Green

image{Veranda}

In the past few years the color green has been associated with the environment. Green building, sustainability, and our carbon foot print. In the building industry environmental awareness is very important, from demolition, to building with sustainable products, to reusing and recycling materials, and finishing with products that have little or no off gassing. But there use to be a time when "Green" was a color. A color that came from nature, the backdrop to all the other beautiful colors inspired by nature. Sage, celadon, moss, chartreuse, hunter all different shades of green, by adding or subtracting gray, yellow, or brown, green can take on a new identity.
Sage gets its softness and neutral quality because of the gray undertones, while celadon is rich due to the subtle browns that make it a neutral color. Moss, has been around for centuries, a timeless shade of green, often used in period interiors and historic preservation, and a favorite color of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Here are some inspirations in green...

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I love the chinoiserie hand painted wall covering, especially in this bright green color, it can be very refreshing in the dining room.

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The Beige walls and cream colors in this room, designed by Tobi Fairley, help bring down the intensity of the green on the drapery and the lounge chair covered with the toile, while the bright green fabric covering the wing back chairs make the room bright and adding a punch of color, at the same time making a traditional piece of furniture modern and fun.

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Tory Burch's New York apartment, used as the site for the photo shoot of her spring collection.
This is the living room, all the walls have been upholstered in moss green velvet, including the sofa with green leather chairs.

image {Met Home June '08}

The green of the Murano glass brings the outdoors in to this beach inspired living room. Other accent colors include turquoise blue, and brown, all complimenting the mossy green of the chandelier.

image {Chris Barrett}

The only way to bring any space into life is with the use of plants and flowers. It doesn't matter what style or colors you have used greenery, and elements from our natural surrounding, add character, charm, and beauty. I guess that's what makes green such a timeless color.

Firoozeh Khorrami

DesignSchematic

Violets are blue

Blue is a popular color due to it's versatility, and changeability. It can be bright, sedated, classic, modern, or trendy. It's both liked and disliked by designers, being a cool color, it can actually cool down the room, and if not properly used it can be quite unflattering to the complexion.

Chinese blue and white pottery was a craze in Europe, cobalt blue which was an expensive color to obtain was used to decorate this beautiful pottery, still very fashionable and widely admired

I love the Robin's egg blue tile on the back splash, it helps keep things cool in a hot kitchen

Ice Blue, fresh and youthful and appropriate to this season of cold weather

{ image 1 Horchow., 1image 2&3 Suzanne Kasler, image4 Elle Decor ,}

I like blue. How about you?

Firoozeh Khorrami

DesignSchematic

Roses are Red

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Red is a color that stimulates, as an accent, red draws the eye like these red murano glass chandeliers.

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In this living room designer Kendall Wilkinson has used the color red to help direct attention around the space, from the area rug to the lounge chairs, to the red drapery panels that move the eye up, and make the room appear taller.


Lets not forget the Red Room at the White House. This room has made the color red a classic.


Red and gold tray and dessert plates for serving wonderful chocolate treats on Valentine's day.

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Valentine's day is almost here, it's a good day to let all your loved ones know how special they are.

Firoozeh

DesignSchematic

Gray

From cool to warm, light to dark, Gray is a beautiful nuetral that can work well with other neutrals and calms bright colors. I have always loved using it and although I hear it is going to replace brown, I love using gray with brown

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All neutrals, except the painting on the wall. There are different shades of gray, beige, and browns in the room this is a sophisticated palette, a palette that can only come together with the trained eyes of a professional designer.

The house below is designed by Jill Brinson and published in House Beautiful December 2009

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It's a lovely example of the color gray and how it can work in any style. The color of the cabinets in the dining room, the gray of the wicker chair, the sourond on the bath tub, it makes for a very well thought out palette.

Gray and orange
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Gray and Turquoise

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Gray and yellow

I can probably write and post 100s of images,

Which one is your favorite?

Firoozeh

DesignSchematic

Turquoise

Turquoise is the color of the tranquil ocean that surrounds a tropical island. A combination of blue and green, it has the serene and inviting qualities of blue, yet uplifting and luminous due to the green. In many cultures turquoise is a protective color used to ward off the evil eye. I especially have a liking for the color since my name Firoozeh means Turquoise.

Here are a few spaces that I love using a combination of yellow and turquoise.

The two living rooms bellow have mostly a neutral pallet, turquoise and yellow are added as splashes of color making them electric and not overwhelming, it also keeps the eyes moving through the space.

Jamie Drake

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The bedroom below designed by Elizabeth Dinkel is a wonderful example of how turquoise can a serene color

Elizabeth Dinkel

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Turquoise adds excitement to neutrals, and compliments a variety of colors like yellow, orange, pink and corals just to name a few. Which one of the rooms is your favorite?

Firoozeh Khorrami

DesignSchematic