Jelly Jewels

I love the description for this product: "a cheerful ode to urethane".
Soft Gems are squishy faux gems, originally used for costume jewelry, but now utilized for interior treatments. How cool is this panel from Philadelphia's Pod Restaurant? Has anyone been here? The site looks very futuristic and artsy.
What I like is the versatility of the product; here it is used for lamp columns.

My question, as a color fanatic, is: are the gem hues customizable to your specific needs? Not that I don't love the orange, pink, yellow and green palette. But what if someone wanted a cool blue palette, or all purple and reds?

How would you use these flexible panels full of colorful orbs?

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Sparse postings

Just wanted to let you all know I'm traveling to CA to do some house hunting this week. I've got a few posts ready to go, but it might be wee bit lighter than normal. I'm back next week, and will let you know how the search went!

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In the spirit of all that is the hassle of traveling these days- I thought these luggage tags were funny.

In the meanwhile, thanks so much to those of you who have expressed an interest in writing some guest posts for July. There are still some open slots for more articles, so please don't be shy-let me know if you'd like to write a little something about color!

Can you promote green without using it?

The Port of Seattle has a re-designed logo, and some great commentary about the design is on Brand New.
The old logo was maroon, and supposed to represent cranes, containers and the port itself.
The new iteration is intended to represent air land and sea. They are also supposed to represent the three parts of sustainability: economic development, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

As one commenter astutely mentions, it's your standard "eco-friendly palette" at work again.
Here's a snapshot I took during a presentation explaining environmental certification agencies. I was struck by the incredibly similar color palette they all shared.

The update certainly refreshes the brand, but why such muddy murky colors? Perhaps they were chosen to reflect the grayness of Seattle's rainy weather? What do you think?

Want to write for Hue?

I have a request for you all: I am looking for color enthusiasts to write some guest posts for Hue in July while I am moving across the country. If you've considered starting a blog, but don't want to commit to the time it takes to keep it running, or just have some fantastic ideas/ stories/ comments related to color that you'd like to share, please consider contributing! I would need the article(s) with pictures (eye-candy is key!) sometime before the end of June so I could set up the posts to run in July while I'm on the road. Even contributing one post would be fantastic. So, if you are interested, or know someone who might like to get some great exposure, please let me know.

Thanks so much for your help everyone!

Reader Design Dilemma-loft by the Bay

Our latest reader design dilemma from Sarah on the Chesapeake Bay. This one is a little different because the space is still under construction, so you'll have to use your imagination!

I have a loft-like space (a large living/bedroom above the garage) near the Chesapeake Bay. The room has high vaulted ceilings (about 10 feet, though of course the peak is higher), lots of windows, and board and batten extending to 7 feet on the walls. The space has windows on all sides, so gets plenty of light. There is a desk/bookcase unit that divides the space into living and sleeping areas. The furnishings are going to be low and modern.

The space, under construction

An example of the board and batten that will appear in the loft space

In terms of color, I was thinking of a soft grey/blue for the 7ft board & batten section of the walls (something along the lines of Boothbay Gray from Benjamin Moore) and a deeper color above that extending up across the ceiling (perhaps Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy). The color would extend throughout the space (only the bathroom will be different). I will also need an accent color for the central bookcase/desk and the trim.

Alternatively, if we decide not to paint the ceiling, perhaps the Hale Navy for the central bookcase/desk. I would love some more color options for the walls, trim, and central architectural component.

Is this a workable scheme? Or would a dark ceiling feel too oppressive? Do you have any color suggestions? -Sarah

Here are my initial thoughts on Sarah's dilemma. Some things to consider:

1.) How are you going to use the space(s)?

In Sarah's case, it's a multi-use space, with one side dedicated to sleeping, and the other for living. So, given that each side of the space has it's own purpose, it makes sense to divide the space with appropriate colors for each end. This will visually set up the two sides, as well as emphasize the desired mood for each space.

