Pantone Color of the Year: Viva Magenta

January 20, 2023 Sara Hillery

Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta, bursts with vibrant energy. This strong color in the red family may be too extra as an “all over” color- However, used sparingly, it brings a surprising liveliness and fun-loving sensibility to the spaces it graces.

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Slide 1: Kip Dawkins Photography, Slide 2-5: Gordon Gregory Photography

Scroll through for a few of my favorite Viva Magenta (and Viva Magenta adjacent) items to add a bit of this color’s brightness into your life!

Try out this year’s color without the commitment: on your nails. Such a vibrant nail color will give you an instant lift whenever you look at it, even if it’s during your fourth zoom meeting of the day.

Magenta Silk Dupion Gathered Lamp Shade, The Ginger Jar Lamp Co., $131

This silk dupion lampshade will add a fun touch of whimsy to any room! Pair it with a sleek modern base in black or white for a dramatic contrast or experiment with pattern for a playful accent.

Dip-Dyed Alpaca Throw, Casa Branca, $465

This dip-dyed alpaca throw will instantly zhuzh up a plain sofa- and feels super luxurious to cuddle up with!

'Sissinghurst with Blue Bowl' by Dana Gibson, Scout Design Studio, $660

I love local RVA artist Dana Gibson’s still life paintings, and this print with its bright background will instantly infuse personality to even the most ho-hum room or hallway.

Seaweed, Blackwell Botanicals, Contact store for pricing details

This gorgeous seaweed, with its ruffle-like appearance, is a very cool, unexpectedly chic addition for nature lovers.

Visit Ibiza without leaving the coziness of your own home with this coffee table book that is made to be displayed and admired.

Ikat Silk-Velvet Cushion, Matches Fashion, $120

Ikat is always in style!

Dessert Plate Set of 2, La DoubleJ, $125

I love the contrast of this 3D geometric pattern on a round plate!

A simple pitcher in a striking hue.

A touch of the tropics for your next dinner party!

Flower Quilted Placemat - Pink, Furbish Studio, $11

I cannot get enough of this cheery batik print!

Icon Pink 24-Pc Setting by Sabre, Gracious Style, $486

Love this classic flatware set in an unexpected color!

I love these tumblers – There is something so fun about their shape!

Color Block Tissue Box, Jaye's Studio, $64

This tissue box cover in such a bright color is way too happy!

Love these napkin rings in an orchid motif as a fun way to dress up your table!

A stylish diffuser to add a sophisticated fragrance to your home.

These are the sweetest candle holders!

White & Pink Beaded Floral Motif Handbag, The Well Appointed House, $151

A classic pattern meets peak glam. How fun are these beaded details?

Hexagon Beeswax Candles Pack - Raspberry, Matilda Goad & Co., $55

These cheerful tapers provide a little more style than your typical candle.

Scallop Edge Napkin in Pink & Azalea, Matouk, $135

Perfect year-round from Valentine’s Day to Christmas!

Bohemian Floral Lavender & Rose Napkins, Pomegranate, $56

Add block print details to your table for a chic and casual look!

Museum Fix

May 25, 2021 Sara Hillery

Museums are slowly opening up, and returning to more traditional travel is (knock on wood) on the horizon, but jetting around to the latest exhibitions seems ambitious at the moment.

For those of us who are still committed to armchair travel to get our fix of arts and culture, we have some compelling online options, several of which are hands on and fun for the whole family.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that museums and galleries have put more of their pieces and the stories behind them online, so you can access them anytime!

Museum of International Folk Art

In addition to exploring the museum’s mind-bogglingly extensive online collection of folk art from all around the globe, you can try your hand at some of their DIY art projects, inspired by traditions including Mexican paper making and Japanese fans.

Tate

Through podcasts, articles, videos, and more the Tate offers a deep dive into numerous pieces in its collection and the passionate creators behind them. We also recommend the Create Like An Artist series, with fantastic hands-on projects for both kids and adults with options including soap carving, making chocolate paintings inspired by Jackson Pollack, and using the techniques of master watercolorist Joseph Turner.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi

Online options at this gorgeous museum are extraordinary. We could spend days exploring, from an online book focusing on clothes and costumes in the collection to curated playlists to spoken word poetry inspired by various galleries to a “futuristic audio and visual experience”.

National Museum of India

Looking for some bite-sized art education? The National Museum of India’s Museum at Home features short videos on sculptures, artistic traditions, and more. The video gallery also offers quick, insightful dips into India’s fascinating art and history.

Bata Shoe Museum

This quirky Toronto museum focuses on shoes throughout history (yes, the collection is as amazing as it sounds). With the museum’s #BSMFromHome offerings, you can brush up on your knowledge of various shoe-making techniques, get a virtual tour of exhibitions, or de-stress with some shoe-themed coloring sheets.

