Happy ‘Tangerine Tango’ New Year!

A very happy new year to you, my lovelies!
May it be better and brighter than ever!

I hope you have had a wonderful, joyous time over the holidays and are feeling recharged and excited about the possibilities and opportunities in the year ahead!

When the clear up of the holidays is done, I like to add little invigorating touches around the house to get me energised for the year ahead. So I am feeling quite happy with Pantone’s colour of 2012: ‘Tangerine Tango’, a deep radiant red-orange that is vivacious yet friendly; quite a feel-good cheery colour. Even if you’re not one for bright colours, a tiny amount of this colour in the form of flowers, art or even a bowl of tangerines will energise your surroundings.

If you want to use this colour in your decor, here are a couple of examples I adore that may inspire you:

I love this room for its bright breezy feel, casual atmosphere, *gorgeous* rug and vibrant tangerine pops… a perfect room to beat the January blues!

Window treatments like this excite me. I love how this dramaticises the high ceiling, and being a sheer curtain, it doesn’t block any light thus keeps the space feeling breezy.

Will you be tangoing with tangerine orange? Whether you love this colour or not, I hope you’re having a peppy start to 2012!

 

Images 1 Serenity in Design | 2 unknown

Cheery contrast: blue & red

Drake Design Associates

 
The weather has turned dreary and rainy in this part of the world so I am looking at a perk-me-up colour combination: turquoisey blue (think blue sky and sea) teamed with bright vibrant red.
 

Livingetc

 

House of Turquoise

 

Homes & Antiques

 

La Maison Boheme

It even works for a cosier, more romantic look.

 

Apartment Therapy

Aren’t these just the prettiest little girls’ rooms? SO much better than a sickly pink overload. (Speaking of which, can somebody please explain why some parents insist on surrounding their girls in pink? Because I really don’t understand it.)

Little Green Notebook

 

Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh

 

Conversation Pieces

Looks like the most fun wedding ever, yes?

 

Do you have colours that you turn to when you need perking up? Or any other tricks for a dreary grey day?

 

Home tour: mixing old and new in an urban setting

Few home tours get me as excited as this one which I came across on the Mix and Chic blog recently. I’ve had the image above in my inspiration folder for a while so I was thrilled to see more of the house and find out about the owner, designer Jimmy Stanton, who has a knack for re-purposing cast-off objects as well as mixing old and new to gorgeous effect.

Jimmy and his partner Patrick have done wonders with their 2-bed urban condo in Atlanta, Georgia. The eclectic style is as comfortable, homely and cosy as it is smart and gorgeous.

The industrial and rustic elements are beautifully balanced by softer colours.

A free standing fireplace in an unused alcove… why not?

The brightly striped bed cover offsets the grey walls and rugged rusticity of the headboard.

Fabulous way to re-purpose an old scale!

Sexy inky black walls in the bathroom.
10 points if you noticed the submarine light sconce!

In the category of urban condos, this one is by far my favourite. It is chic without being ostentatious, and homely rather than overly precious. I could very happily cosy up here! My love for industrial and rustic touches probably plays a big part here. : )

What do you think of this place? Is this your kind of style or is it too masculine for you? If you could move in, would you change anything? (I would add a bit of sparkle while still keeping with the style.)

 

Images from Atlanta Homes