Examining Spring Color Schemes for Easter!!

I am like the rest of you that love to create. I like to try and create something different from what I have done in previous decor or decorations for special   holidays like Easter.

I thought I would review what I have done in the past few years in order to make sure I do something a wee bit different for this years Easter table.

One Easter I did an all white theme……………..

This was the centerpiece. Fresh spring green grass, real gerbera daisies and white roses. One more special little element that any good spring arrangement needs, sweet little porcelain birds.

The next year I chose to do a whimsical forest scene. I wanted the bunny to look like a huge chocolate bunny. I chose little chicks, mushrooms and clay pots full of chocolate eggs…………..

 

Bright pink, bright yellow and white were my color scheme for this year.

I chose to use things from my garden by using rocks, moss and real flowers from the garden.

Last years table started with an inspiration from Anthropologie…….

I started with this darling ceramic robin egg blue egg holder, which I can use in my refrigerator after Easter to hold my eggs.

I already had the striped quilt that I used as a table cloth and I had the bright yellow plates from the year before. So it was settled, bright yellow and blue it will be.

Next I needed to decide  what elements  would work with this color scheme. First came the obvious, eggs, some kind of yellow and white flowers, and for greenery some wheat grass.

 Yes, that will work just fine. Here is the table setting I came up with for last years Easter table………..

 

Daffodils, Daisies and Moss!!

 

I have used an all white, a bright yellow and bright pink color scheme. Then I used bright yellow and robin’s egg blue as my color scheme for Easter.

I really need to look around and get some color inspiration for something to go with my green and white and galvanized metal base that I have planned for this year. If you missed how I came up with my Inspiration for this year you can read it here.

Since I am working with the green and white stripe in my wallpaper and the galvanized metal of my French flower buckets I think I could go with a soft or even a bright color scheme, so I am going to visit both of these ideas………..

Soft to medium value pinks and white……………..

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this could make a really nice color scheme. What do you all think? Can you see pink with my green and white and galvanized metal?

Shall we visit the idea of a brighter color scheme?

Come back for another post and I will show you what my other color scheme idea is!!!

“Enjoy the Process!” Of:

Looking at different color schemes to help pull together a design plan.

Kathysue

Spring On My Mind

Spring is in the air and it definitely is on my mind. I have thoughts of  my Spring wardrobe and my Easter table swirling around in my head.

It is actually fun having these swirling thoughts because they include a wonderful array of Spring colors and elements.

Since I am an analytical thinker and as one of my clients who happens to be a Dr. of Psychology for UCLA said, “ I know I mentioned this in a previous message, and apologies in advance for repeating myself, but seriously, you have an incredible gift for PROCEDURAL THINKING.”

Wow!!! Really?!!! I just thought I was a little obsessive with details and putting things in the right order, now I actually have a name for the way I think!! Procedural thinking, who would have thought? Apparently I would!!

Since I have to categorize first I thought I would start with Easter since it will be here before we know it.

 

When planning a table for a special occasion I usually start with an inspiration piece and/or I make a list of elements that I would like to use based on my inspiration.

Now stay with me on my thinking journey!! Here we go……

I went to an antique show in February in Hillsborough and I saw the most amazing display of antique chocolate molds. I had seen these molds before but never in such an abundant array of sizes and shapes all in one spot.

I quickly found out that I would not be able to purchase one large enough for my Easter table but it started the thinking process. I really liked the patina of the dull metal. So I went from here…….

To Here……….

Galvanized French Flower buckets!!  I just happen to have two in my garage, imagine that!!

So French galvanized containers it will be. Now I must think of colors that I would like to use. Since I have green and white striped wallpaper in my dining room……..

My colors will be green, white and silver metal. With such a neutral base there are so many directions  in colors that I can go. I just love Springtime colors, they make me smile just to think about them!!!

 

Who knows maybe I will choose something a little more un-conventional?!!

Stay tuned for my next step in the thinking department where I will list elements and colors that are attractive to me in this design process.

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Coming along with me on my journey of designing my Easter Table!!

(Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail ♪♫♪, Hop’in down the hmmm,hmmm♪♫♪♫ trail!)

Kathysue

I Think I am Too Old To Be CUTE!!

“A Study In Cuteness” 

When I think of cute I think of a darling child or the saying, “She’s a cute young thing.”

I am obviously not young therefore I don’t think I can be cute any more.

Cute is a word that I use from time to time, but when it is used in referring to me or my home it kind of makes me cringe a little.

I use to have people say my home was darling or cute and that bothered me. How about sophisticated, pretty or elegant? I liked those words better.

I had a friend that was also a designer and we had a discussion about the word “Cute.” She came up with what I like to call the adult word for cute.