2.) What are the architectural needs of the space(s)?
This expansive loft space has a high peaked roof. If she paints the ceiling dark, it will achieve one effect, while if she paints it light, it will present a totally different solution. Does she want to emphasize the ceiling, drawing attention to it's "loftiness" with a light hue, or does she prefer to make the space feel cozy and intimate, and visually erase the ceiling with a dark tone?

*There is no one right answer, as everyone has different design goals.
For example, here's a really bad picture I shot at my favorite little gelato shop in Baltimore (yum!). They have soft custard yellow walls, and jet black ceilings that just simply disappear. It works really well in this scenario.

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As for colors, each one will have a different effect, depending upon the particular space. What looks bright and fresh in one space might appear dark and somber in another. If you have enough light in a space, it will be able to hold darker colors like Hale Navy.

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For a nautical theme that isn't too cheesy, she could pair blue gray walls with crisp white trim and cheery red accents.

As a rule of thumb, the spaces you see in glossy magazines are generally professionally lit and styled, so don't take the color you see in print to be the same you'll see once it's up on your walls. Always take the chip home, or paint a 2x2' test board first.

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Gray is a tricky character, and will shift depending upon the type of light you get, as well as what it's up against. There are cool grays, warm grays, brown grays, blue grays, green grays... the list goes on. So be sure to look at it's undertone to make sure that's the look you are going for.

What else can I offer... I'd like to get everyone else's opinions and design suggestions on this dilemma. What would you suggest?

Bloggers in print

I was reading one of my weekly favorites, Creative Thursday, and just learned that there is a new magazine out called Artful Blogging.
Granted, this post is a bit of departure from my color-centric articles, but I think it's great that bloggers are getting some recognition, and want to support that effort. More and more blogs pop up every day, and it sure is hard to keep track of all the new goodies out there. I can't wait to see if anyone we know gets covered!

Rainbow of room hues

Oh, how I love to see colorful spaces done well. Domino magazine has an online gallery up of beautiful bright rooms in a rainbow of fruit flavors.

"Theatrical color can distract from flaws. Confederate Red draws the eye from the unassuming laminate cabinets in this rental kitchen."

Be sure to read the little description next to each picture- it's useful to read about the effect they were looking to achieve, or the specific challenges of a particular color.

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Looking at examples of how colors work together is a great way to get ideas for your own space. Worried about that deep rich eggplant color in your dining room? Look for examples of how others have handled that color. You may get an idea you hadn't thought of before!

Color Catastrophe

This just in from reader Holly:
She got this image in some product literature that a carpet rep brought in and wanted to share it with us.

Can you imagine sitting through a meeting in that conference room? It seems like it would be very agitating. And then the hallway...the complete opposite extreme! Grey upon beige upon taupe?

I concur, this space would not be one I would want to spend any period of time trying to concentrate in. Yikes! It would be fun to see what other horrible color mishaps people can find. Let's start a collection of what not to do with color- send in your best examples and we can vote on the worst!

Colorific blog

FYI: there's a brand new color blog in the blogosphere.
Written by Elizabeth Brown, a fellow IACC member, she's just started the site, but I think it's going to be a fantastic source for color information. We eagerly await future posts!

Got your sunglasses ready?

While walking down the hall of an office complex the other day, I came to a screeching halt in front of the most blazing pink doctor's office I have ever seen. So much so, that I snuck in and tried to discreetly snap pictures to show you all. Of course, the staff was quite suspicious, and I had to use the excuse that I just -loved- their paint job.

Faces have been obscured to protect identities in these "spy" photos

But honestly, I was ready to slide my business card across the counter and offer to do damage control if they ever wanted some help.

Some very well-intentioned individual was on the right track, striving to liven up the space with a cheerful, friendly color. But this salmon pink is so over the top, it's amazingly bright. My photos don't do it justice, so you'll have to trust me when I tell you that standing in that space, you literally vibrate!

