as it is delicious. An asparagus tart with prosciutto pairs and a spring vegetable frittata are a snap to prepare, and make perfect brunch-y nibbles.

Finish off the feast with this stunning meyer lemon pastry; a true celebration of citrus! Set it on a cutting board right on the table so guests can help themselves along with a pretty bottle of sweet dessert wine. But be forewarned; this party just might flow right into dinnertime...

*images {row 1} chris benz resort, a creative mint, elizabeth anne designs {row 2} table, martha stewart weddings {row 3} heath ceramics, jose villa, anna williams, macarons {row 4} anna williams, frolic via snippet & ink, erin hearts court. InStyle Parties, Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart.

ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE...

Yesterday I mentioned how mustard yellows and teal greens were heading to the top of the color list for 2011...

Well I just so happened to stumble across this home that perfectly pairs the two together in a very cozy but modern bedroom (whose gorgeous chiffon-esque drapes have me drooling...)

I love the addition of stronger neutrals to the color scheme and how the wood tones pick up that mustard yellow too. The use of white keeps the saturated jewel tones from feeling too heavy - a good way to keep the colors moving forward into spring! But for now... how fabulous are they for winter too?

They even brought the color scheme into the living room with a pop of mustard against that dramatic rich green sofa! Love!


*images via nuevo estilo

CITRON (AND ON, AND ON...)

So, I know I've blogged about my love for citron yellow a couple of times now, but just because fall has arrived doesn't mean my color obsession has been put to rest.

Chris Benz is hands down one of my favorite designers for his use of color (have you seen his Spring collection yet? amazing.), so I often return to his shows for a little inspiration, and sure enough he delivered just what I was looking for...



Feminine charm, big hair and a punch of color on nude neutrals (from his last resort collection). Chris always makes a big statement, but keeps it refined and beautiful at the same time, just like these interiors. I think it's a palette that can easily work into any season, but I especially love it for fall with a warm bronze + browns.

While I was looking, I ran into these beauties too...

Which had me thinking... with this addition of a super contrasting black, wouldn't this make a fantastic alternative palette for Halloween? I think so!

*images via style.com, elle decor, western interiors, kimberly ayers, marie claire maison, domino, house beautiful, and unknown

ROOM OF THE WEEK 9.16

Sunny, fresh, eclectic and just the right dose of classic femininity...

I've adored this interior shot since first setting eyes on it. There's a certain amount of quirk (the unexpected midcentury lamp and wire dog art piece that show off the owner's personality) combined with cheery but refined color on traditional pieces like the dining chairs and chesterfield sofa. The art pieces are divine and so are those huge windows! I also really love the soft grey walls and the way they bring a sense of calm to a space where it could feel like there's a lot going on. Most importantly, I could absolutely see my self living in this room... could you?


*interior via elle decor

COLOR TREND: CITRON POP

Imagine a mustard yellow in all its richness taken to a shade so bright that it mimics gold, and that is the color I'm currently obsessed with. I suppose I'll call it citron, but it seems to have several levels of depth, all of them vivid, modern and stunning...

Of course the main question is - what does one pair with this strong color? Well, first off, let's start by saying that citron is the pop - not the base. I love it as an accent to shades of greyish blues, seashell pinks and nudes, and a dramatic black or rich brown.

A popular choice on the runways for the resort collections, it pairs freshly with white for summer, but is given more character and depth with the addition of some of these other color selections as well.

And - while quite intuitively modern in most settings - citron makes a beautiful choice for dramatic traditional settings as well. In fact - the upholstery on the antique accent chair in my living room could be considered a shade of citron! Pair it with gold and bronze to make the color shine through.

I can't wait to see how gorgeous it looks against deep teals and aubergine for fall, too!


*images via elle decor, marie claire maison, style.com (celine resort 2011), and martha stewart.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE...

To this very fine flag throw from Urban Outfitters...

I'm so tempted to make this purchase! I love the combination of yellow, tan and aqua... and I won't feel so unpatriotic having a picnic on it either.  It's a perfectly original styling and conversation piece with a much smaller price tag than most magazine worthy blankets!

Yellow Zebra Wallpaper

Ask and ye shall receive! One of my lovely readers, Liz Banfield, just had her bathroom papered in the yellow colorway of the Zebra wallpaper from Scalamandre was kind enough to allow me to share it with you. I've never seen the yellow used before and I think it looks really fresh. I love that this paper is fun but still looks sophisticated. I have to also give credit to the interior designer on the project Janet Gridley of Gridley Vaughan. Great work!

Mellow Yellow and Grey

I've been hearing from a lot of readers that they miss hearing about my design projects. I completely understand and will definitely be posting about them again but not until after they are finished. A top design magazine editor just warned me again last week not to post any photos if I hope to get them published. Not sure if that will actually happen but I'd like to at least try so for now, I'm listening to his advice. But from the beginning, my blog has always been an online version of my inspiration board and right now, I'm inspired by grey and yellow. These are just some of the images that are currently the inspiration for a guest room for one of my projects. I especially love the look of yellow draperies. Enjoy!

