With the end of summer, I am reminded of all the opportunity that fall brings. We have a chance to re-think and refresh all areas in our lives that have taken a back seat during the relaxed summer months. This could be a desk space, a cluttered chest of drawers or a whole room.
It’s not a surprise that I felt very inspired by my recent trip to Orange County, California. I was overwhelmed by the beautiful beaches, the incredible art culture, the food, and of course O.C. design.
On an overcast, rainy day like today it is hard not to think about the color gray. With the current release of the movie “50 Shades of Gray” inspired by E. L. James’s book, it seems everyone is talking even more about all those amazing shades between black and white. While I haven’t read the book or seen the movie, I have always been inspired by the endless possibilities gray’s palette offers.
Thanks to the many colorists, designers and trend setters at Pantone for always keeping us fresh and up to date. As a designer I look forward to learning early about the hot new color of the year. Usually we can see movement toward a trend even before the color is announced…and then again, sometimes we are surprised.
Welcome to January 2015! As I put away holiday decorations, purge files and flip my calendar to the New Year, I can’t help but think about the symbolism in “January”—the month we look backward and forward at once.
January takes its name from the Roman God Janus. Janus was known as “the custodian of the universe”. In mythology, he was the god of beginnings who represented the transition between primitive life and civilization. In many domestic undertakings, his help was sought. This makes perfect sense when you look at the Janus icon (and our logo!). It has two faces, one looking back and one forward.
How many of us work and live like workaholics? I know I do. Because I love what I do, I can get lost in following my passion for great design. Unfortunately, that term workaholic usually has a negative connotation, but I choose to think of it like a chocoholic! I love to use the rich and creamy color of chocolate when designing a cozy room. The featured photo for this post is a photo from my West University Bungalow project. To see more photos click on the portfolio residential images above.