Can classic black ever really be replaced?

The NYT just published an article about the rise of super star color plum. Yup, plum.

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Evidently, it's being touted as the "new black". Here's my take on the concept- black will never be replaced. Colors will come and go in trends, but we'll always have our staples like black, white, brown, neutrals.

In any case, it's refreshing to see variations of violet being embraced in the marketplace. In the past, it's been one of the least-used colors for marketing because it's so hard to pin down. Sandwiched in between red and blue, violet can swing in two radically different directions. Blue violets have similar characteristics to blue- calm, dependable, trustworthy, rational, cool. Red violets, on the other hand, tend to adopt those traits more like its companion red- active, strong, passionate, hot.

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Violet has often been used to represent the mystical or spiritual. It's often seen as artistic, eccentric, or quirky, even romantic. Deep violets can be regal and majestic. So now, marketers are tapping into those associations to bring you everything from credit cards, internet service, and water.
Plum TV is a a channel available in resort communities like Aspen, the Hamptons, and Martha's Vineyard.

“Plum says calm; plum says clean; plum says health,” said a rep at Penta Water in Carlsbad, Calif. “Other products in the water category are blue, clear, red,” he added. “This color came out as a consistent representation of vitality, a pure product.” source

Redplum coupons

What fascinates me is the reinforcement of the color with the name. All these companies seem to feel they must attach the word "plum" to their products in order to get across their meaning. I think alot of that comes from the ambivalence of the color's attributes. Plum can range anywhere on the spectrum of violets, and perhaps without the term "plum", could be misconstrued as having different characteristics from those marketers hoped to convey.

The Plum Card from American Express for business owners.

In the article, a marketer reinforces this issue:

“When we were looking at the color of the plastic (during the planning stages), we wanted something classy and sophisticated, and the choice was a shade we called 'burgundy.' " But the company did not want to call it burgundy when marketing it, he added, for fear of confusion with wine brands.

What's your take on the trend? Do you think these companies need the word "plum" to drive home the point of using this color for their product or service? What do you think of when you see the color?

Drawing on walls

My friend Amy just emailed me about a fabulous product she read about on Daily Candy: magnetic chalkboard paint.

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How cool is that? Not only can you now draw on your walls, but you can also stick stuff directly to them! The thing I most appreciate about this concept is that chalkboards don't have to be black or green. No, now you can have blues and purples and orange or whatever suits your fancy.

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I remember when I was a teenager, my walls were absolutely plastered with pages from magazines (mostly cute boys), photos of friends, posters, mementos... You could barely see the walls. And I can only imagine the damage I probably did to the walls themselves, with sticky tape and thumbtacks. This product seems like the perfect solution.

I remember seeing a great use for chalkboard paint in a family's house- they painted the bathroom walls, then wrote notes to themselves and each other (keeping it clean, of course).

Evidently, you can make your own chalkboard paint, too (via Martha Stewart)

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And here's another idea- the chalkboard paint doesn't have to completely cover a space- you can artistically end it wherever you please.

Alas, I can't vouch for the quality of the paint. Have any of you had any experience with this product? What creative ways would you use it?

Reader Design Dilemma-Penny's Kitchen

Reader Penelope wants to give her "kit" kitchen a cosmetic make-over. So let's roll up our sleeves and see what we've got to work with!

Here's her kitchen, ready for some sprucing up.

"The cupboards are a pale pinky beige that I intend to paint white and install new handles (chrome), as well as install a new shelf (white) somewhere above the cupboards.

My laminate benchtop is a swirly, "natural rock inspired" pink/violet/blue monstrosity, but we're stuck with it, and I'd like to make the best of it.

Here's the room on the other side of the kitchen which we don't actually use as a dining area."

And for the most important part- what colors does Penny like?

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"My eye tends to be drawn to soft colours, like icey pink and blue, even soft lavendar. I just don't know what will go best with the benchtops we have, although it does incorporate a mixture of these tones."

