Colour of the month for July–{chartreuse}

Don’t you love saying chartreuse?  It’s even cool to spell, and I have to admit in my younger, pre-design conscious days, I didn’t even know what chartreuse was *gasp*!

Source: thepinkpenwordstudio.wordpress.com via Donna on Pinterest

Being a blonde with hazel eyes, chartreuse is one of my favourite colours to wear – especially in the summer when I have some actual colour to my skin. 

Source: estherboutique.wordpress.com via Donna on Pinterest

I have several tops in chartreuse, even a purse (or two), and there’s a green pair of shoes (suede shoes I might add) that if forced, I could say they are chartreuse, but in reality they are really lime green.  I still love them though ….

Source: bynowshop.com via Liz on Pinterest

I sat down recently with Chartreuse and had a chit-chat – here’s how it went….

dh:  So, Chartreuse, what can you tell us about yourself?

Chartreuse: Well, dh, I’m actually a 500 year old herbal liqueur. I’m produced by the Carthusian order of monks in the French Alps and my ingredients are a huge secret – HUGE!

Source: proof66.com via Donna on Pinterest

dh: I knew I liked you!  Liqueur you say … well well, let’s talk about that for a minute …. what are you served with?

Chartreuse: I come in two varieties – yellow and green – and both pair well with desserts.  My green self really goes well with chocolate.  You can have me straight up or on the rocks and I lo-o-ove cocktail parties – some of my favourites are: 

• Everybody’s Irish where I team up with whisky and creme de menthe,
• the Iguana where I party down with my Mexican pal Tequila and some fruits & veggies
• and one I think you’ll like where I add a little tang to a classic – the Chartreuse Martini – yup vodka, vermouth and me – all swirling around with some ice!

dh: Wow, I think I’m in love …. I will definitely be trying that last one!  So you say your ingredients are a mystery – how so?

Chartreuse:  Well, originally back in the olden days I was distilled as the “elixir of long life” and as such my ingredients were a secret.  Then there was like 500 years of upheaval where the recipe was copied, hidden, sold, bought, and finally returned to the Carthusian Monks.  Today there are two monks who know the ingredients and they’ve sworn a vow of secrecy... so don’t even ask!

dh:  Cool … hmmm … next trip to France, there will be some time in the Alps required…  So, I’m guessing the colour Chartreuse is based on the green liqueur?

Chartreuse: Yes, you’re right, but there are really two colours of chartreuse; chartreuse yellow and chartreuse green.  And there are dozens of in between colours that are derived from chartreuse.  From a light greeny yellow down to a darker olive green!

Source: Uploaded by user via Donna on Pinterest

dh: Wow, I didn’t realize there were so many variations on the colour.  So I guess those lime green suede shoes I have really are Chartreuse – sah-weet!!!  Now, as a colour, what other colours do you like to hang with?

Chartreuse:  Good question.  Because I’m used mostly to make a bold statement colour, I go with many colours.  As they say a picture tells a thousand words, here’s a few pics that should give you the idea…

Source: coastalliving.com via Donna on Pinterest

Eclectic Living Room design by Richmond Tile Stone And Countertop Charles Luck Stone Center

Contemporary Living Room design

Contemporary Dining Room design by Austin General Contractor Texas Construction Company

Contemporary Dining Room design by New York Media And Blogs Vendome Press

Source: houseandhome.com via Donna on Pinterest

dh:  I see what you mean about being bold!!  These are awesome interiors, but now tell us the truth, how do you hold up on the exterior?

Chartreuse:  Is that a challenge?  You’ll be amazed – I’m actually very present in nature from algae to moss to grasses and many many plants.  Here are some examples…

Landscape design via Houzz 

Traditional Landscape design by Boston Landscape Architect Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design

Traditional Landscape design by Philadelphia Photographer www.KarlGercens.com

Contemporary Exterior design by San Luis Obispo Landscape Architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

dh: Ughhh Algae …. our pool was that lovely shade of chartreuse a couple of years back … ick!!!  So, I get it that you do nature well… but how about as exterior colour on or around a home … in the non-natural elements?

Chartreuse:  Geez….It’s like you don’t believe me … I actually add a really nice pop of colour in a lot of exteriors – here… check it out…

Source: Uploaded by user via Donna on Pinterest

 

Contemporary Porch design by Austin General Contractor Texas Construction Company

Contemporary Patio design by Burlington Architect TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design

Eclectic Garage And Shed design by Portland Maine Kitchen And Bath Robin Amorello, CKD CAPS - Atmoscaper Design

dh:  Well, I can certainly see you have all the bases covered as far as interiors and exteriors go.  You are quite the versatile colour!  Thank you so much for agreeing to talk with me, it’s been really great getting to know all about you – from the ancient monks to the cocktails to the algae.  I’ll be looking for you as I browse through my Food and Drink magazines as well as through my home decor magazines.  And I’ll salute you as I have my very first Chartreuse Martini!

Chartreuse:  Thanks for having me dh, it’s been fun!

So folks, now we know a little bit more about chartreuse.  If you’d like to see more examples of using this colour check out my Pinterest board and my Houzz Ideabook.

How have you used chartreuse – the colour, or the liqueur???  Share….

Colour of the month for June–{lavender}

I am soooo late with this post, since June only has 4 days left … but I struggled a bit on what colour I should write about for June, but browsing through FB the other day I noticed that June was lavender season.  How perfect is that?!  I just so happen to sit in a lavender office everyday (OK well 5 days a week) and love the calming effect it has on me – especially when I’m at my busiest!

