Many of you know that Pantone recently chose "Radiant Orchid" as 2014's Color of the Year. I have read some comments online in which posters state that Pantone has made a mistake with this choice. I personally am not a huge fan of a full-on orchid room. However, I think the color can look quite elegant in small doses or tempered with brown, gold or shades of blue. Orchid is the perfect partner for green - in home decor, as in nature. Mixing shades of lavender, amethyst, plum, lilac and mauve can create a soothing palette. Here are my picks for rooms inspired by Pantone's favorite new shade . . .


Photo via Pantone's website.

"Several shades of lavender give this guest room a sweet personality, ranging from barely-there lavender on the walls to near-purple banding on the coverlets. An elegant lavender print was chosen for the twin beds' upholstered headboards. Guests share a nightstand, but get their own reading lights for comfort. An illuminated oil painting serves as a refined focal point."

"A sitting area in the living room accommodates a sophisticated work space. Blanched wood paneling establishes the office area, while a sisal rug stretches into the living area and ties the room together. Clean lines and crisp, creamy upholstery give the room a mature and contemporary feel; floor-to-ceiling windows drench the space in light. Touches of lavender lend a feminine feel."
Home in Tanglewood, a Houston, Texas, neighborhood.
Interior decoration by homeowner Virginia Mary Brown.
Architect: Dillon Kyle, Dillon Kyle Architecture.
Photography by Werner Straube.
"Sophisticated Office Spaces" written and produced by Debra Steilen with Lucy Fitzgerald.
Traditional Home.


" 'I love the soft plum color Flamboyant by Para Paints,' explains executive editor Alice Lawlor. 'I used a similar shade in my ensuite bathroom. I was worried about going with such a strong color, but it really brings warmth and character to a space that would otherwise be dominated by white subway tile and grey marble accents."
Designer: Joel Bray.
Photography by Angus Fergusson.
"Paint Pick: Flamboyant"
Canadian House and Home (October 2012).

"The living room is alluringly feminine with its subtle range of purples: amethyst, lavender, lilac, plum. Walls are Benjamin Moore's mauvey Driftscape Tan."
Home in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Interior design by Hal Williamson, Williamson Designs.
Photography by John Kernick.
Interview by Mimi Read.
"Change it with Romance" produced by Mary Emmerling.
House Beautiful (October 2008).

"Antique flatware with mother-of-pearl handles flanks gold-trimmed lavender porcelain. An assemblage of randomly-placed clear tealight holders imbue elegance to the outdoor setting."
Event planner: Rachel Hollis, Chic Events.
Photography by Colleen Duffley.
"Entertaining: Patio Party with Recipestext by Krissa Rossbund.

" 'Who said blondes have more fun? Don't believe it. We brunettes are so much more versatile. We can swing with any color, like this lavender. It's neither old-fashioned nor too crisp. Totally relaxing to live with. I use it as a neutral, with brown mohair, white duck, dark plum linen. Mahogany furniture looks great in these rooms, and so do we.' " - Whitney Stewart.
Paint color: Providence C2-6264 from C2 Paint.
Photography by Francis Janisch.

"Jamie Drake of Drake Design Associates employed a moody color palette to transform a spacious apartment in a historic New York City building. In the foyer, a Jasmina Danowski painting joins an Herve Van der Straeten lantern from Ralph Pucci International and a Lorin Marsh ottoman."
Nineteenth-century apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
Interior design by Jamie Drake, Drake Design Associates.
Photography by William Waldron.
Text by Jen Renzi.
"A Plum Assignment" produced by Noemi Bonazzi.
Architectural Digest (September 2012).


"The master bedroom is pure creme fraiche, starting with the white Berber carpet. An ivory mohair headboard from Elitis cozies up to two layers of curtains. The zippy fuchsia velvet Louis XV chair adds pop. Painting above it is Much Magenta by Wolf Kahn."
Interior design by Amanda Nisbet, Amanda Nisbet Design.
Photography by Pieter Estersohn.
"Amanda Nisbet's Jewel-Toned Manhattan Apartment" by Carol Prisant.
House Beautiful (March 2008).


Designer Kelli Ford regarding monogrammed bed linens: "They add such a nice personalized touch to the bedroom - a sense of old-world elegance and luxury. You can be conservative and stick with the color scheme of the room, which is always nice, but then you can also pick out a secondary accent color that's a bit more daring. The color palette in my bedroom - the white and the beige and the taupe - is obviously very neutral, so we thought it would be exciting to bring that shade of purple into the mix."
Interior design by Kirsten Fitzgibbons and Kelli Ford, Kirsten Kelli LLC.
Photography by Max Kim-Bee.
"Well-Advised: Kirsten Fitzgibbons and Kelli Ford" by Stephen Singerman.
Veranda.

"An antique chandelier and bergere chair lend a classic, feminine look to this bedroom. [Designer] Sarah [Richardson] chose a stately British Colonial-style armoire for storage and style. The pale lavender ceiling casts a flattering glow."
Interior design by Sarah Richardson Design.
Photography by Stacey Brandford.

"In front of French doors that overlook what [designer] Angela [Free] calls a 'not-so-nice view' sits a settee covered in lavender silk. To handle wear, the seat cushion is covered in mohair of the same hue."
San Francisco Decorator Showhouse.
Interior design by Angela Free, Angela Free Design.
Photography by Michal Venera.
Text by Krissa Rossbund.
"Golden State Glam" produced by Carla Breer Howard.

