Color: Energized or Chill?

Image result for pantone living coral

I am in love! Today I came across this featured article in the spring edition of “At Home with Century 21”, highlighting ways to incorporate the color “living coral” into your life. Now all I see is this color in my mind as I think about various ways I can integrate this beautiful hue of pinkish-orange in my life.

First, you may ask who is Pantone? Here’s the simplest explanation I could find, and you might enjoy reading this short article for more information:

Pantone got its start in 1963. Founder Lawrence Herbert created a system for identifying, matching and communicating colors for consistency across the print and textile design industries. His initial work led to the Pantone Matching System, a book that standardized colors across these fields.

https://people.com/home/what-is-pantone-all-about-the-company-that-chooses-the-color-of-the-year/

For more in-depth knowledge about Pantone, head over to their website at
https://www.pantone.com/. There are many unique features to explore on their site including finding colors to please any palette. I can picture using their colors to help me find the right hue of color to paint my home.

Speaking of color, do you think color affects mood? Click on the link below for specific thoughts on that topic and interior design ideas:

In today’s color post, we focused on interesting shades such as coral, teal and jade. Because not only does the strategic use of color result in the interior mood of your choice, it can showcase some truly intriguing hues that make your interior an enticing one. And when you create visual complexity, your home is a work of art. Which can be truly inspiring and invigorating!

https://www.decoist.com/2013-11-15/colors-mood-interior-design/

As much as I love the bright color of living coral, I would not paint a whole room with it. Instead, I would incorporate an accent wall, pillows, textiles, lamps with a blend of neutral tones. One important consideration though is when you decide to sell your home, you might ask yourself which colors will affect the resale value. However, trends change from year to year. If you are not planning on selling your home for years to come, why not make every moment count? Find a color on Pantone’s website and go for it!

If you are preparing to sell your home, google current trends that show which colors can increase or decrease your home value. Choosing attractive interior colors in your kitchen, bathroom, and front door, as well as the exterior can make a difference.

One last thought appeared as I was researching Pantone’s Living Coral, and it’s how climate change impacts our planet. Let’s keep color in nature by taking part in healing our planet. Here is a snippet of the article as well as the link to read the entire article for yourself:

If we can’t get a handle on climate change, we’re not going to have real live living coral anymore. Not to mention the problems of coral-killing sunscreen and plastics. In the meantime, we’re seeing a whole lot of wan colorless coral that has nothing to do with Pantone 16-1546. Future conversations might go something like this, “Mom, why does the color called ‘coral’ look pink when we all know that coral is really white?” Or even worse, “See this color called ‘coral,’ honey? The oceans used to be filled with it before we killed it all!”
Pantone says, “Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity.”
Which is great … but here’s the TreeHugger, take: “Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages climate change activism.”
Let’s work to ensure that swatches of Living Coral don’t end up in some sad future compendium of colors that once existed in nature.

https://www.treehugger.com/culture/sad-side-pantones-color-year-living-coral.html

I hope that you are inspired to add color in your life and to preserve the color on our planet.

If you would like a free digital copy of the spring edition of “At Home with Century 21”, please send your email to kari.schultz@c21home.com.

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Big Cleanup

Springtime in Carrizo Plains

What time of year do you perform your big cleanup or ōsōji as it is called in Japan? Here in the United States we know it better as spring cleaning. Is it spring, winter or just before the new year? Do you only spring clean once or twice a year or more? Whatever your tradition is, most importantly be sure to create a clean environment at least once per year and especially before you list your home for sale. I found a great article on this very subject which will inspire you and where I found the word ōsōji so I must give credit to where credit is due. I truly enjoyed reading this article and hope you will too! https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2015/12/26/lifestyle/osoji-ways-keep-home-spick-span/#.XL_XzuhKiM8

But what if Spring cleaning in one day is too big a task? Thankfully, I came across another article that breaks down tasks in a 30-day challenge. This will give you some idea of where to start but most importantly just get started. If you only have a little time or your feel overwhelmed, just set your timer for 10 minutes a day. How about enlisting help from the rest of the family? A rotating chore chart could come in handy and teach your kids valuable skills. Get your 30 day spring cleaning challenge here: https://diyprojects.com/cleaning-challenge-30-day-spring/

My hope is you will have a few minutes to sit down and read both articles and find some inspiration. I would love to hear your thoughts on this very topic. Thank you for reading!