So, lets talk about lavender.  The colour name obviously comes from the plant lavender, which is actually from the mint family.  I’m not a mint lover, but am definitely a lavender lover.  I have two plants in my perennial garden and make it a point to check them out every day.  Just brushing by them fills the air with lavenders sweet scent … ahhhh…

The plant has many uses.  Apart from it’s ornamental value in your garden, it is used to create an essential oil, which has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory uses.  It’s scent is also used in cosmetics and fragrances.  And it is a popular additive to cleaning products these days.  Apparently it has disinfectant qualities as it was used during the First World War to disinfect floors and walls. 

The nectar from the lavender flower is used to make honey and is used to flavour baked goods or tea.  As an infusion lavender can help ease itchy insect bites and headaches.  It is said a lavender cachet in your pillow will help you sleep.  So from a plant perspective this is one versatile perennial!

Now, from a colour perspective, lavender was identified in the book “A Dictionary of Color”,  first published in the 1930’s with only four shades, and by 1955 the ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names listed many more.  The “true” lavender shade is still based on the colour of the plant and is called Floral Lavender.

Enough with the history lesson though … let’s see lavender put to good use inside and out.

Lavender pairs quite nicely with several other colours – gray:

Eclectic Entry design by Boston Interior Designer MANDARINA STUDIO interior design

And cream:

Traditional Porch design by Other Metros Design-build J.S. Brown & Co.

Even mustard:

Contemporary Kitchen design by San Francisco Architect John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA

Lavender can be used in bedrooms:

Traditional Bedroom design by San Diego Interior Designer My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

In bathrooms:

Eclectic Bathroom design by Boston Interior Designer MANDARINA STUDIO interior design

In living rooms:

Asian Living Room design by Interior Designer Karen Maximo-Fernando

Even in entryways:

Source: hgtv.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

And outdoors:

Mediterranean Exterior design by New York Architect Felhandler/ Steeneken Architects

 

Mediterranean Exterior design by San Francisco Landscape Designer Kathleen Shaeffer Design, Exterior Spaces

 

Eclectic Entry design by Portland Maine Design-build Knickerbocker Group

What about you?  Have you used lavender in your home, either as a colour, a fragrance or even as an infusion? 

Share!

Colour of the month for May–{pink}

Here we are in May, one of my favourite months!  I love the first blush of spring, the “spring” of new growth from the ground, the beginnings of a season’s worth of natures beauty! 

May is also a significant month in my life – I married in May – 30 years ago to be precise (yikes!) – our youngest daughter was born in May – 25 years ago (yikes squared!) and this year I will celebrate 35 years of employment (yep – yikes cubed!).  So, yes, a significant month!

If any of you follow me on Pinterest or have looked through my ideabooks on Houzz, you’ve probably already guessed what the colour of the month for May is – PINK!  I’ve chosen pink for May because I see it as representing the promise of new beginnings and growth.  It has a freshness and newness about it. 

 

Source: google.nl via Donna on Pinterest

Pink is naive, pink is delicate, pink is new.

Source: theoldpaintedcottage.com via Donna on Pinterest

The colour pink is derived from the name of a flower called pinks or dianthus (carnation).  It comes from the frilly edges of the flowers.

The word pink has been used in many ways over the centuries –

• in the 14th century it meant “to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern” – think “pinking shears”. 
• in colour it was actually used in the 17th century to describe a yellowish colour
• it has been strongly associated with girls and femininity as far back as mid-19th century
• the pink ribbon is the international symbol for Breast Cancer awareness

In the natural world, it is the most common colour of pigs and “white” elephants are actually pink.  The “pink” flamingo is probably the worlds best known pink bird and gets its colour from it’s diet.

In 1968, Mary Kay Ash – ‘the’ Mary Kay, bought the very first Pink Cadillac, which became her company’s trademark

 

When my daughters were growing up I admit they had their fair share of mom imposed pink, although neither of their rooms were ever painted that colour – I preferred to keep it to their clothing.  My youngest daughter, in her teens, even went as far as to dye her hair pink – kind of like this:

Source: laceandtea.com via Donna on Pinterest

This was more for effect that it was for the love of the colour pink, me thinks :).  I was willing to go along though – it’s only hair after all – and it looked kinda cool to tell the truth.

Now lets have a look using pink in interiors.  Pink seems to have a connotation when used in interiors.  It reads very feminine, especially the soft pinks like these:

eclectic living room design by atlanta interior designer Dillard Design Group, LLC

 

spaces design

 

traditional kids design by new york interior designer Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC

The deeper shades seem more dramatic and playful, less girly:

Source: tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

Source: cococozy.com via Donna on Pinterest

Here are some rooms that use pink in a balanced combination with other colours:

 

traditional bedroom design by new york architect CWB Architects

Source: Uploaded by user via Donna on Pinterest

Source: sweethomestyle.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

I like using pink as an accent colour as shown in these rooms:

eclectic living room design by san francisco media and blogs SFGIRLBYBAY

eclectic bedroom design by media and blogs Dreamy Whites

traditional living room design by los angeles interior designer Emily Ruddo

eclectic home office design by san francisco photographer Ed Ritger Photography

So what do you think?  Have you used pink in your home?  If so, how and where?

 

 

Now for one last one.  As I mentioned above, this month DH and I celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.  Here’s a hint about what we are doing to celebrate …

 

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I am over the moon excited and cannot wait to tell you all about our most exciting adventure … but you’ll have to wait until I get back … and sort through a gazillion pictures.

 

À bientôt chers amies