It never fails.

All winter long, I slumber away in my cozy neutral cocoon, singing sweet lullabies to oatmeal and flax, linen and greige. Then summer comes and I burst the bleep out, emerging in a crescendo of jazzy trumpets, reborn as a shining neon beacon. I’m not exactly sure how this magical transformation occurs, but as the sun gets brighter, I begin seeing everything as a giant sparkly rainbow of possibility. Perhaps it’s the sudden uptick in Vitamin D, or maybe it’s just because it’s so damn gorgeous outside. Whatever. When summer comes, I (try to) slough off my grouchy, over analytical shell, and embrace the simple truth at the heart of Emerson’s idea that beauty is its own excuse for being.

After that kind of introduction, you’re probably expecting rubies and diamonds to fall out of the screen, but no.

It’s just some buzzy good cheer from Matthew Williamson’s home, complete with a little shot of Bombay to kick start your Memorial Day weekend.

Because when summer comes, it’s time to partay.

Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to tune in on Monday to see who won the horsey pillow giveaway! You did enter to win the free horsey pillow, didn’t you????? If not, there’s still time… enter HERE.

Recently I can feel a dramatic shift in my design preferences.  Where I used to bookmark white interiors like they were going out of style, well, for me, I think they might be going out of style.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love a crisp, clean, white interior but I just flipped through my color combinations folder and saw a lot of this action:

As you can see, my interest in gold hasn’t waned much (has it grown!!!??  good lord) but the surrounding tones have gotten significantly darker

Ok, so admittedly, that light fixture really seals the deal here.  No, not the duck one.

No fancy interiors to see here, but this was smack-dab in the middle of my color file so I figure it must be worth sharing.  Other odd images I found right along it’s side include:

Love the color, love the fur, love the sparkle.  This could totally translate into a room.

And there it is again.   I would like for you to tell me how this color combination is not perfection.  Or, send me more pictures of real interiors in these tones… I want more!

PS, if I took any of today’s pictures from any of your blogs and didn’t note it here it’s because I don’t remember where I got any of these pictures.  Leave a comment if they’re from your site and I’ll happily give you credit.  xoxo

I was hoping to bring you guys some pics of my new office today but I’m STILL not done.  It’s not for lack of trying, I’ve worked on it every weekend for a month and a half.  I’m pretty sure it has a lot to do with the 14 million boxes of “heirlooms” my mother sent when she gutted her house that have been stored in my office for the past several months.  I finished sorting through them this weekend, but unpacking and finding a  home for yet another porcelain miniature tea set has been challenging, to say the least.  Man I’m rambling.  Anyway, office: not done.

Another reason it took so dang long is that I painted it, hated it, tried to live with it then painted again.  I settled on white, which I actually LOVE.  Accents are yellow and black with lots and lots of art (still waiting to be hung).  Since I can’t show you my room, I thought I’d share some other spaces with pops of yellow in honor of my never to be completed work space.

Unfortunately, that chair is not in my office, but I’m not ruling it out if perchance I happen upon it one day at the thrift store.  It could happen.

Hi yellow lamp!  Are you sure that desk is sturdy enough to hold you up?  

Love.

The K-dawg doesn’t allow colorful walls in her house, but this one isn’t making me mad.

yes.

I really like this kitchen but I HATE the way they styled it.  clock: gross, stools: gross.  2 coffee mugs, fruit bowl and plants in triplicate: gross gross gross.  Yellow beam, yes, yes I like you.

If anyone who owns this sideboard is willing to accept a first born in trade please let me know.  My babies will be really tall and probably, like, way smart, so it’s a really sound investment.

yellow couch, you’re awesome!

Do I spy a yellow glow behind the bed?

Ok, so this one isn’t so much of a yellow accent it’s more, as Erin would say, full-frontal-yellow, but I just love it to pieces.