I think Penny is on the right track with her inspirational photos showing soft pastels with a retro feel. The counter-tops are unfortunate, for sure, but not a lost cause. With the focus drawn away from the counters, and onto the walls, they won't stand out quite so distinctly.

So, the first question I would ask would be about lighting. Is the kitchen dark during the day, or does it get lots of bright natural lighting?
In this mock-up, I pulled a pastel blue from one of Penny's inspiration photos for the walls, and a light pink for the ceiling.

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A nice solution to give the illusion of sunlight is using buttery yellow, like this photo Penny submitted. Love the copper pots against the yellow and white-lovely!

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In taking a closer look at the second kitchen picture, I see other areas where color can be incorporated. Notice I pulled the yellow up onto the ceiling to de-emphasize it's low height. The curtain leading into a back room (pantry?) could be replaced by colorful upholstery fabric quite easily. Our designer-readers might have some good suggestions for what might work there.

To draw attention away from the mauve tones in the counter-top, you could try pulling out one of the other colors you like better, like light blue or lilac (as long as it isn't too gray which can quickly translate to dingy )

Also, by swapping out the back splash tiles (if this is an option) for something more updated in color, it would draw attention away from the mauve theme going on.
You might even be able to paint over it. (but -only- if it doesn't get wet frequently) A crisp bright white for the trim would also liven up the space. Perhaps a fun light fixture with some full-spectrum bulbs to brighten the kitchen? Play around with the colors of the items displayed on the shelves-you can incorporate the pastel palette more completely.

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Since the kitchen is so small, several more shelves stacked above would offer more storage space, and more design opportunities. Granted, this kitchen example has lilac cabinets instead of white, but feel how refreshing and alive this space feels! Besides, who says cabinets have to be white or wood?

So, that's my initial take on Penny's kitchen make-over. What would you suggest for her space? Please share your ideas!

Stres-reduction test...in an airport

Does serenity adds security? BWI (Baltimore Washington International Airport) will be rolling out the first of its kind pilot program for stress reduction in specific airport screening areas. I think this is a fabulous idea, as airports (especially post 9-11) are extremely stressful places. Racing to catch a plane, stuck in lines that move at a snails pace, then jostling to strip off all offending articles of clothing and accessories at the screening area, etc. I find myself much more anxious and short-tempered in airports.
This is a description of the special screening area:

Mauve, blue and purple panels of lights glow, low decibel ambient 'spa' music hums, and smiling employees offer quiet greetings and assistance.

But if these images from TSA's promo video are any indication of what is to come, I'm not sure how "soothed" I'll feel!
TSA planners have been tinkering for months in a warehouse at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, testing these new aspects "You can actually influence some behavior subliminally through color," said Catherine Lillie, head of the checkpoint-testing team. source

Coming from a profession where the psychological effects of color is basic knowledge, I have to chuckle at her seeming incredulity over the idea.

What do you think of the concept?

Back to basics- Starbucks waxes nostalgic

There are three camps of coffee drinkers. Those who openly admit to loving Starbucks; those who love it, but are ashamed to admit it; and those who love to hate Starbucks. Don't you agree? That being said, whatever camp you come from, have you been into a Starbucks recently? Notice anything different about their logo?

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After a hiatus of 9 years, Howard Schultz is back to rescue Starbucks from its sad decline. "Starbucks unleashed an unprecedented wave of brand nostalgia by deploying the original Starbucks logo on the masses"-Brand New

According to the Wall Street Journal, this new itteration isn’t permanent–the retro logo is being used temporarily. But as they so astutely say, "in the annals of brand identity, switching away from a high-recognition logo–even for a promotion–is an unusual move."
There's a tidal wave of talk going on in the blogosphere.

