SoNo Corporate Color & Design Consult

Conference / Training Center

Honored to be the Color & Design consultant on this spectacular project.

Program - to create a high end corporate amenity space including lounge area, game room, fitness club, and conference / training center.

Concept - to create a sophisticated industrial warm modern space, with a nod to it's historical district roots.

Lounge Area Game Room 

Lounge Area & Game Room

Lounge Area  

Game Room 

Fitness Club Locker Room  

Fitness Club

Fitness Club

Absolutely thrilled with the bold beauty of the space.    Ahh, once again the power of color & design rocks.

Benjamin Moore 2019 Color of the Year Metropolitan AF-690

Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2019
METROPOLITAN AF-690

The day before Benjamin Moore released their 2019 Color of the Year, I pondered with excitement.

Funny, my wild guess was a neutral like Balboa Mist or Cumulus Cloud.   With all the saturated color in the design world today, a neutral wall color is often optimal.  Especially if you want to add lots of personality through wall art or wall decor.

I've been specifying mostly neutral wall paint colors for a while now.  Neutrals act as a wonderful foil for color through art, furnishings, and accessories.

So I was thrilled when Benjamin Moore chose a gray for 2019 with Metropolitan.

(And Balboa Mist made the cut for the other fourteen 2019 trend colors!)

Metropolitan is a sophisticated gray.  Leans towards green, but color is all about context and lighting. I've seen paint color do crazy, unexpected things, lol.  Always test the color before committing.

What I love about Metropolitan is how it sets the stage for a visual performance.  And how versatile it is.

Metropolitan has enough substance and integrity to hold its own in visual weight.  Can add lots of white & black with pops of bright or bold colors for an edgy, modern vibe.

And Metropolitan is a gray that looks great with woods, and other neutrals for a classic and timeless style.

Or a rustic farmhouse look with tons of texture and contrast.

Yet Metropolitan is quiet enough to feel serene with lighter and softer palettes for a harmonious or spa-like ambiance.

With Metropolitan, if I may use the phrase, the world is your oyster.

HONEYSUCKLE (Color of the Year) is FLIRTATIOUS

A personal mantra of mine is "FLIRT WITH LIFE, ALL OF IT".   It's my philosophy, my mission, my religion.

So when Pantone, a leading color forecaster, recently announced HONEYSUCKLE is their 2011 Color of the Year, I celebrated.

HONEYSUCKLE makes me smile and feel vivacious.  It's naturally a flirtatious color!
Playful. Delightful.

There is something whimsical about it;  a nice balance of sophistication and fun.

Here is what Leatrice Eiserman, Executive Director of Pantone, has to say about the color HONEYSUCKLE:

A Color For All Seasons

Courageous. Confident. Vital.   

A brave new color, for a brave new world.  

Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year.  

It's a color for everyday- with nothing "everyday about it.

I couldn't agree more.  Here are some wonderful examples I have found:

from Fritz Hansen at Karkula

Betty Murdock Interiors from Traditional Home

by Jonathan Berger (House Beautiful)

Laufen Bathroom

So don't hesitate to color your world with HONEYSUCKLE hues.  You can control its powerful effect by the amount used, the value variations, and the color combinations.  In general, whites, creams, beiges, and grays will calm in down, while oranges, reds, and blacks will excite it even more.   Hot pink speaks loudly (beware it can scream at you), while light pink whispers softly.  The possibilities are endless.

I have a feeling, that 2011 is going to be a very good year!  We are off to a good start with HONEYSUCKLE.

Thank you Pantone.

Mardi Grape Hot 2010 Color

Check out the following news release about a fascinating 2010 color prediction:

COLOR MARKETING GROUP

PREDICTS “NEXT” COLOR FOR 2010

MARDI GRAPE:

FORMER FASHION STAR WILL BE YEAR’S HOTTEST COLOR

Alexandria, VA– What’s the hot new color for 2010? According to Color Marketing Group, the leading international organization of color design professionals, it’s GRAPE. CMG, which has been successfully predicting color trends for 47 years, says this grape – officially called Mardi Grape – is a sophisticated crossover between purple, brown and gray.

It’s a transfer from fashion with European roots. Chosen by hundreds of color professionals as CMG’s 2010 Next Color, Mardi Grape used to be a fashion color. Now, it’s all set to be the year’s biggest star for everything else.

Said CMG president James Martin: “Purple has been with us for a while now, but the big story today is that we’re seeing purple as a neutral for the very first time. This purple is browner and grayer, a neutral we can love long-term.

These days everyone is seeking versatile colors with staying power. Colors used to be the focus while neutrals were the understudies. Today, neutrals are the lead performers, chameleon colors that shift and change.”

According to CMG, look for these additional color trends in 2010:

Red – Reds are strong with pink intuition; bright and clean with energy and excitement -- a clean pop to go with neutrals.

Orange – A rich, sophisticated color that moves away from earth-based colors to an optimistic orange, seasoned with a touch of gray.

Yellow – A greener, more natural yellow, softened with gray.

Green – Optimistic and uplifting, a clear and bright accent green with a slight shift toward blue.

Blue – A saturated blue with gray influences; rich without being too luxe.

Beige-Brown – A true chameleon to complement darker hues, it can be either matte or metallic.

Neutral-Gray – Gray with a touch of purple, drawing inspiration from mineral, concrete and steel.

Turquoise 2010 Color of the Year

Turquoise

Pantone, a leading color forecaster, recently declared Turquoise the 2010 Color of the Year.

Turquoise is a beautiful, clean, and tranquil hue that will color the interior, graphic, and fashion world throughout 2010.

Panatone's press release December 8, 2009 discusses the color in the following excerpt:

"Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing."

“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

"... Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens."

Keep in mind current trends are thrilling. However, when choosing a color palette, it should be based on existing surroundings and the colors you love. The goal is to create a beautiful space that is timeless and meaningful to you. Not necessarily trendy!

I am loving this color. It is inspirational. When used in the right context, Turquoise will charm you with a cheerful serenity, kind of like the magic of the Caribbean Sea.

Here are some stunning examples:











Veranda Showcase House at Greystone Mansion designed by Elizabeth Dinkel









Veranda Showcase House at Greystone Mansion
designed by Elizabeth Dinkel
















Veranda Showcase House at Greystone designed
by Elizabeth Dinkel