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Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta!

Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta!

It’s a big day when paint company Pantone announces their Color of the Year. The 2023 Pantone Color of the Year, Viva Magenta, is a color that is already trending in the fashion and beauty world and now it’s making its way into interior design.

Just like in previous years, Pantone’s choices for this year’s trending colors are rooted in nature. But Pantone always chooses a color that has a little more edge than other paint companies.

Last year, Pantone chose Very Peri as their Color of the Year, a daring and carefree blue shade that was certainly bolder than the other blue and green shades that were trending. And this year we see a similar interior color trend, the colors are warmer and in Pantone’s case a lot bolder.

Read on to learn more about Viva Magenta, the Pantone Color of the Year 2023, and how you can use this bold color in your interiors, and sometimes enhanced, or subdued with complimentary color schemes.

Make any space come alive with a pop of Viva Magenta

A Deeper Dive into the Origin, Meaning, and Nuances of Viva Magenta

The story behind Viva Magenta is all about the balance between our digital and physical lives. In recent years, we have responded and reacted with a greater pull toward the natural world, and the Pantone Color of the Year 2023 is chosen to reflect our pull toward natural colors and the movement surrounding sustainability, and ecology.

In recent years, and perhaps as a response to covid and lockdowns, etc., an increased love for nature has also been reflected in our homes, not just with paint colors but also by adding plants, florals (live flowers, prints, and wallcoverings), and living walls to our interiors. And by paying more attention to our outdoor spaces.  

Our current lifestyle trends are at the heart of the Color of the Year selection process. And Pantone feels that Viva Magenta is the perfect rich shade for these times. The origin of Viva Magenta comes from the cochineal beetle. This insect produces carmine dye, one of the most precious, strongest, and brightest colors of the natural dye family.

This year’s color merges the richness, warmth, and strength of the natural world with the rich, open horizons of the digital world. The result is a red shade that celebrates life, Viva Magenta is a bold shade that also adds a fun touch to your home.

Viva Magenta adds fun pops of color to your spaces.

How Viva Magenta Can Be Used In Your Home

For a bold statement, you can opt for a magenta feature wall or sofa. But it can also be added as an accenting pop of color through curtains, rugs, pillows, or flowers. Viva Magenta certainly adds a warm and dramatic tone to any room of the house.

Living Rooms are a Great Place to Start

One interior photo shows how you can test the waters with one or two pieces of furniture. Sure, it’s a bit of a commitment, but it also makes a lovely bold statement.

Testing the waters with Viva Magenta furniture.

This living room shows a neutral base with white walls, shelves, and furniture that is spruced up with a bold pink rug.

Viva Magenta bold pink rug.

If pink walls are a bridge too far for you, consider painting the ceiling. Ceilings are often a forgotten component, but you can add such an impactful colorful statement to any room by painting the ceiling as you can see in this photo of a home library crowned with a hot pink ceiling.

Viva Magenta on the ceiling? Of course!

Pink on pink in this home. The living room walls are painted in an earthy pink shade which is complimented by a hot pink sofa in a traditional style.

Earthy pink walls, Viva Magenta sofa.

A bold pink shade creates a stunning feature wall in the living room.

A Viva Magenta accent wall showcases artwork.

And this living area mixes up color quite nicely.

Mixing up color nicely in the living area with Viva Magenta.

Viva Magenta in Kitchens

This home is festooned with colorful wallpapers. But their love for color continues with this hot pink kitchen. The boldness of these rich pink kitchen cabinets looks pretty stunning.

Viva Magenta in the kitchen.

Another room where two pink shades have been combined. Soft pastel pink cabinets and walls are combined with a hot pink tablecloth for a bold color accent in a colorful apartment. This is a very simple way to anchor a deep richness into this kitchen space.

A Viva Magenta tablecloth anchors a deep richness with the lighter pink cabinetry.

This family home is packed with color and in the kitchen/dining area they placed a hot pink rug on the floor for visual impact, warmth, and depth.

Another easy test of the color of Viva Magenta is to use a dining area rug.

This kitchen in a midcentury home combines green cabinets and walls with deep pink tiles. It shows that green and pink are a great color combination together.

Viva Magenta backsplash kitchen tile.

Detouring from the kitchen, and going back to the living room, here is another green and pink example showing a playful pop of color in a more traditional sofa setting.