For more yellow accents, check out this guest post Jen did for us a couple of months ago

Hello, darling readers of Design Crisis!  Your hair looks fantastic today.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tula and I’m usually turning tricks on a blog called WHORANGE.  Like many of you, I rely heavily upon my daily Design Crisis fix to get me out of bed and through the day.  Therefore, when Erin and Karly asked me to be a guest blogger, I felt like an addict being given the keys to the crack house Miss America – honored, delighted, and ready to embark upon a glamour-filled journey.

But, before I launch into the talent portion of the competition, I would like to acknowledge the little fellow who made my debut today possible — Erin’s newborn son.  Welcome to this world, handsome guy.  You’ve got yourself a tremendously talented, witty, and inspiring mom who is admired both internationally and intergalactically.  And that Karly lady she hangs around with ain’t too bad either.

That being said, let’s sparkle, shall we?

Today’s inspiration comes to us from a ditty made famous by my hero — Judy Garland.  Judy was a troubled gal with a million dollar voice and Hollywood at her fingertips.  In other words…she’s just like us. Please sing along if you know the lyrics.

Somewhere over the…

Yep, you got it.

Rainbow Reproduction.  Making rainbows is an arduous task and one that unicorns do not take lightly.  The combination of carnal chemistry and heavenly lighting is key and extremely rare, but the result is pure magic.  Chris Bishop’s educational “Afternoon Delight” is the perfect way to say “I love you” and dispel the myth that rainbows are born of raindrops and sunshine.

Rainbow Kicks.  With the long trek ahead of us, let’s pick out some sensible shoes, shall we?   Salvatore Ferragamo’s colorful collection ranges from practical platforms to fancy flats.  Since comfort is key, I’ll slip on the platforms.

Cue music…

Rainbow Rockers.  As we all know, rainbows and rock stars go together like whiskey and rehab.  Jason Munn of The Small Stakes takes a page from the psychedelic 60s and spins it modern with his vibrant screen prints.  Is anybody else getting the munchies?

Rainbow Cravings.  Remember, you are what you eat.  Therefore, eat pretty.  (Macarons by Paulette.)

Rainbow Poop.  And, poop pretty.

Please, take your time.  No rush.  I’ll just be in the next room reading my favorite novel…

Rainbow Wisdom:  If only I could remember what color it was.  A wise person once said, “Color-sorting your bookshelf may look pretty as a pony, but it’s as practical as a Pinto.”

That wise person was me.  Could have sworn that book was leopard print.  Maybe I’ll find it in here…

Rainbow reading.  The Kid’s Republic Library in Beijing stocks picture books from all over the world and provides plenty of technicolor hideaways and colorful corridors for tiny readers.   However, something tells me the library doesn’t supply these…

Rainbow Rings.  Kiddie coloring meets fabulous finger fashion with Timothy Liles crayon rings.  Speaking of art…

Rainbow Post-Modern.  Yves Klein and Jasper Johns once channeled their inner rainbows with “Yves Peintures” and “0-9″.  I think I’ve found the perfect place to hang them, too…

Rainbow Room.  Designer extraordinaire Gio Ponti knew how to craft a colorful crib and even created the design magazine Domus, which ran from 1928-1999, to show us how.  (Thanks for the tip, Mr. Peacock!)

Rainbow Respite.  These Ferragamos are killing me, people.  One moment please as I rest on this bench.

Rainbow Relaxation.  Speaking of rest, I took a trip to Yosemite over the 4th of July and it looked nothing like this.   Perhaps I should go back in the Fall.   (Illustrations by Scott Hansen.)

Okay, I’m back on my feet.  Let’s hustle…

Rainbow Enlightenment.  Did you know that if you close your eyes and envision two unicorns humping, a rainbow will shoot from your third eye?  It’s true!

Go ahead and try it.  I’ll wait.  (Illustration by Brandi Strickland.)

Rainbow Misfire.  But, keep your third eye trajectory away from the cats!

Illustration by nutandbee

We’ve finally made it — the end of the rainbow!  Thank you for taking this journey with me, lovely denizens of Design Crisis.  Sorry, there isn’t a pot of gold, field of green, or pocket gnome for you to take home.  Sadly, all that’s here is the cold, hard reality of what happens when you indulge too much in a good thing.

