Every December Pantone names its Color of the Year for the coming year. For 2016 the color experts broke with tradition and picked a combination of two shades — Rose Quartz and Serenity — as their Color of the Year.
And the unexpected choice has everybody talking! Most people either love it or…don’t. I must say it left me scratching my head at first. But I get where Pantone’s coming from:
We all crave a little tranquility and peace in our hectic lives, and creating a calm environment at home makes sense. But I’m sure plenty of people are looking at these soft shades (which bring to my mind cotton candy) and thinking, “Not in my house” (or not outside of the baby’s nursery, anyway). Even Pantone’s website admits, the combination “challenges traditional perceptions of color association.”
But don’t dismiss this color trend too quickly. There’s a grown-up way to incorporate one or both of these soft shades — or at least the calming spirit they embody — into your design scheme, as we did in this home in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, DC.
I like pink and thought it would be perfect in this living room — and so did my client — but I wanted to give it a sophisticated spin by using metallic paint. I chose a moodier version of Rose Quartz for the walls. The metallic sheen adds an extra dose of glamour. The pink shade shimmers in the light like, well, rose quartz. Unfortunately, It’s hard to capture its luminescence in room photos, so here’s a closer look at a paint chip:
The sophisticated shimmer shows up again in the window panels, fabricated from a Chivasso textured linen with a subtle pink stripe done in metallic thread. Here’s a close-up:
The luxe sofa, covered in chocolate-colored velvet, lends gravitas and ensures that the overall palette comes off as chic, instead of girly.
A spirited Nina Campbell wallpaper from Osborne & Little carries the pastel-pink color story into the adjacent foyer:
The wallcovering features a larger-than-life floral motif that’s fresh and fun, rather than sugary sweet. When working with a gentle or neutral palette, you can take more liberties with pattern and scale!
The repetition of color ensures that the foyer and living room flow together beautifully. I selected acrylic pieces (check out the foyer’s custom-sized lantern and the living room’s coffee table), to bring further cohesion and modern style to the two spaces.
If you’re craving tranquility in your life (and who isn’t?!) and want to take part in the calm-color movement, consider upping the palette’s sophistication quotient with metallic finishes, luxe fabrics and acrylic elements, for a look that’s both soothing and grown-up.
Nature and Romance at Wright’s Fallingwater
