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Major News from the Color Authority Pantone

Today designers everywhere are sifting through millions of new design and color palette ideas. Wondering why their creative wheels turning? Because Pantone released their color of the year last week. The color authority chose PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle as the 2011 Color of the Year. The reddish-pink hue replaces the much loved and widely used 2010 Color of the Year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise.

Honeysuckle can be described as vibrant, courageous and confident. Directors at Pantone’s color institute believe the bold color is uplifting and encouraging.

In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.

We are already envisioning rooms being lit with large doses or small pops of the lively color. What do you think about Honeysuckle, would you mind adding into the interior design of your home?

Pantone Color of the Year Honeysuckleroom decorated in pantone honeysuckleroom decorated in pantone honeysuckleroom decorated in pantone honeysuckleroom decorated in pantone honeysuckleImages from houzz and Elle Decor

Call The Decorative Touch at 913-219-7333 to begin planning how to use Honeysuckle into the decor of your home!

Coconut Grove

Tip of the Week #18: Norwalk Furniture 2011 Color Trends

As the year is fast approaching its closing I am sure you all are wondering whats in store for 2011, well…

Norwalk Furniture, an American made upholstery line has just sent me their newest samples of color trends for 2011 and they are wonderful!!  I had the opportunity to visit the factory last Spring and wow did I learn some things about how hard the folks who make our fine furniture really do work. And not to mention the time and attention they put into every detail!
So yes, I do recommend Norwalk and I love that they are fabricating right here in the USA.

The new Collections for the coming year are:

  1. Brittany Cottage:  The appeal of the natural weaves of grayed-down base colors that conjure memories of simpler times.  Paired with sky blues, charcoals, and deep reds, all french inspired, the Brittany Cottage Collection creates a casual approach to carefree living!
  2. City Lights:  Imagine the views from your penthouse apartment–blue gray clouds, or “vapor” as Candice Olson calls it, coordinated with rich velvets, soft wools, and highly textured foundation cloths in nutty tones.  While dove grays play a complementary role, the addition of green-cast golds adds a subtle punch to this sophisticated pallet.
  3. Coconut Grove:  You will see just a bit more upscale with this tropical, yet sophisticated twist that would make it in almost any coastal environment.  While green shades of palm abound, colorful prints and bold stripes anchor this great look.
  4. Highlands Manor:  Inspired by the warm hues of the Scottish highlands, this collection is a lively mix of traditional and timeless menswear plaids, leathers, and rich velvets.  Stripes and feathers, paisleys, and hounds tooth all reflect the heritage of quality in this look.

Another thing I love about Norwalk Furniture is the interactive on-line catalog. You might like to take a peak and see what you can create, try it out at  www.norwalkfurniture.com.
Enjoy!  Janine

Norwalk Furniture Highlands Manor

Highlands Manor

Norwalk FUrniture City Lights

City Lights

Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove

Norwalk Furniture Brittany Cottage

Brittany Cottage

thanksgiving tablescape

Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re taking the day off just like everyone else to relax, eat some delicious food and enjoy family and friends. We would like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving this holiday season from The Decorative Touch!

Have you had a change to read our last past post?  If not you check it out here. Our favorite tablescape was  the one at the very bottom of the screen, tell us what you think!

thanksgiving tablescape

Hearst designer visions 2010 show house

Interior Design Show House Made from Movies

What do you get when you combine three magazines, three designers, three movie themes and one interior design show house? A beautifully designed show house made from movies. Hearst is currently sponsoring the Designer Visions: Cinema Style show house. The show house is unique because unlike others it features three luxury apartments. Each of the apartments were designed by the always inspiring Veranda, House Beautiful and Town & Country magazines.

To create the design in each of the magazine’s apartment they were paired with three of the top interior designers. The designers were able to have fun as they created the movie inspired rooms. The movies they used for inspiration include:  Six Degrees of Separation, Wall Street and Something’s Gotta Give.  Have you ever watched a movie and wished you could have the exact interior design in your home? Leave us a comment letting us know which movie inspired you and what you think of the show house designs, we’d love to hear your opinion!

