Pantone released it's pick for the 2011 color of the year, "Honeysuckle." I'll admit, I (a) thought it to be a saffron hue when I read 'honeysuckle' on Twitter (b) at 1st glance said: "Mauve? Say it ain't so!" BUT I piped down and studied the depth of the color which reads more of a "Deep salmon meets Monica Lewinsky's Lipstick, the Babs Walters Interview." We all know what a ruckus that created, right?
I believe Pantone is THE color authority and their stabs at up-and-coming colors have always been on target in my opinion. It got me thinking:
"How will we use this color?"
"Where will we use this color?"
"I'd like to build a room around this color?"
So I did!
I think that so many shy away from pink tones b/c of the stigma of being effeminate, but here, I purposely kept the idea of working the color around clean-lined pieces and did my best not to over-girly it where a man (albeit, a man who is comfortable in his own skin) would not be completely offended!
By bringing this color into a public space vs. the tried and true powder room or bedroom we become familiarized with it's use. The beauty of a chroma that is not as in-your-face as red, but not as whispery as salmon, is unexpected and refreshing. I like that it packs punch, but not a hair too much. That makes it workable amongst many planes and far less trendy in my opinion.
CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM:
•
LOUIS PHILLIPE MIRROR: RED TICKING •STRIPED DRAPERY FABRIC: KRAVET• FRENCH VELVET GRAY CHAIRS: HOMENATURE
PINK PILLOW; B VIZ• POLYCHROME CHEST: CRISTOPHE EDWARDS
FRENCH EMPIRE SCONCES: DAVID SKINNER ANTIQUES• ORIGINAL ARTWORK: GEORGE MARKS (LOUISIANA)
ALABASTER CHANDELIER: MARVIN ALEXANDER ANTIQUES• SOFA: ELLEN KENNON• CLOVER COCKTAIL TABLES: 2OTH CENTURY ANTIQUES• RUG: DORIS LESLIE BLAU
•
Some smart designers have already begun using a variant of this color. Look here:
Of course Suzanne Kasler, tastemaker extraordinaire was WAY ahead of the curve when she completed this room which graced the color of House Beautiful years ago. She stated in an interview that in real life the color was a deeper tone, so I'd venture to say it was much like "Honeysuckle" in person. Agree?
Mere months ago, Grant K. Gibson scattered touches of the deep rose throughout his teenage girls bedroom for the Elle Decor showhouse. I gasp over the hand painted DeGournay wallpaper every time!!!!!!
Sweet Joni Webb of Cote de Texas brought the color in through fresh flowers and a casually placed throw on her Mouton-leg sofa. I love how the green of the apples comes alive as your eye travels from the deep pink to the green.
Here, Mary Douglas Drysdale used a Honeysuckle-ish hue as the accent color in this...hold on, I'm still catching my breath and collecting my thoughts–––this bedroom that almost makes me cry I get so verklempt over it! Isn't that gorgeous?
Another one of my favorite designers, Suellen Gregory, used the pink as the accent color amongst a palette of beautiful cream and seagrass.
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So, what are your thoughts on Pantone's color of the year so far? Hit? Miss? Love it? Hate it?
How would YOU use it? Where? Tell alllllll!
xoxo,
Andrea
14 comments:
Girl, you sure know how to put together a room! Love it! I also like Monica's lipstick color! Am I showing my age? Oh, and thanks for including one of my sofas!
Ahhhh, yes Ellen! The ideal client is the make-believe one with no budget---I excel with those types tremendously ;)
LOVE YOUR FURNITURE!!!!! I didn't even think of looking anywhere else!
xoxo,
Andrea
I love it! I didn't see it coming though!
I wouldn't exactly call it mauve. Maybe I am remembering mauve as "dusty mauve" from the eighties. That would be a problem!!
Love what you did with it!
Yes, I saw that this was the Pantone pick. I am not normally a pink girl but you have certainly chosen great examples to show how effective it can be!!
It 's a flattering color for people...hard to find pink light bulbs these days....I know the turq from last year hit the mark, but I will have to think about this.
I'll get back to you...hmmmmm.
How fun to find you... from my home town no less( I grew up at 219 Brashear st... where Lee Ave dead ends into the front yard!How changed now - but that's another story, n'est-ce-pas?)
definitely not mauve.... happy nervy, bold, and coy this will be a mood lifter for everyone, and don't we need it in this down economic time? Bon Chance I think!
Love your choices, especially the striped drapery colors.. and the lovely charcoal grays...wonderful rug.