Viva Magenta pillows and a throw mix it up with green in a traditional living room setting.

You can add bold color accents with textiles, decor, and art but why not make a statement with furniture? These built-in cabinets add a vibrant pink color touch to a blue and white kitchen.

Viva Magenta built in kitchen area cabinets.

This Bold Color in Bedrooms

To make a bold pink like Pantone’s Viva Magenta truly pop you can combine it with darker color tones. This moody gray bedroom shows exactly that, the walls and floor are painted in a dark shade but with a pink throw and rug, you add a joyful pop to the room.

A pink throw and rug add playful pop to this moody bedroom.

Again, a room where two shades of pink are combined. This pink bedroom in a colorful family home combined a plaster pink shade with a bold pink/reddish rug.

This pink bedroom in a colorful family home combined a plaster pink shade with a bold Viva Magenta rug.

We’ve already seen hot pink as an accent color in the bedroom but you can paint the walls as well as this attic bedroom shows.

You can paint the walls Viva Magenta for a bright colorful effect, as this attic bedroom shows.

Pantone’s Viva Magenta Color Palette

Pantone has also released a color palette with complimentary shades for Viva Magenta. This color palette mainly features light, neutral, natural shades that will make the Pantone Color of the Year 2023 stand out.

Pantone's complementary color palette for Viva Magenta.

top row: Pale Dogwood – Gray Sand – Gray Lilac – Viva Magenta
bottom row: Pale Khaki – Fields of Rye – Agate Gray – Plein Air

Besides these neutral color tones, you may have noticed other color combinations in the images here. For a natural look, you can combine Viva Magenta with green and blue. If you want the 2023 color to really stand out you can combine it with dark gray. Or you can go for a full pink look, where dusty pink tones form the neutral base of your room with magenta color accents.

Viva Magenta adds the right amount of pop in this already colorful bathroom. It's very much at home with the rich blue and other accent colors.

How do you feel about the Pantone Color of the Year 2023: Viva Magenta? Do you enjoy the bold color, or is it too much for you? Truth be told, I’m still forming my opinion, but some of you will have immediate gut reactions to it. Let me know your thoughts, especially if you’d like to explore using this color in your spaces – I can help you test the waters.

If this bold rich magenta color for 2023 has inspired you, and you’d like to see how to incorporate it into your spaces, I’m always available for consultations. Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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Warm tones, expanded monochrome color palettes, and lovely asymmetry are some key floral design trends for 2022.

Floral Design for Home Decor: Trends for 2022-2023

From single, lonely monstera leaves to luxurious compositions of roses and peonies – some are wondering how to decorate their home with flowers in a modern and stylish way? Let’s explore some favorite trends of floral design for 2022-2023.

The key themes of recent floral trends are seasonality, minimalism, practical solutions, calm and romantic palette. There are fewer and fewer bulky, lush bouquets in interiors. These days, florists are preferring monochrome and simplicity. Practical and durable compositions of dried flowers, grasses, and artificial plants have become favorites of interior designers lately. Let’s dive a bit deeper into what else is currently relevant in home floral design.

Warmth And Tenderness in Floral Design

Warm floral colors are welcoming.

Who doesn’t want to plunge into these warm, inviting colors? Modern florists are increasingly using shades of a warm, earthy palette: light coral, mustard, brown, peach, orange, dark pink, flesh. One of the most desired colors of 2022, according to the choice of the Pantone Institute, is Living Coral, their color of the year for 2019 – its warmth and vibrancy have lingered on.

Fresh peonies of this shade, together with orange berries and brown lisianthuses, look very gentle and cozy. Such bouquets bring an extra degree of warmth and comfort to the house. Visually, earthy shades add a bit of depth.

Guests From Fields And Gardens

Enhance your arrangements with home-grown beauties.

The eco-trend has not spared floral design either. Small, modest bouquets with the inclusion of field and garden flowers are welcome: daisies, cornflowers, zinnias, asters, marigolds, etc. With the right approach, they can turn out to be chic compositions that are not inferior in aesthetics to proud roses and pampered orchids.

In a bouquet with expensive, varietal flowers, garden and field plants will remove unnecessary pathos and give the composition a zest, relying on the tenderness and beauty of the wild.

