Grown Up 'Palatial Pinks'...

Couldn't resist these grown-up 'Palatial Pinks'...

It's not always about the colour of a little girl's room!

Enjoy,

images via sarah is cool, rrantiques, sweetmontana, tumblr, pinterest, crush cul de sac, Adirondack chair

Bellisimo!

A few little images that caught my eye - a splash of pink & style! I think 'Pink' is a highly underestimated hue - I used to stay away from it - but I have learnt the error of thins colour ways! Shades of Pink are great for 'pop', 'fashion', 'pretty', 'edgy' and an array of other adjective I could keep going - but mostly it's a great joinging accent hue. 

And not to forget that I also love YSL - this logo placement designer tee top is uber cute - with spiked shoulder vest; I adore Limoges tea cups & saucers -yes in all shades, and I cannot resist dresser vignettes  - touch of respplendent pretty here - so can't go wrong really!

Hope you had a great Tuesday!

Enjoy,

images via katie-armour, gel-ato, for the love of pretty via ys voice, latikastheme, tumblr.

Baby Pink... The Bonds Baby Search 2011

So I'm continuing with Pantone's Colour of the Year with my little pink entry, of my little Miss Isabelle! I just couldn't help it... a few other friends inspired me to enter our daughter, Isabelle,  into the Bonds Baby Search 2011. Naturally I'm bias [what mother isn't!] and in an effort to support our gorgeous Isabelle's affair with the camera [as you can see from this 'extreme' close up!

Please vote for us when the polls open on 28th February [12PM Australian Eastern Standard time] in the Bonds Baby Search 2011 - HERE on THIS LINK. 

Please feel free to copy & paste this link http://babysearch.bonds.com.au/entry/23353/isabelle-v and email it to your friends who aren't following Palatial Living [and who should be!!]!

 

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Bonds brand - it's an iconic Australian brand that began with humble beginnings and is renown for our comfy cotton singlets 'Chesty' Bonds made more famous by legend tennis player Pat Rafter, and undies, and knickers by ambassador Sarah Murdoch, and the famous 'Wondersuit' an easy wash and put on/ pull off baby onsie - that's an iconic must for all new parents! Not to mention a plethora of other great items in outerwear, more underwear, socks, bedlinen, and a stack of great baby wear. I would be bold enough to say that there would be at least 1 piece of Bonds clothing could be found in almost any Australian's chest of drawers! 

As the saying goes - I suppose you gotta be in it to win it! 

A HUGE Palatial Thank You x

 

 

 

A little history on the Bonds brand...

http://www.bonds.com.au/

Bonds was established in 1915 by Mr George Allan Bond, an American who came to Australia in the early twentieth century. He started importing women's hosiery and gloves. In 1917 he began manufacturing hosiery in Redfern, Sydney. From 1918 he moved to Camperdown and began also making underwear. In 1932, Bond built Australia’s first cotton spinning mill at Wentworthville in western Sydney. This particular section of Wentworthville was soon re-named Pendle Hill in honour of Mr. Bond's Scottish family origins. For this purpose and facilitating easy access to Bond's Spinning Mills for employees, a railway station was created. In fact a whole new suburb was created.[1]

The company went into liquidation in 1929 and a public company, Bonds Industries Limited, was established. In 1970 the company merged with Coats Paton Pty Ltd. In 1987 the company was taken over by Pacific Dunlop. In 2001 the company was sold to form a separate entity, ‘Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd’. At that time also the spinning mill was closed. In 2004 Pacific Brands Limited was listed as a public company on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and New Zealand Stock Market (NZX).[1]

In 2006, Bonds manufactures 40% of its goods in Australia at three sites in New South Wales: Cessnock, Unanderra and Wentworthville. The factories produce nearly 17 million garments a year and employ 295 full time staff.[2] The company also has relationships with a number of independent manufacturers in China. 
 

image by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Honeysuckle: Shades of Pink....

It was released just over a month ago - the 2011Pantone Colour of the Year - Honeysuckle 18-2120. I think we have really seen a resurgence for the use of pink, Honeysuckle, and tints & shades thereof for little while now almost creeping up on us.... but unlike the signature colour of renown interior designer Dorothy Draper - Pink and most of it's form for the best part and to maintain it's contemporary sophisticated femininity is best used in a couple of different ways -

1] sparingly in accents and highlights only for a elegant paired back look;

or 2] as the only dominant hue [colour] in the space - key is to not allow it to compete with another hue.

or 3] with lashings of the same high chroma value colour  like sunny yellow, tangerine orange, Kelly green etc - bordered by vivid whites and ebony blacks, or graphic stripes.

