6 Ways to Use Emerald–2013 Colour of the Year

 

Emerald – the Pantone colour of the year for 2013 is a bright, bold shade of green, that you will see incorporated into many interiors over the next year or so.  Will it work?  That depends.

Source: Pantone – www.pantone.com

This colour is a strong one and unless you are in love with it, you are not likely to paint your walls with it.  However, if you are trend conscious, there are plenty of other ways you can us this colour in your home. 

Here are 6 ways you can incorporate Emerald into your home decor:

1) Throw pillows are one of the easiest ways to refresh your decor and incorporate a new colour.  Depending on your colour scheme you could add bold emerald pillows, or you could go with patterns that incorporate a touch of emerald.

Eclectic Family Room design by Atlanta Interior Designer Cristi Holcombe

Source:  Better Homes & Gardens

 

2) Add an area carpet.  An area carpet is the foundation of every room.  Use them on hardwood or over wall-to-wall carpeting to set the tone for your decor.  Using an area carpet with emerald allows you to pull that colour throughout the room without it looking out of place.

 

Source: laylagrayce.com via Grace on Pinterest

Source: updatedallas.com via Update on Pinterest

3) Put emerald on your table.  Adding emerald accents to your dining table is a lovely way to incorporate the colour.  Pair it with a crisp white and you will have a bold clean look that will have you dreaming of springtime!

 

Source: inspiredbythis.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: Tobi Fairley’s take on an Emerald table via At Home Magazine via www.redoitdesign.com

 

4) Add accent furniture pieces in emerald.  Either in hard furniture or in upholstery, a pop of emerald will catch the eye and allow you to incorporate other elements, such as accessories or throw pillows in complementary colours.

 

Source: hgtv.com via Donna on Pinterest

Source: homedesign.marthastewart.com via Susan on Pinterest

5) Use greenery.  Whether flower arrangements or houseplants, real or imitation, greenery can bring the outdoors in.  And during the cold winter months it is a gentle reminder that spring is just around the corner.

 

 

Source: so-much-more-than-nl.blogspot.ca via Caroline on Pinterest

Eclectic Living Room design by Dc Metro Interior Designer Lauren Liess Interiors

6) Add emerald accessories or artwork.  Again that bright pop of emerald will catch the eye and add a wonderfully unique element to your home.

 

Eclectic Bedroom design by Orange County Interior Designer Domicile Interior Design

 

Eclectic Family Room design by Atlanta Interior Designer Cristi Holcombe

Source: Room designed by Amanda Nisbet via La Dolce Vita blog

However you do it, have fun with it.  Try a combination of the above, and where it make sense use groups of 3 or 5 (as in your accessories) so that the colour does not seem out of place.

If you do add emerald, I’d love to hear about it!

Happy decorating!

Colour of the month for March–{green}

Back again – and it hasn’t been 2 months!  Surprised?  I am!  It’s hard to get back into the swing of things, but one of the things I love best about blogging was what I learn in my research for posts.  And this post has taught me plenty!

Part of the new structure for this blog are some regular features.  This is one of them.  Each month I will do a “Colour of the Month” post.  And what better colour for March – GREEN!   In my little corner of the world, March signals the end of winter, the return of warmer temperatures and the promise of spring flowers and lush green lawns.

Source: countrycupboard.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

And not to be ignored by any means, is the fact that March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day – a holiday that honours the colour Green!

Source: flickr.com via Candy on Pinterest

 

And here is what I’ve learned about Green (with much thanks to Wikipedia) :

Green is not a primary colour, but created with a mixture of blue and yellow.  Depending on which colour wheel you are looking at, the complement of green is magenta or red. 

Source: whereisthecool.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

From a language perspective, green has it’s roots (pun intended) in the Old English verb growan, "to grow".  The word green has been used as a slang term for many things; someone who is naive is considered “green”; money is often referred to as “green”; someone who “green around the gills” is probably not feeling very well; and “green” has taken on a very significant meaning in relation to the environment.

In nature, we are surrounded by green in plant life, thanks to the chemical chlorophyll that produces the green colour in plants.   Green animals, reptiles, amphibians and birds appear green due to layers of green and blue colours.

Source: etsy.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

Nature has also produced a couple of my favourite gemstones – emerald, which was the prominent stone in my engagement ring, and peridot which happens to be my birthstone.

Source: google.co.nz via Donna on Pinterest

 

Green eyes, which I happen to have, are the least common, and result from the combination of amber and blue colours in the iris.  

The original source of green clothing, back in Elizabethan days, was lichen, a fungal plant (ewwww!)

Source: augusta-auction.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

 

So enough with the education … let’s see some green at home!

I love the use of green in this room – the wallpaper feels very bright and lively but is balanced nicely with the white headboard, bedding, chair and lamp.  Very inviting!

Source: freshhomeblog.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

Can’t you see this Robert Kaufman fabric as drapery in a fresh bright sunroom?

Source: robertkaufman.com via Donna on Pinterest

 

The green in this kitchen/family room is a muted shade that makes the kitchen pop.  And what I love best, besides this amazing kitchen (drool) is that the green is kept to paint colour and accessories, meaning the homeowner can change the entire feel of the kitchen just by changing the paint colour!  Great job!

 

traditional kitchen design by new york architect Crisp Architects

The combination of the green, wood, and texture in this room gives it a warm inviting feel.  The green was chosen to complement the wood tones.  The cream chair and rug add another dimension of colour, texture and warmth.

 

eclectic living room design by atlanta interior designer Global Living

And how about this green door?  On the inside it gives a wonderful focal point to this narrow entryway, and on the outside, tells the world that they are welcome in this home!

Source: houseandhome.com via Donna on Pinterest

Are you a fan of green?  If so, how have you used it in your home?

Happy Monday!

Friday Find–Jan 7

First, let me wish you all a Happy New Year!  May 2011 be a year full of health, happiness and prosperity! 

Secondly, I apologize for missing Friday Find last week (Dec 31).   Hubby and I were celebrating with dear friends on our annual winter trip to Mexico.  This is the first time we’ve been for New Years and I would recommend it to anyone.  There is nothing like champagne and fireworks on the beach!

Now, let’s get back on track with the first Friday Find of 2011…

I love a lot of things about this space.  The pops of green, the form of the chairs, the wall of windows in the back, but I have to say the painted floor really caught my eye!

Source: House Beautiful – Room designed by Christina Murphy