Stay pretty, darlings!

tula

Wow, it has been quite a week here!  Between meeting Sanders, an illicit yacht party and my trip to Albuquerque, I’m just plum tuckered out.  So, what do you get out of this?  Why, my favorite thing to show you after a vaca:  select scans from my inflight reading material.  Yesterday’s inbound trip kept me filled with colorful glee vis-a-vis the fine pages of Living etc.  Ici:

The stairwell in a Montauk Island Beach home.

Yes, yes, that blue is not nearly exciting as the shades we’ve been drooling over this week, but get a load of this close-up:

Pool Pushers, photograph by Anthony Goicolea

A perfect portrait for a beach home or for my dining room, whateves.  Have I ever mentioned how much I like swimming?  AND staged photography?  I really, really love staged photography.  I want to marry it.

If you execute an art heist at this Long Island home and find yourself a little weary from throwing bricks and climbing in windows, you can take a nap here:

See how that ceiling-mounted wallpaper lovingly rocks you to sleep and whisks away all your worries about pesky little things like:  ”impending prison sentences” and “failing polygraphs”

Yep, no need to worry, I’m sure the federal guards will let you decorate your cell just like this:

Are you dudes getting the full effect of that high-gloss white vinyl headboard? Dreamy, right?  It’s eerily similar to the one I plan to make for my own bedroom.  I will invite you all over to drool over it once it is completed.  Through bullet-proof glass, of course.  I saw how you were eyeing the paintings in the first photo.

Speaking of paintings, I’ll let you have these (take them!  get them away!) but I’ll be keeping the mirror, thankyouverymuch:

What do we think of a red bathroom?  How do you envision the shower in this joint?  Is it tile?  Red tile?  I just don’t even know.  Help me out here.

Also in this issue were a couple more scan-worthy visions from other homes:

STICKER WALL!!!  It’s like a car covered in bumper stickers, only not stupid and annoying.

and finally:

A nice place for me to rest over the weekend.  Schew, I’m oh so sleepy after all this hard work Erin and I have done on your behalf this week, I feel like I really do deserve this entire room all to myself.  For free.

As promised, today I am presenting Sanders the Paint Guru’s picks for the hottest upcoming trends in color, and when I say “color,” I mean COLOR. If the gray days of fall are getting you down, then this palette is sure to jump start your morning. When I asked Sanders what the most popular colors for next year would be, he immediately said “electric blue, bright orange, acid green, red, yellow.” As usual, Sanders was on the money. Check out what the October issue of Elle Decor UK said would be the “Hot Trend For Homes”:

Versus the color palette Sanders put together during our interview:

I told you that Sanders was good! If you ever had a crush on Roy G Biv in school, then these rooms are for you. Witness the power of dramatic paint to completely transform a space. (All photos courtesy of Domino)

Don’t you feel more cheerful, well rested and motivated, already? Maybe you won’t even need that extra cup of coffee. Perhaps you should start a new exercise routine… Who’s up for climbing Mount Everest???! Ok, let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?

Since I’ve asked for help from you dear readers at least twice, you probably all know by now that I have a red dining room and kitchen, and I’ve been worrying that maybe it’s a twee bit overblown. Perhaps instead of taking it down a notch, instead I should pump it up with a steroid injection of brighter, orangier, funkier, red:

(Photo courtesy of Living Etc.)

Or maybe, like Karly, you’ve been craving some sunshine in your space. Why not go for a zany shade of yellow on the walls?

(Photo via A Mad Tea Party With Alis, who also has some great posts on color)

I love the super bright funkadelic yellow paired with dark dark trim and subdued, weathered floors. Shall we just say that the dead fish on the table adds to the rustic charm? Yes, we shall. Those chairs are pretty boss, too.

For those of you who love color but want something a little more sober, why not a bold, cobalt blue?

(Photo via Living Etc)

It’s much more unexpected than the usual aqua tinged walls, but still restful enough to catch some much needed Zzzzzz’s at night. A silver leafed ceiling could be a magical complement (and gold is always fab).

