Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Paper Umbrellas: Inspiration


Neutrality at its longest (leg line)


Edible statement jewels


Beauty of the bones


Color on concrete


Creativity at play

Paper Umbrellas: Concept Statement

Just as a statement necklace or a pair of colorful shoes can take a simple black dress to a completely unexpected place and give an otherwise neutral ensemble personality, so too can colorful artwork and accessories in a home.

The reverse can be said when replacing that neutral dress with a print – the print and the statement piece will often compete for the eye’s attention, leaving the viewer remiss. Rather than feeling tranquil, beautiful, and unique, this look often feels chaotic, busy, and unfocused.

Additionally, sometimes a neutral can, in fact, enhance the beauty of a space. Like a nude pump elongates a woman’s leg line, a white, warm gray, or black wall frames (rather than competes with) artwork in a sophisticated way. By keeping the palette of the main elements in the home neutral, those pops of color in the artwork and smaller items really shine through and define the room.

Warm neutrals are the focus. Instead of stainless steel and chrome, copper, brushed nickel, and iron are used. Warm grays and whites along with deep, rich wood flooring create an essence of both warmth and light.

For the same reason that dress forms and fine dinnerware start as neutrals, so too does this home. The palette of each room is, therefore, not dictated by the bones (in this case the “bones” being the larger elements of the home -- floors, walls, large furniture items), but rather by the skin.

The color comes in the garnishes – the statement pieces, the pops of color… the paper umbrellas or the cherries on top.