Petra

If you haven’t been able to cross off the architectural wonders of Petra off your bucket travel list (or if you just want a return trip), this comprehensive “tour” of the Rose City might satiate your wanderlust for a short time. It’s not technically a museum, but there’s enough history and art to make for an educational and inspiring armchair voyage.

The Freshest Holiday Décor Trends of 2020

December 2, 2020 Sara Hillery

The Holiday season is in full swing, and if you are looking for ways to refresh and up the ante of your holiday décor, look no further! we have created a list of our favorite, freshest, and most festive holiday decorating trends for 2020!

BLUE IS BIG!

“Classic Blue” was named Pantone’s color of the year for 2020 so there’s no huge surprise that hues of blues might pop up in holiday décor, blue feels unique and fresh, especially for Christmas décor!

We love mixing in Chinoiseries pieces with our decorations. These blue and white porcelain pieces, planters, and ginger jars have been popular for quite some time now, but utilizing them for holiday decorations is trendy and fun. Not to mention, if these are a staple in your everyday home décor, you’ll be saving time and energy when it comes time to pack up the holiday decorations!

These chinoiserie painted oyster shell ornaments are another great way to incorporate blue into your décor this year.

Another way to use blue this holiday season is by using classic navy. Not as bold as black, but just as chic, navy is an unexpected and gorgeous color to use while decorating!

Blast from the Past

With all of us living through a global pandemic, it’s no surprise we are yearning for the idyllic holidays of the past. Try raiding grandma’s attic for vintage decorations!

A throw back to a Victorian trend, try displaying your holiday cards over your mantle. You and your family will love seeing all of the season’s greetings you received this year!

These iconic ceramic Christmas trees have become popular again after taking a back seat for decades. We love this version in an updated all-white colorway!

These traditional Christmas tree Highball glasses provide the perfect subtle festive touch to any holiday cocktail!

Pretty In Pink

This one is just fun! Pops of pink provide an unexpected and crowd-pleasing ambiance. It’s definitely not a traditional look, but we love how surprising and cheeky it is.

A forest of pink bottle brush trees is a great and easy place to start if you’re unsure how to tackle the pink Christmas trend. Scatter these across a credenza or mantle for instant fun and charm.

Get Them Here

Bright shades of neon pink are sure to make a big splash! Try using pink ornaments and garland to create a unique and crafty mantle vignette.

For a more classic look, try dusty pink rather than a brighter shade. This combination of crisp, white table linens, crystal drinkware, long leaf eucalyptus, and dusty rose blown glass ornaments is absolutely gorgeous!

Mix and Match

This one is definitely a favorite of ours! A maximalist approach creates such a warm and collected look for the holiday season!

Layering, and layering, and layering pattern, textures, and colors is key here. Don’t be afraid to embrace several different colors and patterns!

If you’re unsure where to begin with this trend, try out a block printed tablecloth as your base and build from there.

Scandinavian Chic

In contrast, Scandinavian minimalist décor with natural elements, this straightforward yet chic style will be everywhere this year.

With a focus on, simple, fresh, and natural materials, these wreaths are a tasteful nod to the minimalist elements we associate with Scandinavian design.

A great way to add depth and drama to your minimalist décor is to embrace black! It might seem crazy to use black for your holiday decorating, but when mixed with fresh greenery and sleek Scandinavian elements, using black makes for show stopping décor!

No matter how you decide to decorate this holiday season, we hope you stay healthy, happy, safe this year!

Celebrating Fall and Thanksgiving in Color

November 18, 2020 Sara Hillery

One promise we made ourselves during this challenging year was to add sprinkles of joy whenever possible. So for our Thanksgiving table this year, we moved it outdoors! We wanted to change it up a bit this year, we’ve been having a wonderfully mild Autumn and wanted to take advantage of the nice weather before Winter. Moving outside also allowed us to gather and remain Covid-safe.

We leaned heavily into our love of natural elements, vintage details, and handcrafted pieces, and plenty of color, of course! Instead of creating a monochromatic or neutral color palette, we embraced a variety of warm colors to give us and our table guests some life and vibrancy.

We began with a fresh white cotton tablecloth that had been hand block printed with repeating blue patterns reminiscent of leaves and tree branches. A rattan charger grounds each place setting along with folded and draped gorgeous ikat napkins in dreamy purples and pinks. The green bamboo dinner plates from Blue Pheasant add gloss and texture, while flatware in gold and green tie into this color scheme while adding modern flair. Vintage Kaiser white bowls from Germany finish off the clean and composed look of the place settings.

For drinkware, we chose chic yet distinctive variations from typical clear glass. Blue, vintage inspired goblets and hand blown “tortoiseshell” glasses offer a faint whisper of the exotic and prove that unconventional matches can work beautifully together.

A vintage brass bowl overflowing with globe amaranth and coleus leaves and surrounded by mini pumpkins, apples, and figs makes the table feel especially romantic. By drawing from colors found throughout nature and pairing surprising textures and tones, we created a table that celebrates the simplest and most pleasurable of joys these days: sharing an intimate meal with loved ones.