Your Veggie Dip is Making Me Ill - Food and Color
Posted by Michele | Filed under Color Themes
My husband and I had the privilege to stay at the St. Regis Hotel in Laguna Beach this weekend. Wow! The place is amazing. We had the best of times hanging out with some of John’s old friends. The evening started with a cocktail hour, then on to a five course meal. The entertainment, Dean Martin and Marilyn Monroe impersonators, were over the top. I would give the night Five Stars for the food, service, and location. Everything was perfect except for the last course of the night.
Why? A small cake with fruit compote on top was served. The shape was molded in to a square with ridges. It just looked very unappealing to me. I remained calm as I watched the other guests question the desert. They literally all said at different times, “What do you think this is?” I watched them take their fork and lightly pick a little piece from it. It was truly amazing. No one finished the desert. In fact, most only took a bite or two.
My conclusion is that the color of the dessert was all wrong. The chef might have been experimenting on this one. It was a mango cake. The brownish shade of orange appeared overdone. If it were sorbet, you might think it was orange Pepto Bismol on hallucinogenics. The cake should have been a bright orange or creamy color and then fresh mango on top. Luckily, everyone had enough to drink and eat long before the dessert came. I’m sure the sugar-holics in the group were very disappointed.
The next night, we went for dinner at a local Italian restaurant, Piccollino’s. We love the food and the atmosphere is simple but nice. After dinner, we were surprised with a flan-like dessert. The plate was a piece of art with chocolate drizzled on the edges, a small array of blueberries, and just two strawberries. There was one small fluff of real whipping cream and the flan in the middle with a mini cookie on top. My first bite sent me in to many Mmmms and Yummms!. I thought I died and went to heaven. My husband and I fought over the last two bites. I wanted to lick the plate.
Today, I went to a restaurant with a friend. She noticed that the decor had changed yet but not enough to elicit a response from her. The previous colors on the walls were warm. Now it is painted in blues and yellows, blue being the dominant color. We enjoyed our meal but I noticed the crowd is less these days than in the past.
My point here is that color effects everything in life. Decor around food must have the right colors to create the sensations that make people hungry and comfortable. Shape, size, color and placement are the same with restaurants and food as if you were decorating a home. Think of all the great restaurants that you’ve visited and consider the colors of the environment. Think about food. Think of what would encourage an appetite.
One of my favorite appetizers is eggplant dip. It tastes great, but the color will make you lose your appetite. It’s best to top it with a colorful garnish. Plates should also accent the food. A bright orange plate for breakfast with sunny-side up eggs and fresh strawberries, is a wakeup call. That would also work for tacos but not so much for a fish dinner in the evening.
So if you’re serving food at home or at work, keep in mind the palette.
Photo credit - Jeff Cahill Design
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Brave Color
Posted by Michele | Filed under Color Themes
How’s this for a flooring option? This is the most amazing design I’ve ever seen. It took a lot of guts for the designer to introduce this as well as pull it off, a lot of guts for the client as well. How many corporations do you think would allow something this far out?
It’s so perfect with the focal point in the center, the way the lines are directional and the tremendous color against the gray architecture. The repetitive striping is almost like Op Art. It boggles my a mind much like an MC Escher drawing. I can picture the designer working on his computer playing with the color and I bet he had several concepts before he came up with this. The primary colors were the perfect solution. If the floors were created in purples, pinks and reds I doubt that corporate suits would have passed this design.
You might think the bold color takes away from the architecture of the building. To me, the architecture and floor are now in unison, and a tremendous artistic statement. All classic architecture has some unique focal point whether it’s the gold dome roof or this bizarre floor. You can almost hear the “wows” when people enter for the first time.
I bet the colors could turn someone’s bad day into sunshine. I wonder if the designer had that in mind. It makes total sense to me, the bright colors are invigorating and energetic and put a smile on my face. They stimulate blood flow, breathing and mentally charge you. What a great way to start the day.
In your own home or corporation, you can consider color the same way. You don’t have to go crazy with color to have the same effect of this floor above. You can however, create a color palette that is so suitable for you. Warm tones create warm energetic feeling. Reds, yellows, oranges, bright greens, and any earthy tone that has a lot of yellow in it.
Cooler tones such a blues and soft greens will create a relaxed atmosphere. Any color with a hint of blue in it will feel cooler and calmer. For instance, a burgandy red will feel more settled than a vibrant racy red.
This building says it all when it comes to making a statement with color. It certainly did for me even if I’m not personally brave enough to do something so bold in my own home. I’m a high energy person so I don’t need all the heat of colors. Bright colors are great, but I recommend choosing colors that fit your lifestyle.
Color or No Color, That Is the Question
Posted by dc | Filed under Color Themes
Shopping for furniture? Waiting to paint walls? Want color but not sure where to put it? Let’s talk about how you can have a little color and then art.
I spent the day with some new clients, consulting them on furniture for their condominium. They were very excited to furnish the home quickly so we chose Metropolix in Laguna Woods. This store carries very modern furniture with lots of straight lines and glass tables, with quick delivery. This is something I recommend to my clients. The clients love that they can pay for my time and we resolve the furniture solutions on site; I basically suggest and consult on the purchases.
Since I had not seen their previous home, I had no idea about their belongings. They brought photos of existing furniture and art, and I was delighted to find that they had very contemporary paintings. Most of the art was in bright, vivid red and orange tones. They also have a Persian-style rug, also a red with black accents.
Last week, I talked about this client and about the mess of colored walls we will covering up with soft, creamy color. They were not sure if they needed color now in their textiles. Once I had seen the art, I made a quick decision on the textiles. The sofa will be a deep camel faux suede. Two chairs will be covered in a golden polka dot. It’s hard to describe this textile, but it is not tacky; it’s a nice, small, 1/2-inch dot pattern, contemporary and clean. All the furniture and walls will be a backdrop for the art. This is my favorite type of design, actually—light walls, light furnishings and vivid art!
The great thing about this look is that you won’t tire of it easily. It will withstand the test of time. You can change the art and rugs if you do get tired of it—again, this is unlikely because it will be a nice, clean look.
I’m adding some contemporary light fixtures that blend with the granite surface in the dining area and kitchen. This will also give additional interest without adding more color.
If you want more color than I am describing, you might want to take a look at what pieces of art or furnishings you have and decide what is staying or going. Then create your own color board to help you in that decision-making process. Add photos of your art (or your wish list of art) to the board, followed by your textiles. The paint chips can be decided on before or after the textiles. I would choose the textiles first so you are not stuck on the wall color. After you’ve applied everything to the color board, how does it look to you? Does it appear to have enough color, too much color or the right amount? The board above shows the reds intended for the client’s sofa and accent chairs. The rug is sculpted in the golden diamond with a border of the red, and the walls were painted in a golden tone. Any more red would be too overwhelming. On the board I’d had another red accent in the lamp, but once the room came together, the client and I chose a gold base and cream shade.
The board creates a feeling or mood. It isn’t necessary to follow it exactly, but it will keep you on a path. My suggestion is to purchase the larger pieces, such as the sofa, chairs and area rug, and then fill in the accessories afterward. If you plan ahead, you can make some beautiful choices.
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