Canadian House and Home Magazine

Tibi designer Amy Smilovic Living Room by Bruce Shostak

Willem de Kooning

Deborah Needleman's Bedroom

Fawn Galli

Celerie Kembel

Dries van Noten Store in Paris

Steven Gambrel

Will Wick

Elizabeth Peyton

Bedroom Sneak Peek: Mustard + Grey

Well, it's not quite perfect yet (and of course I won't put my photos up until it is!) But, I thought I'd share a little sneak peek of the bedroom since I've been working on it so much... and talking about it so much!
More soon my lovelies... but until then, why not check out my last apartment? I'm blogging on 'moving in' tips today over at CreateGirl!

*since you asked... the grey is valspar paint in lava stone - available at lowes. the chair, grey pillow, table and framed vintage illustration of seattle are all thrift store finds. the white pillow with coral print is ikea (no longer available, unfortunately!).

Aqua + Yellow

When I found this photo via the Sart, I had to save it for some inspiration. I'm never brave enough to combine two bright colors together without something to break them up - but obviously it works! (Note the chocolate brown clutch though - that's key!)

I had a dress this exact color that I wore to almost every wedding one summer - it's a fantastic shade that looks good on almost anyone! I'd love to recreate this style...

If there was a dress that would make me do it, it might be this one from Black Halo. I'm all over the asymmetry! Paired with a fab pair of yellow sandals (maybe not so much these Jimmy's, but something a bit more affordable) this look would be hot for a mid summer LA wedding... too bad mine are all in the Northwest!
This color combo is also daring in decor, but these are great examples of different ways to do it: elegant, retro, eclectic and with accessories.

*all rooms via domino, except the retro one... anyone know the source?

Color Predictions from Bloom.acious

This is it people! The very last blogger to contribute to our week (and a day) of color, and a perfect final choice she is!

Carrie over at bloom.acious has created such a unique blog full of a variety of topics, including fashion, where she has been doing some forecasting for a while now! So when I asked her to join in on the 2009 color predictions, she put together a quick fabulous list for all of us, and I think it perfectly rounds out the trends we've been seeing...

{Electric Blue}

{Silver Belles}

{Optimistic Pink}

{Sunny Yellow}

For more fabulous fashion and interior examples (and photo credits), just click on each color's title to get to more yummy color pages on bloom.acious. I love that Carrie picked silver as an alternate to grey, and have to say that the Carolina Herrera dress on the right was one of my absolute favorites for its subtle use of yellow in a year that I think we'll start to see it fade away on the runways a bit more. Thank you Carrie for joining me this week, and a huge thanks to everyone else who participated as well!

Now, I'll tally the votes... and tomorrow we'll crown our colors!

Little Rays of Sunshine

Is it Spring yet? Because I'm in love. Twitterpated. I never thought I'd fall so hard... for Bill Blass.

I helps that it's Eva Mendes rocking this totally vintage styled dress from his Spring '09 collection, but still. I neeeeeeed it. The jeweled neckline, the touch of metallic, the oversize print. It's calling my name. Which reminds me...

I've so been diggin' on this ensemble via The Sart. Ladies - don't put your yellow away just yet. This color's not goin' anywhere.

Just When You Thought You Were Over It...

The killer color combo grey + yellow strikes again!

Completed by the shimmer of sequins! Ok, I'm completely in love. I might have to purchase... right here.

Yellow & Grey Won't Go Away

It's been over a year... and as many times as I've seen this color combo, I'm still not quite sick of yellow & grey...


Love this bedroom via Cup of Jo (via Martha Stewart). I think my next thrift store find may have to be a chair like that to reupholster in golden yellow. (The best part? I already have the pillow!) And how creative is that photo wall? Love how they incorporated the color into it. The whole space is so warm and charming... a girl can't help but fall in love.

Summer Lovin': Yellow Stripes

I've always loved the summery cabana feel of yellow stripes...

... and I'm not exaggerating when I say I think it stemmed from those Giorgio perfume ads in the 90's. I used to tear them out because I thought they were so cool...

'Sunset. Rodeo. It's so Giorgio....'

Room of the Week: 7.3

Well, I think I'm all out of girly-ness (I told you I didn't have a lot in me!) so we're back to pure classic sophistication and inspiration with this room from Eileen Kathryn Boyd.


I think the reason I am most in love with this room is that the colors are very similar to what I have going on in my living room. But the yellow and aqua really pop here. The curtains and windows are so amazingly dramatic, they just tie the whole thing together. I also love that the glass-topped desk doesn't even register as a desk when styled like this. Of course, it really does function as one...


See? Pretty! I love the chair, actually. Just what I'm looking for for my own desk.

And here's another view of the room...


Interesting how they matched everything almost TOO well. (Did you notice that even the books on the desk were color coordinated?). Of course, this was for a showhouse, so we can be forgiving of how ridiculously perfect it all is! I don't think I could stand something so matchy for long... but it sure does make a fabulous impact!