Beautiful Asymmetry

The fashionable asymmetrical bouquet is well suited for modern styles

Floristry has lifted asymmetrical design from the world of catwalks, where models showed extravagant asymmetrical outfits. Now it is no longer necessary to carefully align the head of the bouquet: on one side, the stems may well protrude more than the others, or the color scheme may be brighter than on the other side. Such unusual compositions are quite ready to become an art object in interior decor.

The fashionable asymmetrical bouquet is well suited for modern styles: eclecticism, postmodernism, avant-garde, fusion, pop art, grunge, etc. Such compositions will definitely attract attention, so they can be placed on key areas in the interior.

Herbs in Floral Design? Of Course

In minimalist interiors, you'll often find arrangements composed entirely of decorative herbs or even single leaves.

From ordinary ears of corn to South American pampas – what kind of herbs are not used in bouquets these days? This makes the compositions appear lush and rich in texture. Many traders in the field of floristry note an increase in interest in herbs in 2022 and predict the further development of this trend in the next year.

In minimalist interiors, you’ll often find arrangements composed entirely of decorative herbs or even single leaves. They look stylish and unusual. Trending herbal plants for 2022-20: wild oats, palm trees, miscanthus, haretail, brunia, fern, ruscus, etc.

The popularity of the South American pampas is growing. Designers are utilizing pampas grass to create bold, voluminous compositions that are sometimes even suspended from the ceiling. The grass dries well and can last in this form for more than one year.

Refined Monochrome

"analog" or related shades: for example, pink hydrangeas along with purple carnations, coral peonies, and fuchsia bush roses.

It’s not about a bouquet of roses of the same color. The idea is about “analog” or related shades: for example, pink hydrangeas along with purple carnations, coral peonies, and fuchsia bush roses. And for freshness, you can add white flowers and greens.

There can be many options for such a mono-mix. Thanks, perhaps, to the smooth iridescence of one color, or adjacent shades and textures of others, eyes will always find something to delight in. The compositions are restrained and touching. With the help of an expanded monochrome floral palette, you can soften contrasting tones in an interior and make a smoother visual transition.

Oriental Zen

Asian influence can create an oasis of calm in floral designs.

The culture of the East has been a source of inspiration to countless designers for decades and decades now. Japanese minimalism has firmly taken its place in contemporary interior design along with the sophisticated art of ikebana. Ornate and at the same time laconic combinations of colors and natural materials have a timeless, sophisticated appeal.

When exploring ikebana, you’ll also find bonsai – another echo of the culture of Ancient Japan. It is not genetic dwarfing but is the art of keeping a tree small enough to be container-grown while otherwise fostered to have a mature appearance. This style is loved by many modern designers and included in projects in minimalist, oriental, neoclassical, Scandinavian, and even industrial styles. Western florists have recognized the apricot mini-tree as a recent big favorite.

Practical Dried Flowers

Dried flowers in floral design can make a lovely arrangement.

A few years ago dried flowers occasionally supplemented fresh bouquets, but now mixes of dried flowers have become a fashionable interior decor treatment, which is likely to continue into 2023. You can probably imagine small and large bouquets with dried lavender, poppies, eucalyptus, oats, yarrow, ears of wheat, etc. providing visual aesthetics on windowsills, shelves, and coffee tables.

Despite the fragility and lack of aroma, dried flowers are more economical, do not require special care, and can delight the eye much longer than natural flowers. And if they are placed behind glass and hung on the wall, then their service life is practically unlimited. Some even add dried tropical fruits to the composition of dried flowers. In addition to classic vases, dried bouquets can be beautifully hung, covered with a glass bell, assembled in a wicker basket, mug, or wall panel.

Hot Tropics

Orchids are very popular tropicals in floral design.

Echoing the trend of tropical flora featured in decoration and decor items, floral design experts suggest including exotic plants in home interiors: all kinds of palm trees, orchids, frangipani, succulents, citrus fruits.

Orchids are increasingly being placed in clear plastic or glass containers to expose intricate root plexuses. Thanks to this, the plant looks more natural, and the container does not visually burden the interior (although the right vase or container can absolutely make a setting).

Silk Flowers

Modern technology makes artificial flowers indistinguishable from living arrangements.

Today artificial flowers, like dried flowers, are not bad manners. Thanks to high technology and modern materials, latex and silicone plants are increasingly difficult to distinguish from real ones. International traders have noted this year an unprecedented demand for artificial flowers to decorate private homes, shop windows, and buildings. Aesthetics have become much more practical.

