What stands out in this year’s predictions is the fact the colors are slightly safer than last year when it seemed the palette was turning more upbeat. The progression makes sense as this time last year consumers were looking forward to an end to the troubled economy they had already dealt with for too long. As this year approaches its final months, however, they find themselves in much the same predicament as last year.

This doesn’t, of course, mean people won’t be painting their interiors, it simply means they are likely to select colors that are a little safer; hues with which they believe they will be able to live peacefully and comfortably for some time. There is a natural ebb and flow of color trends moving from dark (brown trend) to light (gray/white trend) as the gray and blue neutrals still are holding strong for 2012.   As you can see in the Pantone 2012 Colors below, there are mix of subtle mid tones of blues, grays, soft neutrals, earth tones and colors with kick for you to explore.

As you’ve hopefully heard Tangerine Tango is the Pantone 2012 Color of year and it is everywhere! Just last weekend I was out shopping in our local mall and the vibrant color is being displayed in clothing, handbags, shoes, and home accessories such as vases, lamps, and even towels and bedding.

The best way of incorporating some trendy colors into your home in scale to your comfort zone is via accessories. Break the palette down into groupings of 2, or 3 – 4 (at most). Where do you get the inspiration for this? The best designer I have ever met is nature. Look to nature for some inspiration that really works.

Print out your palette, and cut it up with scissors. Go online to your favorite sources, and find things that you can relate to – then lay them out in front of you, and add and subtract.

Remember KISS – Keep It Stylish but Simple – stick with 1 focal point per living zone (zones are particularly crucial in open floor plans, because you rely on function to separate living zones, instead of walls).

Above all, think of color as a gift that you give to yourself, and everyone you welcome to your space. Be generous, but give what you feel able to give - never give until it hurts. The result should be a space that makes you smile every time you walk through the door!

I am writing this blog on a very snowy day here in Seattle and dreaming of spring.  Thankfully it is right around the corner and below is just a small taste of color for what is to come!

Need some help creating your Authentic Home? Contact us at 206.937.3070 or email us for more information on a color consultation or interior design appointment.

Explosively loud and exceedingly bold, Tangerine Tango has been announced as Pantone’s 2012 color of the year. The global authority on color, Pantone revealed yesterday that the shade will replace 2011’s Honeysuckle hue. The reddish-orange tone will no doubt have us walking on sunshine. It has already appeared on both the Spring and Pre-Fall 2012 runways, on fashionistas in street style and in home interiors.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said in a statement. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Daring as it may seem, Tangerine Tango has proved it can be an excellent staple color. A versatile choice, the orangey hue compliments a spectrum of colors including yellow, purple, blue and green and flatters all skin tones. The past few seasons, designers already have taken note of the shade’s excitement and created eye-catching apparel, color-pop accessories and brighter-than-life footwear all sporting the vibrant color.

Syndicated journalist Marni Jameson consulted her “high octane” Interior Designer dream team for whom she relies on for advice on trends. Dallas designer Betty Lou Phillips declared, ”Orange will be everywhere, not the orange of an orange, but rather the hues and tints of bittersweet, coral, and tangerine. Lately, clients have been eager to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral room with the hopes of adding a bit of bliss.”

Interiors can be freshened up with brightly colored chairs, pillows, lamps and other accents. Walls painted in solids or prints can make a huge artistic impact. Depending on the theme, orange can provide warmth or a modern vibe.

Tangerine Tango isn’t reserved just for fashion. She may be a style maven with her own apparel line, but interior designer Kelly Wearstler still knows how to invigorate any space and tangerine is an easy yet unexpected go-to.  Interiors can be freshened up with brightly colored chairs, pillows, lamps and other accents. Walls painted in solids or prints can make a huge artistic impact. Depending on the theme, orange can provide warmth or a modern vibe.

Need some help creating your Authentic Home? Contact us at 206.937.3070 or email us for more information on a color consultation or interior design appointment.

Yet like everyone else, my tastes also change and I wanted to lighten up my color palette. Over the summer I painted my living room in my silver color and used that as my background undertone for my new color palette.