Or perhaps you prefer to just scramble the whole color palette together and have a delicious rainbow omelette?

This whole house decorated by M. Design Interiors is a madcap acid trip fantasyland, and I really want to live there. The sleek furnishings and square lines have an awesome 70’s vibe, so perhaps we should throw a hip blogger’s disco party? I think I’d have to ditch the tulips, though.

If you’re not into all out color, maybe just a peep of bright paint would do the trick.

I love the use of primary shades in this super white space, courtesy once again of the fabulous M. Design Interiors.

Ok, I know that lots of you out there love color, but would prefer to confine it to accessories and furnishings for a splash of bright something something against a neutral background without the commitment of paint. Here are some renter friendly solutions that will still give your pad some punch.

(Photo credits for each row, left to right: Living Etc, Living Etc. Domino, Living Etc. Terramia, Andrew Suvalsky. Living Etc, Domino)

Why not reupholster a vintage couch or chair in a shockingly bright fabric to create a substantial focal point in your otherwise neutral room? Or you could always do some super mod pillows for a cheap and easy burst of color (bonus points for resourcefulness if you can sew your own). Also, I kind of want a lime green clawfoot tub now… If only I had a bathroom big enough for one!

Anyone want a cush headboard fit for a princess in a color that won’t make your prince cringe?

(Photo via M. Design Interiors)

Yeah, baby, I can dig it. Now how about a red green combo that’s miles away from Christmas?

(Flux Interiors)

That is one delicious lampshade, and I love the repeat of the color on the window frames. Is that an Ikea couch? If not, they have a very similar version that comes with a zillion different slipcovers, so you can redecorate annually without breaking the bank. I am voting for new pillows though. How about a row of Obama heads instead of Mao and Marx? Yes we can.

If you already have great bones, highlight them.

(Photo via A Mad Tea Party With Alis)

A burst of sunny yellow makes this old school stunner look fresh, clean and modern. How much do you love the charcoal piping? Fabulous.

Even bold color can be subtly softened by its surroundings.

(via If the Lampshade Fits)

Purpley gray walls set this versatile tomato red couch afire, but an otherwise subdued color palette keeps things cool and sophisticated.

If you’re feeling more daring, go for the gold:

(Photo via Living Etc)

I really hate barstools, but at least these are camoflaged by a similarly hued tangerine kitchen bar with matching countertops. I love the harmony with the orangey wooden floors, as well as the contrast with the blue mirrored glass in the background.

And last but not least, some gorgeous shades of green and blue that are fresh but not overwhelming:

If you’ve never checked out the Brooklyn home of Fawn Galli, go there now. Her house is a gorgeous reminder that color is fun and doesn’t have to be opressive or vulgar. And she has a giant deer sculpture. My hero.

That’s it for this Sanders-inspired roundup of ultra ultra brights. What do you think? Could you live with these acid hues, or are you planning to stick to neutral basics? Tell us all about it.

My dear sweet ma is still in town, which has done wonders for my household organization but is really putting a damper on my blog posts (I’m thinking of starting a “while guests are in town” category, just to put all the sad, weak posts in one pathetic little corner).  Don’t get me wrong, the pictures you’re about to see are ever so delightful, but my humor really isn’t up to par (especially following Erin’s great bathroom post yesterday).

Tomorrow my mom and I are going to be hanging some floating shelves in my living room, I have long planned to organize my books by color, so these photographs by artist Helga Steppan from her series, See Through, jumped right out at me:

Notice how she has, like, hardly any pink?  I don’t blame her.  Red is great until it becomes pink.  Also, notice the last picture, all the miscelanious stuff:  I have been wondering what to do with all my books that have several colors, should I just throw them in a pile and take a picture of them?  Maybe I can force someone to blog about them for me.

In other news:  my new couch fabric came in today so I’m hoping to have a big fat couch after post soon.  I also got some deluxe black and white striped fabric for my bedroom curtains (sorry erin, I’m going with a printed curtain).

that’s all, time to go watch sad sad HGTV design shows with mom.