“CHARMING”

Charming, now that is a word that I can handle. So why am I having a dialog about the word cute? Well, there is a pattern that I love and it is often looked at as being “Cute.”

“CHECKS”

I love checks or gingham. I always have and I would love to use it in a room I have planned for the future. I don’t want the room to look cute, but I surely would not mind it looking charming.

I did a little research on checks and saved some images that I found attractive and appealing.

 I started looking at how checks were used in these images and a couple of things stood out to me on why they looked sophisticated and charming vs cute and darling.

 Let’s look at some of the images I have saved and i will try to tell you  about my observations…………..

There is not only one color of checks in this room, but two. I find this room charming but it is not cute to me. Why? because in this room the lines and the style of the furniture keep it more sophisticated.

This image has furniture with a totally different style and lines than the first image and yet I still find this sophisticated. I think the grounding factor of the black and the addition of the nail heads keep this from being “cute!”

via Southern Accents

This borders on cute for me. I think the trim on the pillows points it towards that direction. The use of color here makes it stay out of cute territory. The size of the check is also a noticeable element that makes it a bit more sophisticated.

Color plays a big part here in keeping this from going towards cute for me. The scale of the check is large enough to make an important statement in the room and yet the subtle beige color keeps it from being cute.

Hmmmmm? This is interesting to me. I am a lover of blue and white and pops of green. I have always found blue and white porcelain to be a classic accessory, so why is  this is looking a bit cute to me? Two things jump out to me. The scale of the check is smaller and the fun little church takes this into “Cute -land” for me.

Neutral colors and the style of the modern looking take on the wing chair is the driving force away from cute. Yet, this is a small scaled check just like the blue so maybe it is more color choice than scale that will make the difference to me.

I like the large scale of the blue and white check here and yet it goes a little towards cute!! Why? Because of the colors it is paired with. The wall color is too matchy and bright. Adding the touch of shell pink on the inside of the shelf definitely takes it towards cute.

I am a lover of black and white as you all know that by now. I am finding this almost cute, and in this image it is because of the style of the over-sized chair. I think the larger rolled arm is what is making it almost cute, but I still really like this image. The black grounds it and the rope table adds a nice element of texture here.

I like the larger scale of this check.  The golden-beige and cream color of the check are what keep this from being cute.

Although this is a bit too many checks for me I still find the color and scale of this check to stay away from cute.

 

Simple lines and large scale make this sophisticated to me. Looking more closely at this room you will see stripes in the table and polka-dots in the cache’ pots  holding the topiaries.

 I will have to admit, it is hard to make a polka-dot look anything but cute, but I am sure it probably can be done.(note to self, good idea for a future post!)

I am finding this to be a bit cute. The ruffled pillows and the overtly thematic sea-side room makes it go into cuteness for me.

In this image we have the same scale and color of the previous image. I know the blue is a bit more grayed in this image, but it is still in the blue family.

 However, this room is so classically beautiful because of the amazing lines of the antique gold gilded bed. There are ruffles in the room and yet this room does not read cute at all.

Red and white checks can read very cute to me and this one borders on cute. I think the lines of the furniture keep it from being too sweet. The bedding pushes it towards cute with its small scale and floral pattern.

Color, scale, style and the lines of the chairs in this image make this anything but cute. This room is full of character and texture and nice neutral color palette. I love this room.

via Cote de Texas 

Same room different angle.

This image has curves and ruffles and yet the neutral palette and texture in the surrounding objects keep it from being cute.

This has more checks than I can handle and it it mixed with a darling Swedish floral stripe on the vintage bench. I think because of the abundance of the checks and the sweetness of the bench fabric this is almost cute to me. I am finding there is a fine line for me that will take a check into cute-land.

So, there you have it!! My study on why some checks look cute to me and others can still remain sophisticated and charming.

Here is what I discovered:

1. Larger scaled checks look less cute to me.
2. A small scaled check will be charming if done in a neutral color.
3. By pairing a check to cute accessories whether the check is large or small it will still look cute to me.
4. The lines of the furniture need to be more on the straight side if upholstered in a check.
5. Upholstering a classic piece of furniture in a check will still not make it look cute.
6. Furniture that is too curved or overly stuffed can tend to go towards cute more easily than a straight lined piece.
7. Certain colors of checks will look cute to me. The color and the scale combination is what I have to be aware of.
8. A red and white check will almost always feel cute to me unless it is in a large scale. The same thing with blue and whites or yellow and whites.

I am now very aware of what types of checks will remain sophisticated and charming to me for the future.

Thank you for taking this journey with me!!

Enjoy the Process Of:

Deciding what is acceptable to you when it comes to certain patterns and designs.

Kathysue