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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Tag Archives: lavender

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors

11 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Great Outdoors, The Home

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Tags

blue, color, colored decorations, exterior home decor, front porch ideas, lavender, nature, pink, plants, purple, spring, spring colors

As the chilly weather and winter snow thaws away, the colorful and vibrant colors of spring approach. Spring is the time in which life begins again for many deciduous plants including pretty hellebores, daffodils, tulips, and crocus. Animals awaken from a long winter’s hibernation and step into the warm, soothing sunlight. For us humans, it is time to once again step outside our humble abodes and enjoy being outdoors again. Gardens are tilled and prepared for the season’s plantings and décor shielded by the harsh air of winter can be brought out and shown off again. The unhappy shades of gray and brown will eventually become beautiful colors once more. But what are “spring” colors anyway?

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors

While the picture above may appear moderately attractive as a result of the old style windmill, look at the grass, trees, and color within the photo. Brown, gray, and dull – these are the colors apparent in the picture and while perhaps palpable for a few weeks or a month into winter, it truly gets old after too long.

Winter depression is not just a result of the 10 degrees temperature, as you scrape the ice and frost from your vehicle windshield in the morning. It’s also because the colors we see in winter are depressing as well. Colors that brighten our day also brighten our lives, and this is no different when people drive by the house and see brightly colored decorations and flags hanging outside the house.

What colors should you look to decorate with? Well it’s pretty straightforward. First ask yourself: What colors make me happy or which colors brighten my day? The most common colors which fit this description including various shades of pink, including lavender, amaranth, salmon, fuchsia, magenta, and puce. These are all different variations of pink and each represents a different color of spring.
Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Best Moms TV

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Coco Cozy

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Front Porch Ideas and More

A more masculine color of spring includes lighter variations of blue. Some of the best of these to decorate the exterior of your home with include baby blue, Columbia blue, dodger blue, sky blue, powder blue, and turquoise. Blues can be great for painting the small shed in the backyard or light blue window shutters.
Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Country Living

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Luxury for the Home

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Paper Bowls and Lemons

Lilacs are some of my personal favorite springtime flowers because the color violet represents imagination and spirituality. Some other beautiful shades of violet can make for a colorful springtime flower bouquet. Hanging baskets of flowers can be hung outside the house to provide color to your home exterior. Hang some of these baskets up outside the front of the house or on mount them on the patio railing. Make sure to keep them watered too to keep them growing strong into summer!
Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: A Country Farmhouse

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: Coastal Living

Celebrate the Return of Spring with Appropriate Colors
Photo Credit: nonizamboniblue

Spring is a time of new life. By decorating the exterior of your home as such, you’ll really improve the aesthetic value of your home. Not only that but you’ll also feel much better knowing winter is gone, the wheels of spring are churning, and don’t look now but summer is on the way!

{Jason Smith is a home decorator and blogger. He currently writes for Australian Outdoor Living, a provider of decorativeoutdoor blinds. In his spare time, Jason enjoys hosting barbecues and hunting.}

Coastal Cottage

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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Tags

antique, beach, blue, botanicals, coastal, color, cottage, decor, decorating, design, flowers, gray, green, interior design, ivory, lavender, nature, nautical, neutrals, pastels, pink, plaid, purple, rustic, shabby chic, style, texture, vintage, weathered, wood, yellow

Coastal Cottage

Summer brings the warm sun and nature’s beautiful colors. It also brings a breathe of fresh air to a lot of people who love the heat so beaches, parks and lakes are most popular during this season. I personally love beaches, just not in the summer. I always thought the cooler months really brought out the beauty in coastal scenery. When its hot, some of the personality that clear skies and cool breezes brings out in the water and the surroundings is just hidden.

When I think of the water and the vast sea, usually the first thing that comes to mind is relaxation and a calmness. The bluest of nature is the star. When I think of some styles of decor, there is only one that comes to mind that I feel is comfy, soothing and natural as nature and nautical surroundings. That is surely cottage style.

It’s not surprise I love this style. Not only do I represent it in every room of my home it clearly is showcased in a lot of my design work as well. Over the years I have grown to love this style with all my heart. It is where I feel most calm. So I combined my two loves into a style Mother Nature would love herself – Coastal Cottage. Such a great combination.

To successfully create this style in your home there are a few things to remember. When you are choosing colors, let nature lead the way. Pastel blues, greens, pink and purples are just a few of the many hues that are popular. A sunny yellow in the kitchen, a lavender in the bedroom and a blue inspired by dusk for the living room are just a few examples. Always include darker tones that are inspired from nature to help weigh down the space such as warm browns and cool grays. These all help to maintain a peaceful environment.

Coastal Cottage Colors

When deciding on furniture, look for unique pieces that tell a story. Vintage finds play the perfect role in a cottage style space. Warm woods, soft and comfy cushions, patterns and subtle texture; these all help bring the style together. You want your pieces to feel weathered and rustic while showing craftmanship and strength. This allows them to bring character and personality to the space and help it feel lived in and comfortable.

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Accessories are very important because they allow for a cohesive design and help bring your personality to the table. You want them to feel handpicked and important. Textiles such as curtains, tablecloths, blankets and upholstery are key elements here. By showcasing plaids, stripes and botanical prints the cottage style will come alive. Don’t forget to include plants of all types. They will add that natural touch every style needs.

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Be careful about bringing too much nautical in because you don’t want the room to feel like you are the captain of a ship or the preppy kids took over. If so, you can kiss the cottage mix goodbye. You also want to watch the colors you add to the space because using too many reds, blues and greens may bring in that Americana feel. And although that is somewhat incorporated into the cottage style, its not the star. It can easily overwhelm the space and give it a completely different look.

And for all the fun details in between, have fun and make it yours. These next few photos are great examples of this style. Get inspired by this unique look and let it fill your heart with glee. I do everyday.

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Coastal Cottage

Art Inspired Palette: Bomobob

05 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art Inspired Palette, Color Inspiration

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

antique, bomobob, cream, decor, flowers, grass, green, ivory, lavender, nature, pastels, peach, photography, pink, purple, summer, vintage, wedding, wild flowers

If you are looking for gorgeous inspiring photographs, than this shop is the place to find them. Canadian photographer and fellow Etsy shop owner, Bomobob has an incredible collection of art to choose from. Perfect for whatever space or project you are working on, his work is nostalgic, peaceful and beautifully captured.

Although it is hard to pick just one (you will see more of his work in future palettes), for now I chose Pastel Summer. Since spring is finally here I thought this piece was perfect. I love its color scheme with lavender, pinks and creams. The image is so lush and whimsy – I imagine myself laying in the grass among the fields of wild flowers, inhaling the sweet scents of nature. Seems like a perfect moment you wish could last forever.

There is tons of inspiration one can get from these photos. Weddings, parties, showers as well as interior spaces. This one in particular would be a sensational palette for a garden wedding with rustic accents or any event in the spring or summer. Make sure you check out more of Bomobob’s work and also his other shop, Aunt Aggie’s Attic.

Art Inspired Palette: Bomobob

New Series: Photographic Palettes

30 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Color Inspiration, Photographic Palette

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

blue, color, flowers, lavender, nature, pinks, purple, romantic, scheme, seasons, spring awakening

Created for Sensational Color with color expert Kate Smith, this new series of color scheme palettes will feature beautiful photographs of the things we love and inspiring colors for any design. They will be posted once a week so make sure you check in for more!

This is our first palette, Spring Awakening. Let the romantic colors of nature and beauty of spring inspire you to create something amazing.

Palette - Spring Awakening

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