"Quintessential Drake - amethyst upholstery adds an exotic touch to the lavender bedroom."
Grasscloth wall covering: "Extra Fine Arrowroot"/ Hyacinth #1968 by Phillip Jeffries Ltd.
Checkerboard square rug by Edelman Leather.
1938 Greek Revival home of art consultants Arnie and Elizabeth Lizan.
Interior design by Jamie Drake, Drake Design Associates.
Photography by John Bessler.
"Classic House, Great Color" written and produced by Jenny Bradley.

"The guest room's charm is amplified by [designer Jamie] Drake's attention to detail and color."
1938 Greek Revival home of art consultants Arnie and Elizabeth Lizan.
Interior design by Jamie Drake, Drake Design Associates.
Photography by John Bessler.
"Classic House, Great Color" written and produced by Jenny Bradley.

"You don't have to move to Bali to capture the exotic island look in your bedroom. A 19th-century opium bed airily dressed in a simple white canopy with curtains tied back to the bedposts establishes the South Pacific style of jewelry designer Carolyn Tyler. Lavender terrazzo floors splash the pastel jewel tone underfoot. The oversize tiles also offer a starkly simple counterpoint to the intricate carving of the bed."
Written and produced by Candace Ord Manroe.

"Designed by Caitlin Moran for the San Francisco Showhouse, this home office is drenched in juicy purples. Using wallpaper with oversized royal irises against an orchid-colored background and bold plum for the floor, she turned out a stunningly chic workspace. A simple Parsons desk, typically a silhouette in white, was tinted lavender to give the piece a modern edge. Pinch-pleated draperies in orchid-colored brushed cotton dress the recessed windows and sweep the floor covering, a plum-colored carpet that melts into the baseboard painted to match it."
"Sophisticated Office Spaces" written and produced by Debra Steilen with Lucy Fitzgerald.
Traditional Home

The same wallpaper is available in a different colorway - offering the look of orchids without the purple color . . .

"The powder room was plain and forgettable until [designer Kristen] Panitch gave it personality with Cole and Son's Orchid, 'the wackiest of all wallpapers in the house.' Gilt mirror from Hollyhock."
Home in Los Angeles, California.
Interior design by Kristen Panitch.
Photography by Mikkel Vang.
"Denim Blue Decorating" by Alexandria Mott.
House Beautiful.

"Fuchsia-rimmed porcelain plates trimmed in opulent gold infuse settings with vibrant color in a refined and quiet manner. . . . tangerine-colored linen napkins make a sporty contrast . . . "
Event planner: Rachel Hollis, Chic Events.
Photography by Karyn Millet.
"Great Gatherings: Glamorous Dinner Party - With a Purpose" written and produced by Krissa Rossbund.
Traditional Home

Here is some orchid inspiration from the past:
"Swathed in Christian Dior, embossed satin, the Singer sewing-machine heiress perfectly matches her sitting room. 'Bold colors scare people, and mixing more than one can terrify, but the Honorable Mrs. Fellowes showed how to do it with nose-thumbing aplomb,' says The Aesthete - anonymous author of the now-defunct Aesthete's Lament blog. 'Her sitting room in the English countryside was like a great big petit four, with green marbleized woodwork outlining walls painted in colors like orchid pink. It was an extreme combination - even before the blue-glass chandelier, leopard-spot slipcover and candy-colored Aubusson carpet are factored in - but it worked.' "
Daisy Fellowes's Sitting Room
Photo via Canadian House and Home
Photo credit: Maurice Tabard for British Harper's Bazaar (September 1960).

But perhaps the easiest way to celebrate orchids in 2014 is to place a living flower in your home . . . 

"An etched Venetian mirror and a blue-painted commode were meant to go together."
Home in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Interior design by Hal Williamson, Williamson Designs.
Photography by John Kernick.
Interview by Mimi Read.
"Change it with Romance" produced by Mary Emmerling.
House Beautiful (October 2008).


"A pair of shapely vintage chairs provide a cozy retreat in a sun-drenched corner of the guest room."
1938 Greek Revival home of art consultants Arnie and Elizabeth Lizan.
Interior design by Jamie Drake, Drake Design Associates.
Photography by John Bessler.
"Classic House, Great Color" written and produced by Jenny Bradley.
Traditional Home.

"Silver-plated, trophy-style containers filled with Phalaenopsis orchids match the dinnerware, but make their own colorful statement."
Flowers by R. Jack Balthazar.
Event planner: Rachel Hollis, Chic Events.
 Photography by Karyn Millet.
"Great Gatherings: Glamorous Dinner Party - With a Purpose" written and produced by Krissa Rossbund.
Traditional Home

For additional photos of lavender rooms, please visit my October 2012 post "Lavender Dreams."

For information about live orchids and the custom hybrids created by Chadwick and Son Orchids Inc. in Richmond, Virginia - please see my July 2012 post "Custom Cattleyas." 

Fun fact: the "Orchid" crayon first appeared in the Crayola box in 1949.

What do you think of "Radiant Orchid?"


0 comments:

Post a Comment

 
Top