Greens Are Good for You

With spring making its 2011 debut, my mind’s on green. Not just any kind of green. But unmistakable kelly, lime, and sage greens. As Dorothy Draper once wrote, “Although Mother Nature hasn’t written a book, she is continually giving us visual proof of her know-how when it comes to color.”

Green always hovers at the top of my personal color ranking system. I won’t, however, call it my favorite color, because I am a Libra, prone to diplomacy and fickleness. But, on a continual basis, green captures my attention and makes me happy.

Let’s begin with kelly. Kelly is glamorous, preppy, classic. There is something about this emerald hue, in large or small doses, that just perks up my whole being. And adding rain slicker yellow to the equation, is like getting an extra shot of espresso. To tame the sensory jolt, allow for plenty of white space, and then a dark blue or black for giving it some weight. Sharon Taylor bypassed gentle baby pastels when she designed this nursery. Feeling extra playful with bold hues, she specified 6″ painted ceiling stripes that’re sure to keep an infant mesmerized for hours. I venture to say that when this chic babe grows up to be a sophisticated schoolgirl, with some minor furnishing tweaks, the preppy palette shall survive.

Lime is another shade in high esteem that makes for some very juicy décor. With turquoise, and a room full of bamboo or wicker, the mood gets predictably tropical. In this Caribbean-colored library, however, Diamond Baratta Design steer clear of the islands and have me craving a martini rather than a piña colada. They do this by emphasizing the classic architecture with bright white paint, and by using fun hues on rather formal furnishings. A Pucci-inspired rug, impressively scaled, raises the bar to a new level of chic.

Whereas kelly and lime make my heart race, sage energizes in a subtle and soothing way. Sage is easy to live with, mellow and earthy–more like a trusted companion than a flashy new beau! I like to keep the palette au natural with rich sable, taupe, and wheat. Wholesome cream keeps the vibe fresh and airy. Glints of gold or even silver make it magical. For more pop, throw in some burnt orange found in an old kilim or vintage leather chair.

Lucky for me, I have kind and stylish friends across the globe who invite me to stay at their well-decorated homes. In Seattle, Ted Kennedy Watson and Ted Sive always have a special room for me. Watson, an award winning retailer and master of merchandising, adores green too. The room was painted seven years ago and Watson says, “I still walk into that room and think how much I love it!”

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Re-Blogged From http://livingincolorwithsonu.typepad.com/sonu_blog/2011/03/greens-are-good-for-you.html