Oh so Lovely Lucite

When I was a sassy little teenager and asked a "get to know you" question like "what's your favorite color?",  I used to fire back a quippy response and say "clear". Truth. I have family that will vouch for me on this one.

Many moons later (ok, not too too many), it's pretty ironic that I do in fact choose clear over color in my interior design work. More specifically, I work with lucite, a gorgeous acrylic lightweight material. It can add just the right sparkle to a room and it's widely available in both home furnishing and fixtures.

Still can't picture it clearly in your space? Well here's a visual of one of my projects recently featured in Small Room Decorating.

Many of the pieces featured here are from Design Within Reach. Lucite can work in virtually any space. So now that you have some clarity, go pick out something clear! Oh and now that we're all adults here, if someone ever asks a get to know you question such as "what are you wearing?", be sure to tell them "something low cut and see through that brings out my eyes"... (wink wink). Yep, still can't shake the sass!

xo,
Emily

Working with Radiant Orchid, 2014 Pantone Color of the Year

If you weren’t already in the know, the new Pantone color of the year is Radiant Orchid. I see it being used in a lot of home accessories, women’s beauty and fashion and even bridal palette inspiration. Purple happens to be one of my favorite hues, I mean, hello, it’s widely associated with royalty! If that’s not a good choice indicator, I don’t know what is. 

But how do you invite this new hue into your living space without sending the man in your life fleeing from the palace? Back in our own neck of the serfdom, incorporating this color at home can be a tricky balancing act, particularly if you live with a manly man who shakes in his work boots at the mere mention of “Radiant Orchid”. So please don’t go waging a color war in your own home- there are bigger better hills to die on like a spa weekend with the girls. For reals. You have to find a happy medium, and here's how you do it...

I just finished this project for a couple who wanted to incorporate purple tones within their space and here is how to achieve the right balance. 

Grounding the space in rich browns and neutrals makes the space feel sophisticated and masculine while the purple tones work to add the right pop of color adding the just enough softness and femininity. The combination makes the space feel both glamorous and luxe.

For those of you out there bold enough to use Radiant Orchid for the walls and background of your space, by all means DO IT! This powder room I recently finished is a perfect place to go bold with these gorgeous tones. 

And for those who are more faint at heart, try a light warm neutral gray background palette to let your orchid accents shine. Pair it with a warm pale grays, crisp bold whites, and metallic silver and gold. Balance the delicate and the fem with heavy aged brass, chunky or rough textures, and structural geometrics. Add a touch of the unexpected and you've got a room fit for a king!

Here's to a New Year of love and color!

xo,

Emily (aka)

"The Design Duchess" ;)