Town & Country, Steven Gambrel, Six Degrees of SeparationHearst designer visions 2010 show houseHearst designer visions 2010 show house

House Beautiful, James and Phoebe Howard, Something’s Gotta GiveHearst designer visions 2010 show houseHearst designer visions 2010 show house

Veranda, Richard Hallberg, Wall StreetHearst designer visions 2010 show houseHearst designer visions 2010 show houseImages by Laura Fenton for shelterpop

carved pumpkin

Halloween Events in Lenexa

carved pumpkinParents and grandparents, are you looking for some Halloween festivities for your little ones before you head out trick-or-treating Sunday? There are a few Halloween events going on right here in Lenexa, KS for the entire family. This week’s happenings include Pumpkin Carving Night and The Enchanted Forest. To participate in Pumpkin Carving Night all you have to do is bring a pumpkin to carve, which will then be donated to the Enchanted Forest for the Pumpkin Bridge display. The Enchanted Forest, Lenexa‘s Halloween-themed woodland trail, will be held throughout the jogging trail at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. The park will be transformed with seasonal displays with numerous kid friendly activities. There will even be a bonfire at the end for the whole family to enjoy. Let your kid’s tryout their costumes a few days early and celebrate Halloween with the city of Lenexa!

  • What: Pumpkin Carving Night
  • When: Tuesday Oct. 26th 6:30pm – 8:30pm
  • Where: Lenexa Community Center
  • Admission: 1 pumpkin
  • What: The Enchanted Forest
  • When: Wednesday Oct.27th and Thursday Oct. 28th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
  • Where: Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park
  • Admission: $1 per person including children. Costumes encouraged for all.

For more information on either of the events in Lenexa contact the Lenexa Parks and Recreation Department at 913-477-7100 or visit the city of Lenexa website.

Image from Southern Living.


sherwin williams and robert allen fabrics eclectic modern

Sherwin Williams Partners with Robert Allen Fabrics

I would love to promote how happy I am to see Sherwin Williams and Robert Allen Fabrics come together to create three new collections, being that my other business Exclusive Interiors is a Robert Allen Fabric gallery. The partnership is a win-win situation, they both help each other and the average customer select wonderful fabrics and paint when generally they are lost on a boat without a paddle.

I commend Jackie Jordan along with Sherwin Williams, as I attend her conference every time she is in Kansas City. She always updates us on the upcoming season of trends and forward thinking for what will be happening globally in the color world. Tell me, what do you think? Aren’t some of the names of some of the Sherwin Williams paints fascinating?

Janine

sherwin williams and robert allen fabrics eclectic modernImages from Sherwin Williams

half bathroom interior design

Tip of the Week #16: Half Bath Interior Design

This week’s tips supplements my first post from earlier in the week, Beautiful Bathroom Inspiration. Decorating the full bathrooms in your home is important, but don’t forget the interior design of the small, half bath in your home. It can be the one space your guests get to use that allows you to “spoil” them. It’s the place where they can discover the special things that you have been able to select while keeping them in mind.Often times they are surprised to wander into a small room and feel such a luxurious tone. Take a peek at this half bath design and you will see what I mean…

half bathroom interior design

Happy discovery!

Janine

bathroom interior design

Beautiful Bathroom Inspiration

We’ve talked a great deal about decorating your home, from the interior design in your bedroom, the living room and great room, but not the bathroom. Although it is overlooked, the bathrooms in your home are important. Just because they are practical does not mean that they do not need to be pretty. Your bathrooms are spaces that you and your guests will inevitably spend time in, so they require a well planned and executed interior design.

The interior design of your bathroom can carry many looks. You can choose a design that mimics traditional, elegant and upscale powder rooms, a design that is warm and inviting for guests, or even a family friendly design. Even though it is a smaller space, the design choices are endless. You may choose to have the design theme flow from the rooms around it, or do something completely different. If you haven’t given the design of your bathrooms any thought, or are looking to redesign your bathrooms check out these inspirational designs. Do you see any designs that interest you?

bathroom interior designbathroom interior designbathroom interior designbathroom interior designImages from the National Kitchen and Bath Association found on This old House.

room with brown interior design

Brown on Brown Inspiration

If you are looking to warm up the interior design in your home this fall don’t rule out brown. Although brown is probably not a color you would expect to see dominate a room, it can. Brown rooms with brown furnishings can be welcoming, warm, elegant and comfortable. If you are on the fence about brown rooms with brown furnishing, check out some interior designs we found on Apartment Therapy for some brown on brown inspiration.

room with brown interior designroom with brown interior designroom with brown interior designroom with brown interior designroom with brown interior design

room with with animal prints

Exotic and Chic Animal Prints

It’s true, if used incorrectly animals prints on multiple large surfaces can immediately make a room appear tacky. If used correctly, sparingly throughout, the look will not only be exotic but very chic. We found some interior designs on ELLE Decor that used animal print perfectly. The prints are either on the floor, as upholstery for a few pieces of furniture or the throw pillows. The key to keeping the look elegant is to use prints on a few small pieces, or one large piece such as a rug or carpeting— but never all together. What do you think of the designs, are they exotic and chic?

room with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsroom with with animal printsImages by Simon Upton for ELLE DOCOR