The Finishing Factor

Vases and containers with bold shapes and volumetric geometric patterns will fit perfectly into modern interiors.

And finally, let’s talk about containers for plants. Classic, minimalist glass and ceramic vases are still relevant. But there is growing interest in substantial containers made of concrete, brass, copper. A light touch of aging on vases is in fashion, which is achieved with the help of special patinas and other processes applied to the material.

Vases and containers with bold shapes and volumetric geometric patterns will fit perfectly into modern interiors. For Christmas, florists are predicting a boom for copper leaves and 1970s-style hexagonal vases.

I’m Always Here to Help with Fresh Floral Design Ideas

Floral designs can bring art, style, color and eye appeal into your spaces.

If you’d like to spruce up your interiors with some trending floral styling, I’m always available for a consultation to help you decide on the best arrangements, colors, and materials to enhance your home or business. There are so many options and always an abundance of solutions for any decor need.

If that sounds like a plan, let’s talk more about decorating your spaces with current floral design trends. Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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Adding plants can breathe new life into your spaces

Decorating with Plants Can Breathe New Life Into Your Spaces.

Bring a touch of the outdoors inside and add some warmth to your spaces

You know the joy that greenery can bring to a home. Decorating with plants and flowers adds a pop of color and a breath of fresh air to an interior that is hard to replicate any other way. Now just imagine the above photo without the stately fiddle fig or the sumptuous orchid. A lot less inviting, right? Plants just add a natural (living) warmth to a space.
plants make this space more inviting
Infusing your home with green leafy plants helps to make your space feel fresh and have a welcoming atmosphere, not to mention they help purify your air and create positive Feng Shui energy. And all of that together creates a space that feels homey and cozy and also nicely styled.
interiors are more inviting with plants

Decorating with plants is something anybody can do

Gardening isn’t just for people with backyards and floral budgets, either. Anyone can be an indoor gardener. You can grow a ficus in your living room, create a permanent centerpiece of succulents, add some flowing ivy vines in your kitchen, add a miniature topiary or a creeping fig in the bathroom. Spend your free time building delicate fairy gardens (or mermaid gardens) to line your kitchen windows, grow herbs in the windowsill. or create a tiny garden on your balcony.
simple but beautiful tray with plants

Breathe easy with the beauty of plants

Adding plants to your interiors will not only beautify your home but will also help to improve your home’s indoor air quality. According to the EPA, the average American home’s interior air quality is much more toxic than that of the air outside. This is why decorating your home with plants is the perfect solution, working double duty as a decorative accessory and filtering your air.
a simple addition adds oomph to this bedroom.

A little living beauty goes a long way

Now you can see why green plants will help to breathe life into any space. I have many examples here, of how plants can beautify your spaces, and add that welcoming warmth to your home. If any of these inspire you, let me know which are your favorites. I’d love to come up with some suggestions as to how plants can add a breath of fresh air into your interiors.
Pops of color abound once you add plants.
Just a few key plants make all the difference.

Now there is one thing to remember

If you have small children or furry friends in your home, some indoor plants can be toxic, especially for our family pets, who often will chew on the leaves or flowers of plants. Here is a link to the ASPCA which has lists of common plants toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. And here is a list of common houseplants dangerous to children. The good news is that most houseplants are safe for infants and toddlers. If you click on the link, scroll down a bit in the article to view the actual list. You can do additional searches to determine if any plants you might be interested in could be a problem. The most important thing is to keep our little ones safe and well.
Notice how palms add sweeping arcs and flair to the space.
If you’d like to explore how plants can brighten and enliven your interiors, I’m always available for a consultation to help you decide on the best plants for your levels of light, and ease of maintenance and other conditions in your home or business. There are so many options and almost always perfect solutions for any space. If interested, let’s talk more about decorating with plants. Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.
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Warm, bright, colorful interior

Interior Design Trends to Know in 2021

With all of us having to stay in our homes and turning inward, the past year has created a push towards new interior design trends for 2021. It used to be that our homes were a place for just a part of our lives. Much of the day was spent at the workplace, with a commute by train, bus, or car on either end. Often, we’d have plans for before and after work too: maybe an early morning spin class, or a dinner at a favorite neighborhood restaurant. Simply put: many of us weren’t actually in our houses or apartments that much.

The coronavirus pandemic changed all that. Now, much of America is working, socializing, exercising (and, well, doing almost everything that ends in -ing) from our homes. And as we adjust the way we live, we’re also adjusting the spaces we live in.