For your reference, here's where the logo has been, and where it has gone again:

via Brand Autopsy

From affirming green, to dull brown, I fear the change was not a good move, other than to stir up buzz. (get it? "stir" up "buzz"? Ah, I crack myself up...) The Starbucks logo had established quite an identity for itself. Even from far away, the green circle on a coffee cup was pretty darn identifiable. Brown is a difficult color to use for branding because it lacks pizazz. UPS chose to use the color because it hid the dust on their trucks. Can you think of any other well-recognized brand that uses brown successfully?

What do you think of this new transition from what the public is familiar with, to something less, dare I say, remarkable?

Recreating your favorite franchise at home

Randomly surfing the variety of design discussion forums out there, I found a posting on HGTV's discussion board that "revealed" several of Panera Bread's interior wall colors. I never knew they were top secret, but I can't tell you how many times I have had a client ask for their colors. Instead of using these exact colors, I steer people towards using colors appropriate for their particular spaces that may be evocative of this franchise's visual look.
That warm orangey color is from Benjamin Moore called Golden harvest 2157-02

It's great to find inspiration in spaces you love, but don't get hung up on what color was used exactly. I want to tear my hair out when I read shelter magazines stating this or that designer's favorite paint colors, giving you the exact paint brand and code, as though you can replicate their design simply by using their color choices. Colors will vary dramatically based on the context of how they are used.

House Beautiful magazine

The gold color on the right is evidently Ben Moore Semolina#2155-40, just for your reference.
Love the blue and orange combo-isn't it cheerful? And really plays up the warm honey tones in the breads.These were the only pics I was able to snap at my local Panera Bread, as evidently, picture- taking in the store is not permitted. I was quickly asked to put my camera away. Probably didn't help that I was toting this enormous camera with large lenses... Not the most subtle of approaches- I don't think I'd make a very good spy!

Count-down to CA?

Some of you might notice I've got a new widget up on the right sidebar, part-way down the page. We're moving back to California at the end of June (!), and I thought this would be a neat way to keep track. After 7 years living on the east coast, first in upstate NY, then in Maryland, my husband, dog Lucy, and I are moving back to the Bay Area (we're both from the area originally). We've met so many wonderful people, and really grown attached to quirky B'more. I also thought the counter would be helpful for those of you in the Baltimore/DC area who might have been considering using my consultation services to help you with color selection, but hadn't gotten around to it just yet. Things are going to start getting crazy as our relocation date draws closer, so if you were thinking of calling me later, this is your heads up!

But not to worry, I love writing this blog, and will continue to pepper you with color tid-bits regardless of where in the world I'm living. That's the beauty of the blogosphere-isn't it fantastic?

Not your average kitchen appliance

Are you frustrated by the limited color options out there for kitchen appliances? Not into stainless steel, white or black? Join the club. Reader Denise wrote to me, asking for some advice:

I'm getting ready to buy all new kitchen appliances; hooray! The trouble is, my kitchen is very open into my family room, and my house is quite colorful, with lots of Mexican and abstract influences--and lots and lots of color. To me, stainless-steel (or, God forbid, black) appliances would look terrible in my house--too sterile in the case of the stainless steel, and too dark in the case of the black.

Although my preference for the appliance color is bisque (of the limited options), I'm trying to think ahead to the eventual resale of my home, too. Is there an up-and-coming appliance color that I should consider? Everything I see in model homes is stainless steel or black, both of which leave me (you guessed it) COLD!

Can you help me?
Denise

Rachel's humble kitchen

(We rent, so I didn't have anything to do with the design choices. I will say that white appliances are a pain to keep clean!)

To help tackle Denise's appliance quandary, I brought in the help of the very talented and knowledgeable kitchen designer, Susan Serra, author of the blog The Kitchen Designer.
Take it away Susan!

Colored Appliances, it's all the rage now. Color is in our lives as never before, and has entered our kitchens, often with gusto! And, why not? We are loving our strong, pro, appliances and often want to showcase them in an equally strong way, or, for that matter, in a whimsical way. The rules for blending and matching color have been continually redefined, and not by the "experts" but by you. Individual expression now trumps "safe!"

