Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City – Part I

More than any other question I have been asked in the last month is “How do I incorporate the Pantone Color of the Year – Emerald Green, into my Home Décor?” Here is my answer…DON’T. Yes, I’ve said it…DON’T. It’s a tough color. All gorgeous,intense, and saturated. Like a jewel, and it does make a statement. Oh wait, yes, that’s why they picked it…to make a statement.

I’ve heard Leatrice Eiseman, the executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, speak and she is impressive. It took me a half and hour to understand what MOOVE was – really…MAUVE! But this organization scours the world to gather trends from tradeshows, various locales, artists, eco-systems, fashion designers, and cultures to set the color direction for everything from consumer product to packaging, to clothing, and yes even your IKEA kids cups. And these color trends are decided years in advance.

So why Emerald Green? Green has been very acid like and yellow in design the last few years. Very chartreuse, very vibrant. This is the first time it’s gone more into the blue and primary range in awhile. Green is stable, calming, and expansive and contains the power of nature. Nothing like a little green design for a hot topic. Emerald green is also hopeful, like the luck of the Irish, and represents new life, Spring, and peace. Something we desperately need now that we all survived the Mayan end of the world., Fiscal Cliff, and the like.

Another significant reference – green is the color of the Heart Chakra – which represents giving and receiving love and compassion. So you know I am all about this color (See Time to Start Anew blog post). 

But not so fast. Let’s not be Dorothy and follow the yellow brick road. I’m not going to tell you to throw some Emerald Green pillows into your décor. Or carpet your home in Astro-Turf colored shag. Pantone makes these declarations to keep us aware, on trend, and fashionable. But as a good Designer, I must say, decorate with a color that makes you happy, makes your heart sing, and certainly one that you can look at for awhile. So if you love green, go for it, whether seafoam (we don’t use that term anymore – it’s called Marine now.:-), or Emerald. You have to love and enjoy the color.

Design is all about fashion, one day its in, one day its out. And the gap between fashion and décor has shrunk. In years past, a color in fashion wove its way into the home years later, now we are right there on the runway in Emerald Green. So say Hello to the Wizard, but follow the Yellow Brick road to your own Design destiny.

Image Credit: Lara Jade