So it makes sense that when several top interior designers were asked what home trends we’re likely to see in 2021, one word dominated above all: comfort. “Comfort, practicality, and making your home your sanctuary on every level,” says Martyn Lawrence Bullard. “Comfort in all forms is becoming more paramount,” says Timothy Corrigan. “Comfort over concept,” says Roman and Williams co-founder Robin Standefer. “The importance of comfort, wellness, and sustainability will continue to be a priority,” says Sheila Bridges.

comfortable sofas, living room, calm colors

2021 interior design trends: It’s All About Comfort – So What Does Comfort Look Like?

What does comfy look like, exactly? Think plushy, sink-into furniture, chestnut woods, warm colors, overflowing bookshelves (but not the color-coordinated kind, rather, ones stocked with tattered covers of novels you’ve read and loved). Less mass-produced furniture and more reworking of passed-down family pieces or ones you already own. (There’s nothing more thrilling than giving new life to ancestral pieces,” says Kathryn Ireland.) Fluffy towels, luxurious candles, objets d’art from local artisans rather than e-commerce giants. Essentially: “The trend is to embrace what lasts, what’s well made, and what makes you smile,” says Standefer.

We will also be reworking our homes to, well, work: as offices remain closed across the country, people are investing in making their own Zoom-friendly spaces.

As a result of our newfound focus on 24/7 livability, some previously hot trends are falling fast out of favor. The decline of mid-century modern, once the design choice du jour, continues: “While the mid-century look was very popular, now that people are actually hanging out in their living spaces for hours at a time, there is a strong trend towards furniture that is big on soft, comfy sofas and chairs that allow you to lounge with ease,” says Timothy Corrigan. Robert McKinley also predicts a similar fate for another style: minimalism. “I think minimalism will begin to go by the wayside in 2021,” he says. “As we spend more time in our homes, we need more objects to hold our attention. All that empty space can be suffocating.” Oh, and perhaps back off of the beige. “The all-beige catalog look is out,” proclaims Ireland. “Be bold and decorate with conviction.”

 

How the Experts See Interior Design Trending for 2021

2021 interior design trends

Seven experts share how unprecedented times will affect interior tastes and the trends they will usher in.

“With everyone spending more time at home, there is a renewed emphasis on rooms that not only look good but can live up to increased use. Durability will continue to be more important and we will see a rise in using outdoor materials inside the home: there are so many great outdoor fabric options that allow you to make a mess and not worry about the clean-up, without having to sacrifice beauty.” -Timothy Corrigan,  Timothy Corrigan Inc.

“Wallpaper and pattern play will continue to dominate rather than subtle, more monochromatic schemes.” -Sheila Bridges, Sheila Bridges Home

“As we spend more time in our homes, we need more objects to hold our attention—all that empty space can be suffocating. I’m not advocating for clutter, however. I’d say that 2021 will be a year of attributing meaning to carefully selected pieces—the year of the craftsperson, the artist, the artisan.” -Robert McKinley, Studio McKinley

statement piece of furniture

“Most of us used to just sleep and shower in our spaces, but now people are really investing more time, money, and energy into decor details, bringing meaningful small goods and statement pieces into their homes. We’re paying attention to everything from what we’re drinking water out of, to the kind of bath towels we use.” -Harry Nuriev, Crosby Studios

Bringing More Warmth into Our Environments

“We are loving warm cinnamon and marigolds. Those rich oranges, chestnuts, warm woods, bring some heat and spice to a room.” -Robin Standefer and Steven Alesch, Roman and Williams

the warm chestnut colors, woods

“Real decorating is back in—colors, textures, a mix of old and new. Repurpose things. Shuffle artwork around. Move furniture to another room. Re- accessorize what you have rather than starting over. Keep the pieces that have meaning.” -Kathryn M. Ireland

“Out for 2021. . . rooms with no purpose, rooms only used for high days and holidays, furniture that has no other function but to make a statement. In 2020 we learned our lives are for living and need to be lived out in the best way we possibly can. Needless excess is out, functionality and duality in the home is in.” -Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design

“We will see less beige and grey and more green, pink, and my favorite color, blue.” -Harry Nuriev