Jen-Air oil-rubbed bronze series

Appliance manufacturers have gone color-crazy! We have purples, we have bronzes, many colors of blue and on and on.

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I consider Viking to be a leader of color appliances, going back quite a few years now. Viking has only expanded their colors for their appliances year after year.

Aga, always into color, brought in a soft purple, called heather.

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note: AGA discontinued the yellow and royal blue and added pillar box red which does not appear on their site

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And one sees lots of color in retro appliances, such as the very cool Big Chill line of appliances. I'm not a retro fan, but this line is awesome.

And, talk about color? What about Blue Star? Sit down for this one...190 colors!

You can even play around with how one of their stoves would look in a variety of colors

It's all good. Or, is it?

Of course, the appliance manufacturers would just love for you to buy a whole suite of appliances in the color of your choice. And, so, one will see this concept in manufacturer's advertising. But, wait, what happens if, down the road, one appliance needs to be replaced and that color is no longer available? Something to think about, to plan for.

Color CAN be done in a temporary way for your appliances. Dishwasher and Refrigerators can have panels of bold color, changeable as one desires.

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Or, another elegant way to incorporate color, short of an entire suite of color, is to choose one appliance, perhaps the range, which may be situated as a focal point, and select a color that will be picked up elsewhere in the kitchen. Thus, the color is isolated, yet, significant. Yet, another idea is to have an appliance painted locally, via a special process just for appliances.

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As the color story for 2008 moves toward nature, such as greens and blues, even elegant shades such as our old friends, black and white, take care not to follow trends solely because the colors look fresh and new. Appliances are not pillows...they may last you decades!

Here's my advice...follow your heart, keeping one foot solidly on the ground.

Added thanks to Danielle from Canton Kitchens for additional picture links

When a bouquet is not just a flower arrangement

I just heard from reader Casey, who wrote to give me the heads-up about a fabulous floral artist, David Stark, who created an amazing display for the Macy's Flower Show "Bouquet of the Day".
I'm told that most event designers participating in the event chose traditional interpretations of floral decor. David took it in a different direction with a birch paintbrush and 6-foot tower of red carnations and paint cans.

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It's a pretty bold use of color in a space dominated by spring pastels. I want to know how on earth he got the paint brush to "hover" like that. Must be attached with strings to the ceiling, wouldn't you imagine?

Have you ever heard of the Macy's Flower Show? Evidently, it's a pretty big deal, with cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Minneapolis participating. It took place over the last two weeks (Sunday, March 16th – Sunday, March 30th).

Here are some pictures from this year's event:
Such edible colors, I love the bright oranges and yellows paired with the more subdued green.

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Pink and green-you just can't go wrong with this pairing. I'm sure it was quite amazing in person.

I get a great deal of inspiration from natural elements like flowers. The vibrant brights, delicate pastels, deep green foliage, soft rich browns... mother nature really knows how to create some spectacular color palettes. It's simple to take colors from a bouquet, for instance, and apply them to an interior.

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This example is a little bold for most people's taste, but it works for this large room, to help break up an otherwise overwhelming space, and add a sense of intimacy. Certainly took guts and vision, that's for sure!

Entertainment rooms

This question just in from reader Karen:

Just wondering if you have an opinion on this please:
Is it better to have a dark color on the wall that a TV is on?
Is a flat paint preferable? -Karen

Absolutely correct on both counts. Think about movie theaters, and how dark and unobtrusive the walls appear . The objective with entertainment rooms is to keep the focus on the screen. So, by painting the wall behind the television a dark, muted tone, the wall does not compete with the tv. Any time you have a high level of contrast, such as white (walls) and black (electronics), your eye is immediately drawn to where the two extreme values meet. This is some random image I pulled off the web and then doctored to give you an example of what I mean. I wanted to show my neighbor's really great set-up in his basement, with chocolate brown walls behind his flat screen, and cappuccino-colored walls everywhere else. But I couldn't catch him in time for this article. Ah well, next time.

