Color, Nature, and Design

Guess what? This is NOT a blog on BACON. Yes, I am finally back to writing about color in design, something I really do know about. (Not that I don’t know a lot about bacon of course).

This weekend I went to a local farmer’s market. It is a little early to have all the vegetables out (I saw very few tomatoes and they were very pricey) but the vegetables and flowers I did see were gorgeous and colorful. The flowers, ranunculus mixed bouquets, were deep, rich and vibrant in tone.

People often choose colors because they relate to them in a personal way, but while they have a “favorite” color they can’t always seem to figure out how to find a companion set of colors to integrate. That is why I always suggest we look to nature. Nature and natural are pretty much the same word and the colors produced in nature seem to have a natural fit with each other.

For instance, I saw some glorious sour cherries (what a yummy pie THEY would make) right next to some orange carrots just pulled from the ground with their long curly green tops attached. Those three colors, red, orange and green work beautifully together – then add some yellow squash for another accent. What a happy room that would be!

I saw the most spectacular rainbow chard with a terrific fuchsia and cream stalk and green tops that looked like kale. They were next to cucumbers, and some wonderful purples – potatoes and eggplant. Think of it all together – dark green and pale beige with accents of purple and hot pink. Your sofa can be dark green and your chairs can be beige with a design of green and maybe purple or deep pink. The area rug and pillow can pull in all three colors! Then add a big bunch of mixed fresh flowers on your cocktail or sofa table. Invite me over – I would love to see how this turns out!

Next time you are at the produce section of the grocery, farmer’s market or even in your own garden, stop for a moment and just enjoy all the colors and the way they unite. It will bring a smile to your face.