“Everyone can be transported through the use of pattern and color (muted and grounded shades mixed with brighter and more hopeful colors like yellows or bright greens).” -Sheila Bridges

bright cheery colorful walls and furniture

Brighter Spaces Putting Smiles on Faces

“Crisp, clear colors are continuing to grow in popularity with yellows, light blues/turquoises, and greens being used to brighten up spaces and put a smile on your face during these challenging times.” -Timothy Corrigan

comfortable furnishings living room

“I think we will move away from grand, sweeping styles and towards a rawer, more casual aesthetic. Homes will become textural and layered with elements of warmth—grounded elements. I expect that we will see design that is more regional and place-based than ever.” -Robert McKinley

“With people spending hours on Zoom calls, there has been an increase in popularity for table lamps that provide a soft glow on your face and counteracts the harshness of recessed overhead lighting that is found in so many homes today.” -Timothy Corrigan

“Sustainability is a consideration in design that will remain important—2020 slowed us down and made us take stock of our consumption. Sustainable, durable brands will continue to grow in prominence, especially in the home space.” -Robert McKinley

If you would like to introduce any of these interior design trends for 2021 into your space(s), I’m always here to help you with that. Just message me here, right below this blog post or at the “contact” link, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And call me anytime at: (407) 947-7718.

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The Christmas Decorators - Soho Interior Design

Christmas Will Be Here Before You Know It!

Soho Interior Design offers The Christmas Decorators.

Just a reminder to everyone that booking early to have me and my Christmas Decorators team dress up your home or business for the holidays is a great way to avoid last-minute frustration! Our available slots tend to fill up fast! We’ve been doing Christmas decorating for 5 years now, and have several very pleased repeat clients. If you’re hosting a Christmas or holiday-time party or having family visit for the holidays, we can decorate your home and create that warm, inviting Christmastime vibe!

If you think you’ll be in town and want your home done up for the holidays, early booking is a great way to lock things in. Click this link to check out some of my past holiday projects, showcased on my website. We’d love to customize your home for your Christmas! Just click the contact link on this website and message me here, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com. And, of course, you can call me anytime at: (407) 947-7718. It’s easy to book The Christmas Decorators!

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Holiday Decor that Lasts from Thanksgiving to Christmas

Holiday Decor that Lasts from Thanksgiving to Christmas

Here are some ways to keep your decor fresh throughout the holiday season with these easy tips and ideas. I’s easy to transition your holiday decor from Thanksgiving to Christmas with a few simple updates if you like, but these should cover your needs for the entire season.
 

Gather Ornaments in a Bowl
It’s never too early to unpack a pretty collection of ornaments, especially when you have a handsome way of displaying them. Take this silver bowl: It’s a lovely receptacle for ornaments. A few striped balls add just a pop of color. Tip: Try changing the color, finish, or shape for visual variety that blends seamlessly with your non-holiday decor.

Craft a Fruity Wreath
Place this lush, harvest-themed wreath on your mantel for a fresh-and-fruity take on holiday decor. To form the leafy wreath, we bunched lemon leaves and secured them around a wreath frame with floral wire. A little hot-glue joins faux pears, oranges, and nuts together, and a quick wrap in floral wire binds the fruity grouping to the wreath. You can use real fruit, if preferred, but we recommend faux fruit for long-lasting cheer.

 

Pile On the Apples
Make a modern cornucopia by piling Granny Smith apples, pine cones and greenery in a vintage suitcase. Double the visual impact by using the open suitcase top as a frame for your favorite winter photograph; just use double-sided tape to secure the image in place.

Dress Up Inexpensive Ornaments
Paint and glitter can be fantastic helpers to create miniature focal points around your house. For example, classic gray paint and a dusting of glitter add contrast and sparkle to ordinary decorations. Wrap a tiny box in neutral paper and add pinecones and greenery for color.
 

Play Up Natural Holiday Elements
Tuck a small vase inside a larger glass urn and fill the space between the two with mixed nuts. Fill the small vase with water and add fresh flowers or greenery.

Mismatch Glass Pieces for Your Mantel
To make your mantel holiday-ready in minutes, pair a few red-hue glasses, votives, vases, and champagne flutes together and fill with mini white candles. Tuck a few real or faux berries around the containers for a lovely interior accent that will please no matter the season.
 

Combine Colors and Accents
Pinecones evoke autumn, while silver and blue often call to mind winter. A deft combination of the two provides a dramatic yet easy decorating accent. Here, various shades of spray paint transform the textural beauty of pinecones.