Whether it has been an unconscious inspiration from all the images I look at and several designer's work that I follow, or that having a little girl now - has more recently 'allowed' me looking at shades of Pink in a different light in all aspects of the usage for the colour. I find myself using it as a great joining colour - much like great joining words, 'whilst', not feeling colour compromised!

Enjoy,

A Color for All Seasons

From the Pantone press release...

Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Eiseman continues, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. It’s a striking, eye-catching hue that works well for day and night in women’s apparel, accessories and cosmetics, and in men’s ties, shirts and sportswear. Add a lively flair to interior spaces with Honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway.

Honeysuckle products are currently available from a variety of manufacturers:

Wedding Apparel - A flattering hue for wedding attendant apparel and accessories, Honeysuckle is now one of the nearly 200 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available from Dessy, a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid, social-occasion and flower-girl dresses. PANTONE WEDDING exclusively from Dessy provides a collection of color tools to make it easy for brides to achieve perfectly color-coordinated weddings – from inspiration to “I do.” See www.dessy.com for more information.

Paint - Honeysuckle is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone’s line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE Paints combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty of high-performance Dutch paints. See www.pantonepaints.com for more information.

Visa Card - Whether you’re buying groceries, paying the dry cleaner or shopping for a pair of new pumps, now you can do it in style with a PANTONE Visa® Platinum Rewards Card in Honeysuckle, the 2011 color of the year. See www.pantone.com/visacard for more information.

Fashion - Honeysuckle always works with the standard basics of black, navy, charcoal or light to mid gray. But using complementary bronze greens like Willow PANTONE 16-0632 and/or Tapenade PANTONE 18-0840 adds a new sophistication to the combination that showcases the energy of Honeysuckle. The green tones can be really interesting in accessories for Honeysuckle tights and top. Another great and unique combination is Honeysuckle with a pinkish brown like Apricot Brandy PANTONE 17-1540. Think of a warm cashmere turtleneck in Apricot Brandy with a matching skirt and shoes to blend and flatter the legs. A Honeysuckle cashmere scarf and belt create a luscious combination. And to blend all the colors, try a big and bold patterned bag with every color mentioned above.

Home Interiors - Honeysuckle is upbeat and dynamic when used on large areas like the entry area of a house or an apartment. It is an appetite and conversation stimulant when used on the dining room walls. In the kitchen, it adds a fun touch on the table in placemats and other linens (patterned or solid), colored glassware, candles and small appliances. Honeysuckle is a great color to cover up shabby kitchen cabinets, or, if that’s too much of a color statement for you, try repainting knobs and drawer pulls. But be warned – once you try this arresting shade, it can become addictive.

Packaging -Honeysuckle is an excellent packaging color for products that speak to something active or festive, or are suggestive of sweet tastes and scents. It’s an especially good shade for delicious food or drink packaging. The name Honeysuckle is evocative of these perceptions. The closest match to Honeysuckle PANTONE 18-2120 TPX in the PANTONE PLUS SERIES is 205 U, p. 45 (choose uncoated – coated is much more vibrant). One of the best combinations for Honeysuckle in the PLUS SERIES in the context of deliciousness is a grape shade 2573, p.76. Grape should be used in lesser amounts than Honeysuckle with the smallest component in a rich chocolate shade like 483, p.32

images via elle decor, pantone institute, coastal living, house & home, verandah house blog

In the Garden...

It's been a bit of 'Four Seasons in One Day' here at my home...Just before a huge hail storm hit Sydney this afternoon I took these images of my beautiful flowering Crab Apple tree that I thought I'd share with you for a Monday! I think I was just in time to capture some of the larger blossoms - their petals can fall like pieces of blush pink tissue paper. Enjoy ...

images taken by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home+Garden Living Solutions

Happy Weekend!

The Weekend couldn't arrive sooner! I love this image - the bright pink balloons fluidly flying up into the wind [like a formation of swallows] against the steady backdrop of the Eiffel Tower! We have my god-daughter's 3rd birthday party tomorrow and these pink balloons reminded me of what fun a little girls birthday party can be!

Did you take the Colour IQ test this week? What was your score? I had a bit of fun with it too... Thanks for joining me this week at Palatial Living - hope to see you next week! Til then - Happy Weekend, take care & enjoy...

Pretty Pink Frou-Frou for The Cup...