I used silver in various tones, off white, champagne and a touch of light pink to create a winter wonderland.  Above is my mantel and I so love my new glittery silver reindeer with white mink collar piece that I found at Haley’s Cottage, in Kirkland WA.  I flocked both my wreath above the mantel and my tree to make it feel cool and snowy.

I used white & grey mesh wide fabric on the mantel to give it a light airy feel and a beautiful grey embroidered ribbon on the tree and a bow topper.  The tree is adorned with mixes of crystals, white glitter snowflakes, silver glitter reindeer and curly silver wisps to give the tree sparkle and sizzle!

Santa is also a new purchase this year as I fell in love with his beautiful cream and pink velvet coat and hat and his happy face.  A mix of ball ornaments in my color palette in a silver basket, silver votives and vases, a pink and white floral box and an angel ornament finishes off “Santa’s” table, which is next to my fireplace.

My home is on the smaller size and working with a lighter color palette keeps the mood bright and cheery.  I am excited to have friends over this weekend to enjoy it with me.

Happy Holidays!

Introduce other colors such as silver, champagne, turquoise blue, or soft pink.  I love working with silver trays and vases and all shapes and sizes of decorative balls and candles.  Pearls and crystals either used as garland or loosely arranged amongst candles add a pretty feminine touch.

And don’t forget the bedroom and other rooms in your home when decorating for the holidays.  I believe you need to enjoy the holiday spirit in every part of your home.

I wish all of you a joyous, peaceful and beautiful holiday season.

Here are some special items that I suggest you bring out every year, simple personal touches that everyone loves to see in a home during the holidays. Holiday photos, Holiday books, Holiday ornaments, Holiday candles, Holiday pillows and table linens. Use poinsetta’s to add a simple yet beautiful touch to your Holiday decor.

Pick up fresh greens to make the house smell like the holidays. I love working with pine cones and they too can be reused.
A fresh amaryllis or poinsettia plant always says Christmas and don’t forget the mistletoe.

Use pinecones, ornaments and branches in pots, urns or vases for a simple natural look.

Add nuts or fruit to bowls or vases for a natural and simple centerpiece.

Visit Authentic Home’s website for more inspiration and decorating ideas with color, paint and fabric. Happy Holidays!

If you missed it, you can listen to the MP3 recording on our website, go HERE to our “Where’s Kathy” page and click on the word here at the end of the Radio Guest on Brashenomics announcement.

Listen to Kathy, the creator and founder of Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ discuss the mis-conceptions about hiring an interior designer and picking out paint color to create your Authentic Home.

Brashenomics, is a local radio program hosted by Ben Brashen covering Financial Planning, Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance, The Job Market, and other Business News in Seattle.
Need some help creating your Authentic Home? Contact us at 206.937.3070 or email us for more information on a color consultation or interior design appointment.

Kathy and host Ben Brashen will also be discussing how determining a color palette is an investment in your home and Kathy will give us some inspirational ideas on how to create your own Authentic Home.

Post your questions for Kathy and Ben on Facebook or tweet them to @Brashenomics and stayed tuned to learn great tips and insight from a experienced interior design and color expert.  If you would like more information on Authentic Home and Kathy’s services please contact us at 206.937.3070 or email us today.

Color Consultations Seattle

For the color challenged, Authentic Home provides on-site color consultations.  After reviewing the home and desired styles, Kathy creates a custom Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ palette for your home’s interior or exterior.  The goal is to ensure that the paint colors are complementary for flow and visual appeal.

What you receive:

• A detailed outline of each room’s color and finish for the walls, ceiling, door and trim.  For exterior color consultations a detailed outline of the color and finish is provided for the body, trim, door and any architectural elements that need to be painted.
• 4″x6″ color cards of each new paint color
• Free painter estimates — the Authentic Home team of painters are all licensed and bonded and have a vast expertise of painting with the Authentic Home COLOR Paints.
• A 30-minute complementary interior consultation – while Kathy is reviewing the home, she will provide insight on interior design and home décor projects.

To learn more about Authentic Home and Kathy Banak’s interior design services and consultations visit our services page on our website.