Enhance Your Staircase with Twigs
Tie bundles of bare tree and winterberry branches to the spindles on your staircase for an autumnal look. After Thanksgiving, tie pine boughs to the branches with pretty velvet ribbon, and wire Christmas ornaments around the velvet ribbon for extra color.
 

Mix Fruit, Greenery, and Pinecones
For decorations that smoothly transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, start with neutral basics. A beveled-edge mirror topped with simple white candles creates a classic foundation. For Thanksgiving add a simple fall garland and mini pumpkins. When Christmas draws near, replace harvest elements with pine boughs, clementines, and pinecones (as shown).

Combine Greenery and Ornaments
Trays filled with ornaments make a great holiday centerpiece. For warmth, temper the shine with small sprigs of greenery and miniature pinecones tucked between the ornaments or even inside small vases. Keep the vibe casual with a smattering of larger pinecones placed around or underneath the container.

If you’d like help in creating a lovely holiday mood for your home, email me at: Carmen Dick or call me at: (407) 947-7718 and we can discuss possibilities.

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Pantone's Color of the Year for 2018 is (drumroll please)...Ultra Violet!

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2018 is (drumroll please)…Ultra Violet!

Just the name sounds powerful and mysterious, but this color is a strong bluish violet, that the Pantone Color Institute says is ‘inventive and imaginative, Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come. A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.’

Pantone is an international color-matching system, the industry standard, that provides complete matching of standardized color for all materials used in interior design, architecture, manufacturing and related industries (like textiles) and printing. If you have a brand color or colors – or just something you’re trying to match precisely – it’s likely Pantone will be involved in the process.

Laurie Pressman, vice-president of the Pantone Colour Institute, said: “The Pantone colour of the year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design; it’s truly a reflection of what’s needed in our world today.” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the institute, said: “We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to Pantone 18-3838 ultra violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level.”

So back to Ultra Violet. Wow, at first blush, it looks pretty intense, a bit tough to dive into. But the more I spent studying it, I could see a variety of ways to use it that would not only enhance, but totally beautify designs. And when I went online and looked at how some people have already used the color in their design work, I was blown away, and I’ll be sharing some of those images with you below. This bold, blue-tinged purple hue, while highly regal, is not as easy to decorate with as a color like blue, for example. But here are a few ways to work Ultra Violet into interiors:

Use it as an accent – The easiest way to start decorating with a new color is to take baby steps, like having a rug with a few violet threads, or a pair of purple throw pillows, or a few sprigs of violet flowers (or lilacs) in a vase.

Soften it with other purples, pinks, and blues – This is a great way to utilize a bold color like Ultra Violet, by working with other shades in the same family of colors – mauve, blue, blush lilac, etc. – which will soften it and have the color feeling completely at home.

Create a moody theme – “Moody” is a great description of purple, dark and romantic. A very bold approach would be to embrace other supersaturated dark colors and rich luxe fabrics like leather, velvet and dark-colored woods. Big, bold…deep and intense…are you up for it?

So check out some examples of some wonderful interiors utilizing this new color in various ways (isn’t Pinterest great?!). Of course these designs are copyrighted by their respective designers, but that’s what PInterest and Google are for…inspiration! Have at it – and let me know what you think, if you find yourself inspired with this vibrant, interesting, rich new color for 2018. Is this color inspiring you? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com or call me at: (407) 947-7718


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Flowers for Baby Jack's Baby Shower

Flowers for Baby Jack’s Baby Shower

One of my closest friends asked me to create centerpieces for her daughter-in-law’s baby shower.

I was so excited, particularly since I love working with flowers, and know how they can set the tone for an event. I wanted to make some joyful and memorable pieces, but never something to interfere with what really counts: the joyful emotions and experiences taking place at the event itself. Color choices are very important, and since it was a boy, I selected baby blue hydrangea for the key color component. I also chose white roses for a baby’s purity and innocence, along with Bells of Ireland, beautiful outward-reaching greens signifying thriving good health and growth. Together, these colors would weave a subtle story of love and promise. For the overall shape, I was inspired by an arrangement I had at home, and once I got going, the organization of the elements came naturally…and beautifully! My friend was so pleased with the result, and the guests all wanted to take them home. The event itself was such a joy, and my friend is a proud, beaming Grandmother of a happy, healthy…and loud baby boy!

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