And as for sheen: matte or flat paint, always. Any shine to the wall might produce a reflection from light sources in the room, and distract from the tv. Not to say that I believe a room should be dominated by the television set, but from a visual ergonomics perspective, low contrast is the way to go in this situation.

Dear Paint Companies

A sneak peak into my ranting and raving about an industry annoyance. I just felt like sharing :-)

There are major paint companies out there trying to sell their paint products without offering individual color chips. How is this possible? Once you select a particular color from the paint strip, it's imperative to see the color in a bigger swatch, without the other colors around it, confusing matters.
Colors must be seen in context. For instance, if you put a green swatch against a red wall, that green will look particularly bright. However, if you put that same green swatch against a green wall, it will look like a completely different color.

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In this example, which green do you like better? Guess what? It's the same green.

So, with that said, take a look at how two different paint companies handle organizing their paint colors (see picture below). On the top, we have Pratt and Lambert, with light to dark, but with a range of similar hues mixed together. On the bottom, we have Benjamin Moore, with the same light to dark, but this time, with only one hue showing it's progression as white is added. This way, you can examine the deepest color on most strips and get a much better feeling for the underlying tone of the lighter colors, whose nuances are otherwise pretty difficult to see.
Which fan deck would you rather select from?

Then, we have other paint companies who have completely done away with chip samples all together! The standard for those of us who specify color is to narrow down the choices in the fan deck, then pull out a bigger chip to finalize the selection.
As you can tell, the bigger the area of color, the easier it is to get a sense of what it will look like.

If you've selected paint colors from the strips available in most paint or hardware stores, how have you found that color translates onto bigger spaces? Did you notice any differences once the color went up?

photos by moi

Fun with laptops

In this age of customization, everyday products have been infused with colors to suit anyone's personal taste. Product developers have finally clued-in that people want their possessions to reflect their personalities, or at the very least, whom they would like to be. Think about all the colorful cell phones on the market- are you the type who uses a red one? Maybe chocolate is more your speed? Color is an identifier, and can act as an extension of our personalities.

Take for example, Mac products. Everyone and her grandmother has come up with accessories to go along with iPods. Just look at the myriad of different carrying cases available:

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There are armbands, wristbands, docking stations, car-adapters, you name it. I have even seen knitted iPod purses. The purpose it to provide everyone with a look that suits his or her taste.
MacBook Air has an after-market customization option for adding colors to your new laptop. Of course, this service is offered through an independent provider, ColorWare, not Apple itself.

Personally, I get a kick out of their color names and descriptions:

Solid

Abyss: A deep navy blue.

Billiard: A bright, Kelly green.

Caution: A bright canary yellow.

Cobalt: A blue with grey undertones.

Coffee: A milk chocolate brown.

Concord: A medium-shade purple… your basic purple, slightly muted.

Cotton Candy: A bright carnation pink, with hints of blue undertones.

Crush: A very bright, standard orange.

Ferrari: A bright, standard red... basically, the good old fire engine red.

Fusion: A vibrant fuchsia. Our darkest shade of pink.

Glacier: A bright blue-green.

Jade: A springtime green with slight blue undertones.

Jet Black: Standard, deep, dark black... think piano black.

Romance: A pale, baby girl pink. The lightest pink shade.

Smoke White: Standard, bright white.

Metallic

Alpine: A vibrant crayon-box green.

Blaze: A slightly muted standard orange.

Blush: A medium rose pink and the 2nd darkest shade of pink (Fusion is darker).

Candy Apple: A deep, dark red. Definitely not burgundy.

Carbon Black: A standard black, lightened just a touch by the metallics. Not a grey.

Dragon: A deep forest green.

Envy: A very bright, lime green.

Hybrid: A burnt red-orange.

Gold Rush: A rich gold with noticeable, large grain flakes.

