The Bold and The Beautiful

The hopeful expectancy of Spring is in the air here in New York City and surrounding areas. The air is warmer, fresher, softer....a gentle breeze of re-birth and new life is whispering through the naked branches and melting the snow mounds. Inspiring.

Spring signifies so many different things to so many, to me however, it means the prospect of bold, beautiful, saturated color returning to nature; enveloping, rapturing us in it's scenic and aromatic surroundings. It is reflected in everything from gorgeous flora and fauna, to fashion and interior design.  It also happens to boldly make it's way into my home and heart.  I am a sole believer of infusing color into my life, wardrobe and home. It energizes me. Inspires me. Defines me.

Here are some amazing spaces that have stimulated my eyes and moved my emotions...

Crisp, Invigorating, Deep Oceanic Blue, Turquoise and Teals:

Stimulating, sensational yet sophisticated Citrus Oranges in everything from grapefruit to mandarin:

(sixx design)

Luxurious, Inviting and Fresh Greens, from Lime to Emerald and everything in between:

(design by Sherril Cannet, Kips Bay)

(picture and design by Tobi Fairley Interior Design)

One of my personal favorites for as long as I can remember and coincidentally Pantone's Hue of the year for 2011 - is Honeysuckle,  better known as fuchsia, raspberry, or magenta. It exudes romance, sensuality, passion and power. It is gorgeous as an accent, and exciting as the front runner:

(image from homegoods)

(image from HomeGoods)

(images from various designers and on-line sources. I gave credit to those images who's source was provided.)

Incredible what bold color does to a room, no?  Memorable to say the least. Magnificent to say the most!

When it comes to our home, lovingly named - chateau c'est la vie, it should come as no surprise then, that I gravitate towards the bold, beautiful saturated color numbers; like bees to honey. For the past couple of years my fascination had been directed specifically towards the citrus colors. With having a soft, lemon yellow in my kitchen, and a beautiful and bright mandarin orange in my living room. One of the favorite spaces in our home:

(the following images  and design are all mine, Chateau C'est La Vie)

(When it comes to designing my own space, my philosophy is "work with what you have." I am saving my pennies to replace these leather loveseats with a clean-lined,  mid-century style sofa and vintage settee that I would re-upholster with a bold, modern fabric. For now however, these sofas will have to do. I've had them for about eight years and they are in amazing shape. By dressing them up with beautiful, colorful throw pillows and hanging interesting artwork above, it distracts from the less-than ideal shape and texture.)

(the right accessories are key)

(My art and picture gallery wall is one of my favorite focal areas of the room.  I adore  the "collected over time" feel of  arrangements like these.  Many of the frames contain my black and white  fine art photography prints that work flawlessly against the bold color of the wall, but will also work against a more nuetral backdrop.)

(prints from my Antiquity Gallery of Fine Art Photography)

(that chocolate brown accent wall is getting a new look:)

(prints from my Wild Gallery of Fine Art Photography)

(I adore the look of  mis-matched items working flawlessly together in a cohesive and interesting manner. Its all about acheiving the right balance and color scheme. Eclectic Elegance is what I call it.)

(prints from my Chic Gallery of Fine Art Photography)

(This ceiling fan has become a bit of an eye-sore. It has  been in our home for quite a few years and was previously sporting outdated brass fixtures which I spray painted over with an oil-rubbed bronze finish. The hubs asked that we keep it for function during those schorching summer days. However, since we solely use this room for when guests are over and have a separate lounging area, he agreed we could finally replace this eye-sore with a chandelier I have been coveting.)

I'll give you a sneak peak to the lovely lighting piece that will soon be the centerpiece of this room:

Isn't she just gorg? I want to call her Lucy. Lovely, lovely Lucy. Trust me, she looks much more expensive than she actually is. Love the platinum look on a  pauper's budget;)

*UPDATE: Check out all the changes to this room (and others in our humble chateau HERE!)  *

As is evident by the images above, aside from affinity for saturated color, I am also no stranger to mixing different textures, colors, and patterns into a cohesive, worldly inspired and visually stimulating manner. I like my home to reflect my personality: Vibrant, elegant, and inviting!

That being said, the onslaught of Spring has inspired me to make some dramatic changes in the living room. As much as I adore bold color on the walls, I am going to switch it up for something slightly more subtle. Do not despair, there will still be lots of bold, beautiful, jewel-toned color incorporated in the design, but this time in smaller doses, and as an accent. I am currently working on the design board and cannot wait to share my decor plans with you. Don't you just love Spring?

What about you? How does color touch your life?  Please Share, I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Also, please don't forget you have a couple more weeks to take advantage of our amazing sale:

Attention: Special One-Year Anniversary Sale February 1st - 28th! 25% off all services!!!! Take advantage now! Visit our Services and Pricing page for more information!