Now That's Clever!

Check this out!

Send a postcard and a gift in one go. This Ice Star tealight holder comes packaged as a postcard. The holder is laser-cut in 4mm plywood and comes with a tealight, ready to light up. You canorder them right here.

Decorating with Black and White

Decorating with black and white can really pack a punch. It may be a current trend but it's also a classic combination that you can always count on for a touch of drama.

Plaster Wall Finishes

I 've been experimenting with American Clay's Earth Plasters this weekend. It's a green, non toxic natural clay material that you can use to achieve a venetian plaster finish. The color offerings are fantastic and it's not too messy to work with. So far I really love it! Check it out right here.

Hiring a Color Consultant

You may wonder what a color consultant does and if it's a worthy investment for you. As a color consultant I specify colors for both residential and commercial interiors and exteriors. I also consult on color in marketing collateral and website design.

Having the perfect palette of colors can enhance your space, improve it's value and help your marketing efforts by enforcing your message with the right colors.
You may have had the experience of having seen a color at the paint store that you were absolutely in love with but once you had it on your walls you were less than satisfied. The color didn't look the same. It's not that you had bad taste but unless you've studied color and color relationships it's not easy to predict the result once your chosen color is placed in a new environment. Several factors come into play such as lighting, the source and direction of the light, your floor surface, your furniture and all your decorative accessories in the room all have a role in the final look. Color is a wonderful tool we can use to create that perfect living space that reflects who we are and enhance our daily life.

A color consultant can help you avoid costly painting mistakes and help increase the value of your home. The right colors can revive you and nurture you. In the work place, having the right color scheme can increase employee productivity and lessen eye strain and fatigue. In marketing, colors can catch and hold the eye of your intended audience and increase your bottom line.

Hiring a color consultant may seem like an expensive endeavor, but compared to the possible financial loss and loss of time and effort involved if your result is less than pleasing, it is a small investment that is well worthwhile.

I offer color consultations thorugh out the San Francisco Bay area. For out of town clients, you can send photos in the mail of your project and I will consult with you over the phone and via email. Give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

Cool Stuff for Babies

Dwell's baby collection is just awesome. It's fresh, modern and just plain cool. I love the patterns and colors used in their ensembles. When I decorated for my son I couldn't afford goodies like these and had to settle for consignment store goods but if it's in your budget then check out Dwell, your baby will be so in style!

For those of you who are on a tighter budget, there are inexpensive ways to spruce up bargain hunter finds. I bought a pastel blue nursery ensemble in ginham from a second hand store. To give it a a modern look I ironed on some appliques that I cut out from some fabric remnants I had around the house. I cut out silhouette style shapes of elephants, dinos and hippos in a red fabric. I sewed a running stitch around the edges in a navy blue and it looked great. I wish I had some pictures handy, I'm going to dig a bit and hope to post some soon. It was an easy project that anyone could do!! You just need to either draw some shapes or get some clipart. Adjust the size, print and trace onto the back side of wonder under or some other sort of iron on adhesive. Iron your fabric onto the other side, then trim. Then you're ready to iron it onto your project. Many fabric stores have a bargain box and just a few colorful scraps will do. It's fun to do and nice when the compliments come in to be able to say you did it!

Starting Life in Style

There is a growing number of parents and soon to be parents looking for modern digs for the nursery. Pale, pastel pinks and blues, though traditional, have been joined by large numbers of new, trendier colors that set the stage for streamlined modern design and serious style. Yolo color house paints offers a line called little yolo designed with little people in mind. The 0 VOC paint offers up a small but great palette of fun colors.

Babies respond to bold primary colors first and it takes a bit more time for them to begin recognizing subtler shifts in color. Some popular colors that stimulate baby are oranges, limey greens, yellows and blues. It is a myth that babies cry more in a yellow room, so don't pass on yellow for that reason alone.

You will be spending a lot of time in the nursery yourself so you need to use colors that agree with you and make YOU feel good too. If you're not comfortable in a setting with strong colors then remember that just a splash of bolder colors or even just using them as accents can go a long way toward stimulating your baby's visual development. The sight they'll love seeing the most, of course, is your face.

Earth Friendly House Paints

With the green movement and so many companies getting involved in producing eco friendly products, I'm happy to introduce you to some eco friendly, low and no VOC house paints.

There are a few paint companies who have tackled the VOC issue with creating low odor, 0 or low VOC paints. Yolo Color House is a brand I have tried and have been extremely happy with. The consistency of the paint is smoothe and creamy and goes on like a dream. Also, it doesn't smell like paint!! Even pregnant women can use it as it is in the 0 VOC category and Green Seal Certified.

Sherwin Williams offer 2 lines of earth friendly paints with the Harmony Interior line and the Duration Interior Latex collection. The Duration line is low VOC while the Harmony line is 0 voc.

If you want to lower your exposure to indoor pollutants and green up your living space and the world you should really consider one of the above brands. Although they cost a bit more than traditional paints the lower VOC and low to no odor is well worth it.

Color and marketing

See anything in common in the above photos? The predominant color scheme in the websites of all 3 of these luxury car makers is black and silver. Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW all market to an upscale, high income market. Black connotates sophistication, elegance, and mystery. Black also has the power of seduction while silver is prestigous and symbolizes riches just as gold does. Silver is sleek and graceful.

Color Trends 2007 Colors that comfort and excite

These colors are so yummy and cozy. Biscuit and wheat neutrals, cocoa brown, pumpkin orange and cinnamon apple pie, are just a few of the comfort colors that will wrap your room with warmth and promote a stress-free space. The comfort color palette is an especially good choice for kitchens and family rooms.

Photos Courtesy of The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute.

2007 Simply Elegant Color palette

2007 Simply Elegant Color palette
Originally uploaded by jillclarkson.

From pantone

"In recent years shantung silk in saffron, silver-gray and eggplant has been used for everything from bridesmaid dresses to throw pillows. This slightly shimmery palette is a continuation of the trend."

Color Trends for Home accessories

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Originally uploaded by jillclarkson.

"2007 Pantone Lumens color palette
Space-age whites and silvers are the colors of choice for consumer electronics. Cobalts, violets and greens lend themselves to translucent glass and plastic accents."

Happy New Year to all!

Here is wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2007!
Colorfully Yours,
Jill Clarkson
Your San Francisco Bay area color consultant!

OrangeUGlad?

I hope you all like orange because it's everywhere and here to stay for a while. Personally, I love orange, it's fun, lively and energizing. Take a look at some new items from the modern childrens designer DucDuc featuring this lively color.

Hot New Colors

You can get your hands on the years hot new colors at Fishs Eddy. They've got a snappy new collection of plates serving up Pantone's latest colors.

2007 Color Trends

One color group that I'm excited to see in the 2007 color trend line up is the grass roots colors.

Excerpt from Pantone, "Grass Roots looks to indigenous crafts and materials that bring a regional flavor to products or environments. Some of those regions might be far–flung while some are much closer to home. In reality, while some of the products may be mass produced, they look as if they are hand– hewn, hand–loomed or individually crafted. Grass Roots starts with the variations on a green theme, moves on to mineral blue and various wood tones that are enhanced by unexpected mixes including grape, rose and terra cotta."

Designers' Color trends for 2007

Welcome to Jill Clarkson Color and Design

Thanks for stopping by! I will be posting information on the latest color trends and pictures of my work as well. I hope you'll enjoy your visit and come back soon.