Interestingly sidenote- Hubs and I bought a home 15yrs.ago with a "Pink' living room and we both felt great in it.... everyone looks good in it's glow....Also thanks for the re-visit of the Susanne Kasler room.... loved it the first time I laid eyes on it... and you are so right.. I think the bedroom fabric is scrumptious...
Will look forward to following you in the days ahead.
AA
Andrea,
Thanks for showing us the way---I confess at first glance I blanch at the thought of anything that could be deemed "salmon color" but the rooms you've introduced are fabulous.
We must be open to new ideas, right?
Karen
Anon (AA)!
I get so excited when a Lafayette native discovers my blog! I know exactly which house you grew up in--gorgeous!!!! I don't live far from there :) Where are you now? When was the last time you visited? It has changed, indeed! But in a great way!
RE: Mauve- When I said mauve, I meant the deep mauve that was de rigeur in the late 80s. Like the shade of this dress....not the milquetoast mauve that graced the halls of hospitals and homes alike. Blech! It was just my knee-jerk reaction until I readjusted my eyes after the 1st glance ;)
http://tinyurl.com/2c497ct
Karen- I've never heard it described as anything else! Let's come up with a new adjective to describe the hue ;) And I was also meaning the deeper variation of it, like this one :)
http://tinyurl.com/39z5gny
Jane- It's going to grow on you, just watch! I actually really like it :) It think it's a natural progression from the cool of turquoise as they compliment each other so well :) I'm also partial to colors of this ilk so take what I say with a grain of sel.....I tend to respond to the more happy/bright colors in the spectrum, so I'm a little biased :)
Love the dialogue, y'all!
xoxo,
Andrea
ahahaha - that's my family room!!! thanks! hate those old yellow walls.
Aww thanks... you make me so homesick...Yes I do get back... still have a few siblings there, and close friends...just so miss
" the house" and my Mom.... I was last there a year ago- We've been in Dallas, TX.all but 5 years of our married life... and those were split evenly between South,and North Carolina .What a great time we had visiting historic old homes,and absorbing the local cultures of Charleston, and Wilmington( Hurricanes too.... !!!!
Re; mauve comment... I was agreeing exactly with your take.... first glance, etc.- and do I ever know what you meant about that particular shade.....I was SOOO glad when that nasty color left the scene!
I am slowly working thru your site... and of course must say the name Veron brings good thoughts to mind... of La. seafood, wonderful meat ,.... stuffed porkchops were the best at Verons meat mkt. and my sister won't shop anywhere else! gotta ask if there's a connection?
K- I'll be briefer in the future... again... great to find you here from Joni's Cote de Texas which I LOVE!
xoxo
Anon!
Please....type your heart out! I'm very wordy (can't you tell?) I appreciate the dialogue! I love reading every word!
Charleston is a city that I am dying to visit!!!!!! I haven't been, and to me, it just seems the most perfect southern town!
Yes, Verons grocery was started my my husbands grandfather. His uncle now owns it :) My in-laws own Café Vermilionville, so next time you're in town treat yourself and have a great dinner there! SO GOOD!!!!!!
xoxo,
Andrea
Thanks for the heads up on Cafe Vermillionville... will treat myself next time!
You're riht to want to do Charleston... I'd beat a path back myself... it's New Orleans "cleaned up', and just as mystical..( Savannah ranks up there too). Would love to get you laughing bout my "Spring Garden and Homes tour along the Battery where I thought I would be struck dead walking thru ankle deep water as the skies dumped gallons and the lightening zapped all around us!My sis in law was literally draggin me onward, "cause we paid our money, an we were gonna see it all!" We were driven back to our hotel by the kind docents who had to inform us the tour was shut down due to "incement weather" ... the understatement of a lifetime! Don't you just love the South?
C'est la Vie!!!!
AA
AWWW, that was supposed toread "inclement"... typing'snot my greatest skill!
:D
AA Again
AA-
You ever read any of the Sweet Potato Queens?? If not, I highly recommend! Especially the SPQs Wedding Guide (flip it over and it's the SPQs Divorce guide) HILARIOUS! Your story reminds me of an excerpt of something in the book :)
Us southern girls do have a certain je ne ces't quoi!
Can't wait to get to Charleston! One of my dear friends lives about an hour away. She's coming here next week to stay with us, so I would venture to say we'll be visiting her soon! I'll be sure to recap on the blog :)
xoxo,
Andrea
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