Color Buzz

Swoon-Worthy Style: "Sex and the City 2" Interiors

Last Thursday, we enjoyed a true “girls night out” at the opening of Sex and the City 2. Besides obvious eye candy like Big and Smith, we couldn’t keep our focus away from the interior designs throughout the film. Lydia Marks (of NYC’s Marks and Frantz) did an exceptional job on the set design, the décor practically stole the show.

Carrie and Big’s apartment is rich in bold textures and patterns, and Lydia did an impeccable job combining Carrie’s chic vibe with Big’s deep masculinity.

Here’s a rundown of some of the rooms and spaces we couldn’t get enough of, and our tips on how to emulate the look in your own home.

Color Schemes Inspired by April's Birthstone - Diamond

Michèle Coppin

photo by House of Turquoise
Lynhurst Shady Grove 5004-E2	Sweet Leaf 7005-19	Acropolis 7005-4	Grand Mackinac Blue 5007-9A

April’s birthstone is one of the most popular gems of all time--the diamond. In many cultures, diamonds are linked to strength, for they are known as the hardest substance on earth. Diamonds have also come to symbolize everlasting love and eternity.

Design Dilemma - Separating Spaces with Color

Milestone 6007-1B	Oregon Coast 6007-1C	Fennel Splash 6007-3B

Dear Ann,

We just purchased a foreclosed home that needs lots of work. Although we can't afford to add walls at this time, we are planning on installing new hardwood flooring.

The problem: we have a huge living room/dining room and I can't think of a way to separate the spaces. Can I do this with paint? When you walk into the room you can see the kitchen so I need to figure out how to make all of the colors coordinate.

My living room furniture is a rusty orange color and dark wood in the room (end tables, coffee table, and dining room table). I also have brown and beige sheer living room curtains, which I would like to re-use if possible.

The kitchen has dark wood cabinets which we are going to clean up and keep. I'm putting in new stainless steel appliances and adding new nickel-plated hardware to the cabinets.

Do you have any suggestions on colors to paint the rooms that will coordinate with my existing furniture? Also, any suggestion you have on separating the large living room/dining room space would be great!

Best,
Barbara S., Atlanta, GA

Pastels Are Not Just For Bedrooms

by Veronique Habermann

Baby Blush 1008-2C	Green Mist 6005-9A	Serenity 4005-7B	Gilded Endive 7003-22

Since Easter is around the corner and pastel colors are everywhere this time of the year, I would like to share my love of these colors. When people think pastels they think nurseries or children’s rooms, but I think pastel colors are well suited for any area of the home. And no, they are not only for the incurable “romantics”, they also can have a very modern appeal or even a rustic feel! Here are some rooms which I hope will inspire you with their soothing appeal.

Color of the Week - Del Coronado Coastal Peach

Del Coronado Coastal Peach 2001-6A	Lyndhurst Spring Eve 6003-3C	Snowy Dusk 7002-3

Celebrating the official start of spring, this week's color is Del Coronado Coastal Peach . The warm hue with rose undertones is a great way to update your home just in time to welcome warmer, sunnier days. Perfect for a dining room space, Compliment the peach shade with warm platinum accents or bursts of mossy greens. Floral arrangements and natural lighting add a finishing touch.

And the Winner is...

by Veronique Habermann

Gray Expose 5007-2A	Lincoln White Sash 7004-14

What a night it was! After an endless pass of one gorgeously gowned star after another, Kathryn Bigelow, beautifully dressed herself, wins both awards for best director and best movie. There were a lot of blue gowns—perhaps Avatar influenced? But, here are my favorite dresses of the evening paired with some room ideas and color swatches. 

And the Oscar for Best Color goes to...

by Veronique Haberman

Excitement builds as the Academy Awards approach and like many, the reason I enjoy watching is to find out who will wear what. This is it; one "faux pas" and a celebrity can stay on the worst dressed list for years to come, or the right choice and a barely known starlet can be catapulted to the top.

I can't wait for next Monday to report my take on color trends, but I would like to pay homage to what this event is really about: cinema. The following nominated movies' colors inspired me the most this year. I created a few palettes for each movie according to a scene that moved me the most. Let the colors talk!

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Grand Hotel Mackinac Blue	Peach Champagne 2006-4C	Lime Kiss 6008-9A

Color of the Week - Ivory Brown

Ivory Brown is a soft, mid-toned chalk brown. It has beautiful undertones of platinum and is a very elegant color for a dining room. Try it with City Steam on the trim and Oatbran on the ceiling. Bring in silvers and deep chocolates with hints of copper.

                   
    Ivory Brown 6006-1C          City Steam 7006-5              Oatbran 6006-1B

Autumn Cornucopias

By Veronique Habermann

Cornucopias are, to me, the most appealing symbols of Thanksgiving. Cornucopia means horn of plenty in Latin. The traditional cornucopia was a goat’s horn filled to the brim with fruits and grains. In Greek mythology, Amalthea, the goat that suckled Zeus, broke one of her horns while playing with him. To make up for it, Zeus returned her horn with supernatural powers, which would give the person in possession of the horn whatever he or she wished for. Zeus also set the goat's image in the sky, which we know as the constellation Capricorn.

 

A weaved basket version, filled with miniature, assorted color gourds makes a great Thanksgiving table centerpiece, but when it comes to centerpieces, the sky is the limit. I like to have a set on the appetizer table filled with fruits and cheeses spilling out of the cornucopia onto a cutting board (I am French after all!). It is also a very festive way to display fall flower bouquets.

Color of the Week - Coral Gables Biltmore Mediterranean Mocha

Last week, we continued to explore great dining room colors. For an elegant, sophisticated look, try Coral Gables Biltmore Mediterranean Mocha. This color is a mid-tone neutral with lots of warmth and a hint of rose. Try this hue with Desert Fortress on the ceiling and Vanilla Steam for the trim. Bring in accents of plums, violets and silvers.

                    
  Coral Gables Biltmore     Desert Fortress 2008-10B    Vanilla Steam 2006-10C
  Mediterranean Mocha
           2005-10A