Crazy for Coral!

Design incorporates tons of elements (space, balance, texture, etc.), but one of the most obvious to any eye is color! Lucky for us, the company Pantone was born and now, as the world renowned authority on color, sets the forecast for many of the trend-setting shades.

This year’s Pantone Color of the Year, however, didn’t take long to catch on at all!  For those of you fellow “shelter” magazine junkies, you may have noticed the constant publicity that the 2012 Pantone color, Tangerine Tango, has received.  And it's easy to see why.  It is a vibrant, rich coral color that we can’t get enough of! 

I’ve been antsy to use coral in a client space for months! So much so that it inspired a recent super-of-the-moment addition to a client bedroom. We created a soothing space for this client with Benjamin Moore Monterrey White walls and trim, white linen drapery, and neutral bed linens. We added a pop with gilded accents and the charcoal Greek key fabric (Schumacher’s Nebaha Embroidery) which features the Greek key pattern uniquely run on the bias) – on the bed’s only patterned pillow and as a trim on the drapery.

Well, the design took an interesting turn when I decided to add just a "little" splash of color to the room. One of my all-time favorite color combinations is charcoal gray and coral. Perfect for this space. So! We painted an existing dull-brown dresser with a custom coral color, using a special catalytic paint usually reserved for automotive use, but now seen more and more as a furniture application. Add new polished nickel pulls and ta-da! A young, fun, yet calming master bedroom!

Love that Worlds Away chandelier! Schumacher's Nebaha Embroidery fabric used on pillow and as trim on creamy linen drapery. Gilded coral prints above the bed help pull it all together.

A peak of the coral dresser.  Makes me giddy!!!

Here it is in all its glory!  Great pinky coral color...still LOVE.  Polished nickel pulls.

And, I’m not the only one…I'm loving the unique ways these designers have used coral below.

Pantone's Tangerine Tango -- the color inspiration



Source unknown.  I'm bananas over that wallpaper.  Just goes to show you can have a totally gorgeous neutral space and add a "little" oomph to make it special.



Source unknown.  This room is just too awesome.  Would love to do a space like this someday!  So, a fun family den with light gray walls and coral trimwork??  Killer.  What is that light fixture?  love, love.

Source unknown.  Love the mixing of elements here. Grandmother's Regency dining table with painted and reupholstered (coral print!) chairs and a beautiful painted wallpaper.  Gorgeous!

Which is your favorite use of coral?