Graphite: A medium-dark grey with very fine grain flakes.

Lightning: A muted tawny yellow with slight green undertones.

Lilac: A light dusty lavender.

Midnight: Standard crayon blue, with a little pizzazz.

Mystique: A bright, royal purple.

Powder: A dusty, muted, grey-blue.

Prowler: A deep, dark purple with reddish undertones.

Sand: A bright taupe, resembles a dark beach sand.

Steel: A silver with highly noticeable, large grain flakes.

Techno: A bright, vibrant blue.

Wet: A bright light blue, almost a baby blue.

It's about time we see some color infused onto laptops, don't you agree? The site allows you to play around with how you would customize your personal laptop-give it a whirl and let us know what you designed!

image source (via Design Hole)

If I had my own laptop, and didn't share one with my husband, this is how I would decorate it.
How cool is that?!

Welcome new readers

Hello and welcome! I assume if you're a new reader, you've most likely come via the Washington Post article. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out Hue. If this visit were in person, I'd offer to make you a cup of tea :-)

My thing is sharing color inspirations-in whatever form it might come in. Could be a gorgeous interior, unique architecture, fun new product line, gallery exhibit... if it has something to do with color, I want to talk about it. I really encourage reader participation, so if a post catches your interest, I love to hear your reactions, get a little dialog going, and mix it up a bit.

Atonement movie sets tell a story

Recently, my book club read Atonement by Ian McEwan. Afterwards, I felt compelled to see the movie, to see how true to the novel they stayed. Of course, as is often the case with me, I got wrapped up in the set design, color and the subplot it created. Movies are a great way to get ideas for your own decorating schemes, and drives home the point that your environment absolutely sets a mood. To get the scoop, I headed over to my favorite set design site, Set Decorators Society of America. Joy of joys, there was an article about Atonement's sets.

Atonement follows the consequences of an impressionable girl's tragic misreading of events at an upper-class English home in the years leading up to World War II.

“As our story goes through the house, it starts off in the drawing room and it’s all very light and lovely and then as the story progresses during the day, it actually gets darker and darker.”-Production Designer Sarah Greenwood

“The kitchen and the back corridors are all that horrible color of arsenic green, absolutely virulent. We loved it because it had something of the color of poison, but it equally had a verdancy about it, a summer greenness. So we painted everything in Stokesay that green and terrible cream." -Greenwood

Doesn't knowing that make watching a movie all that more interesting? What movies can you recall that really use the sets and color to add to character or plot development?
Please share!

More MoMA fun

Reader Sarah wrote in to tell me about Color Chart, a flash-based site created in conjunction with the New York City MoMA exhibit on color. Thanks for the tip!

It's really well-done: viewers get to see examples of the pieces in the exhibit, all neatly categorized, complete with little explanations of the artist's concept, history, or inspiration.
For instance, "Green Screen", by Liz Deschenes.

"The subject of this photograph is a green screen on view at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. Green screens are used in film production to save time and money. Actors are filmed in a studio in front of the screen, and the green background is later replaced with final background footage. Deschenes has made a monochrome image in a color valued for its technical utility rather than its aesthetic quality and whose function ultimately leads to its own eradication."

You can browse through the exhibit by Artist,Timeline,or Media.

I was tickled to see some art that pretty closely reflects a recent exercise I did with my color theory students at MICA. See, guys, you were creating art!

It's fun to poke around and see how artists played with the theory behind ready-made colors. When does something go from art, to utility? Where do you draw the line? Pretty interesting stuff...

images source

Check for me on Thursday

I'm really excited for Thursday. Two weeks ago, the Washington Post called to interview me for a print article they are putting together about paint in their Home section. It was great fun, the journalist ask me all sorts of questions about paint, color consulting, and blogging, and I just babbled on and on. I could talk about those topics indefinitely! Then last week, I was invited to the Post's photography studio in downtown DC to pose for t