With all the wonderful frou-four & dressing up for The Melbourne Cup [tomorrow] it has somehow made me think about pink, pale pink - I think these are Palatial-ally Pretty Pinks!

images via  tumblr - Postcards from Far Away [images 1,3,&4], visualizeus [image 2], Pepper Design [image 5], Patricia Gray Inc [image 6] & Orange Beautiful [image 7]

Saturated in Shades of Pink...

Shades of Lipstick-Fuchsia -Enhanced Pink... it's funny how sometimes you don't even realise that you have been gravitating to a particular colour - with shades & tints of it, and if not for October [a declared Pink month] then why not anytime too! S x

images via image 1] australian house & garden nov 10 issue, image 2 & 4] australian vogue living sept/oct 10, image 3] inside out Nov/Dec 10 issue cover featuring the home of artist David Band, image 5] postcard for verandah home+garden living solutions, image 6] advert for Wilman Interiors for Hoad Fabrics.

Pink is for October Too!

Pink is the colour of October - Why? Not only is it a fabulous colour that teams with so many other colours through design, fashion, art, interiors, food & the affliate colour for girls & women, it is the official colour for Breast Cancer Awareness, and its 'Pink Ribbon' campaign.

You don't need to know anyone who has had breast cancer to be touched by it - by just contributing to the prevention and research for a cure - helps all. I have been touched by it - not directly, but indirectly - with a great aunt, and now with news last week of my best friend's mum who has been in remission for close to15 years is now off to have a biopsy, and preparing for treatment again on a 'new' side where the doctor's have found it's come back again. Words we just don't want to hear. But with your help and early detection, and support -  there is a positive light and fight in it.

So I urge to contribute in any way possible to help in fund raising, hosting a morning or afternoon tea, 'wearing pink to work day' at he office, holding a movie night, ask people to sponsor for going pink in some way! Or just buying a Pink Ribbon. However & whatever you do you will be contributing to the prevention & cure.

Monday 25th October is the official Pink Ribbon day - but you don't have to wait til then - get your Pink on and start today to make your October a Pink one!

Extract from Pink Ribbon Day website...

Did You Know .... 'One in every nine Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. It could be a mother, sister, aunt, cousin, niece or friend. Whoever they are, one thing they have in common is that they will all need our help and support.

This October, Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon Day is your chance to help raise money and awareness for all Australian women affected by breast cancer.

For as much as we do to help improve survival rates and treatments, the fact is there is still so much more to be done in the fight against this terrible disease.

Show your support for breast cancer by ordering pink products to sell, volunteering your time to help, buying pink, holding a pink fundraiser, or making a donation.'

For Australian residents - click here on how you can get involved. Or buy pink or make a donation then click here to go to the official Pink Ribbon Day website.

Other merchandise can be found at these Australian locations - Where can I find pink products?

Look out for our Pink Ribbon stalls across Australia throughout October and on Pink Ribbon Day, Monday, October 25th.

Pink products are available across Australia for the month of October from our supporting national outlets: Amcal, Autograph, BeMe, Best & Less, Crossroads, Curves, Millers, Rockmans and Wombat.

images from Australian Country Style October 2010 issue, & Country Living [US].

Just Because...

I love this room - the mix of colour & pattern. I especially love the use of wallpaper here it's applied to the inside of the book shelves and coordinates back with the pink slip covered deep lounge chairs... a really great way to explore colour, pattern and style with wallpaper and without having to give up a whole wall! S x

Image via Country Living

Fabulous Shades of Pink!

Lately I have had several people tell me [by looking at the shape of my pregnant belly] that we're having a boy... although not adverse to either a baby boy or girl, as we don't know ourselves yet, it would seem that gender is being played by colour [and vice versa] through out decor, design, styling and clothing decision making. It got me thinking more about how important colour is to us, and how we associate colour with social conditioning or it's expectations, whether subliminally or not. At such a new start in life, as a baby, it would seem that we're already determined by masculine and feminine types of colour...

Maybe subconsciously that is why I am exploring the poles of 'gender' colour here, with these fabulous shades of pink, and yesterday more of the blue spectrum... What does it mean? Not sure but it's fun to explore and to not be tagged with a 'gender-ised colour'!
Regardless - although I don't use a lot of pink shades in my work it is slowly creeping through in accents and decor items, I find it an amazing joining colour and soloist hue too. Here are some wonderful examples of how stunning, clean and contemporary pink can really be I thought I would share with you. Enjoy x

Images from House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Amazon.com, & Traditional Living