Receive $100 off an Authentic Home Color Consultation or $100 credit off your initial Authentic Home Interior Design Invoice. Don’t delay! Contact Kathy today to schedule your appointment and receive this great savings! Offer expires November 30th, 2011.  Call 206.937.3070

The count down is now!

1. Get organized and make to do lists. Finalize which holiday will be at your home and for how many guests. Determine a decorating and entertaining budget and stick to it.

2. Stay with one theme and style for your holiday decorating. It makes shopping easier and your home more polished.

3. You still have plenty of time to paint one or several rooms. Determine a color palette that you want to live with after the holidays. Work with the undertones of your floor color and similar undertones of each room’s paint color. Authentic Home COLOR Paint™ is always a great choice. See our selections here.

4. Re arrange furniture so the focal point is the fireplace or if you don’t have a fireplace, arrange it to create a cozy layout for intimate conversations. Remove overstuffed pieces and replace with streamlined dining room chairs.

5. Bring the holiday celebration into every room. Decorate the kitchen and bathrooms with seasonal themed items or a grouping of candles with pine cones and ribbon on the bathroom countertop or kitchen shelves.

6. Update your older holiday items with a new color. I love working with silver, golds and amber colors for the holidays instead of the traditional red and green.  How about an entire room decorated in off white or amethyst or combinations of silver, robins egg blue and white this year?

7. Make it a family event by bringing nature inside this season. Pick pine cones, trim holly and seasonal greens and use them on your mantel piece or arrange in a large glass bowl. Incorporate gold or silver balls in all sizes, beaded garland or seasonal ribbons and you have a new mantel or centerpiece.

8. Stick with white lights instead of colored lights. Decorate an interior silk tree or birch branches with lights to bring a touch of the outdoor glisten inside.

9. Use lots of off white candles. Just like white lights, off white candles in all shapes and sizes are timeless and bring warmth and elegance to any room. Remember to group them in odd numbers. I always recommend using non scented candles as you never know who can be allergic to over bearing scents.

10. Enjoy the holiday sparkle in your home. When in doubt, go for it with more sparkle. It’s the holidays so take time to enjoy friends and family this holiday season!

For paint color consultations or to purchase our paint, contact Authentic Home today -
before your guests arrive!

Influencing the Tone of Your Life

Color has the ability to trigger our emotions, affect the way we think and act, and influence our attitudes.

When we enter a room or see an object for the first time, our minds register its color before any other detail. The colors our eyes can perceive are like words that form a subtle language of mood, energy, and insight. Color can exert a gentle effect on the mind and the body, influencing our dispositions and our physical health. Color has the ability to trigger our emotions, affect the way we think and act, and influence our attitudes. You unconsciously respond to the color of the walls in your home, your car, your clothing, and the food you eat based on your body’s natural reactions to certain colors and the psychological associations you have formed around them. The consequences of the decision to paint a room or wear a specific article of clothing therefore goes beyond aesthetics.

The colors you encounter throughout your day can make you feel happy or sad, invigorate you or drain your vitality, and even affect your work habits. Throughout history, cultures spread over many different parts of the globe have attributed varying meanings to different colors. In China, blue is associated with immortality, while people in the Middle East view blue as a color of protection. There is also evidence that human beings respond to color in a very visceral way. Red excites us and inflames our passions. Too much red, however, can make us feel overstimulated and irritated. Pink tends to make people feel loved and protected but also can cause feelings of lethargy. Yellow represents joy or optimism and can energize you and help you think more clearly. Bright orange reduces depression and sadness. Blue and green are known to inspire peaceful feelings, and people are often able to concentrate better and work in rooms painted in soft blues and greens. The darker tones of both colors can make you feel serious and introspective.

There are ways to integrate color into your life that go beyond picking the hues of your décor and your wardrobe. You can meditate with color by concentrating on the colors that make you feel peaceful or using a progression of colors to symbolize a descent into a relaxed state. Color breathing involves visualizing certain colors as you in inhale and exhale. Choose to surround yourself with the colors that you are attracted to and make you feel good, and you can create an environment that makes you feel nurtured, peaceful, and uplifted.

Click here to download the first 3 chapters of Winter Moon Rises–the new book by DailyOM co-founder Scott Blum

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