The very best of design combines aesthetic beauty with vibrant thinking and powerful solutions. I love the “People for Smarter Cities” project by IBM and Ogilvy because it truly brings that combination to life. The goal is to help cities all over the world get smarter (check out the details/interactive element here) and to spread the word, Ogilvy created functional outdoor advertising. A bench, a shelter, a stair ramp — I love the bright colours and most of all, the brilliant concept. It proves that advertising need not be flatly slapped on our buildings but rather, serve an actual purpose in urban life (and hopefully be a bit beautiful too)…

(video via ogilvy paris, images via/spotted on designboom & dezeen)

Bold typography, bright colour AND a handcrafted one-of-a-kind soul? Now that is the recipe for great print design. I love this simple but striking flyer design by Amsterdam studio OK200 for The Amsterdam New York Pop Up Show. Using the pink poster designs they hand-silkscreened for the event, the duo added a navy blue layer of flyer information on top. They sliced through the now chaotic surface to create 16 beautiful and unique flyers. I love the abstract typography crops and smashing mix of hot pink and navy blue…

(photographs via OK200)   

Oops, I am slightly behind in my palettes of the week! But I think this fantastic photograph taken outside the shows of SS13 Paris Fashion Week makes up for it. Captured by Kuba Dabrowski, the image is a smashing combination of sidewalk grey and vibrant blue (with a pop of red). Birds-eye fashion photography might become my new obsession…

(photograph by kuba dabrowski via women’s wear daily)

Monochromatic paper craft makes a beautiful backdrop for Cédric Ragot’s new Henri Mazelier collection. Focused on turning the pocketknife into a sculptural piece of dinner cutlery, I love the juxtaposition of delicate paper shapes and sharp blades. The use of just one colour creates dimension but makes the knives the stylish star of the photograph…

(spotted on trendland)   

Malaysian designer Tang Yau Hoong uses negative space in such a dreamy way. These two illustrations caught my eye yesterday because they have a lovely contrast of colours and, like all of Tang’s work, are a magical way of looking at everyday life. I love the idea of colour painted against the night sky…

(images via tang yau hoong and demilked)

I have always been Olympic Games obsessed but, after spending a few years working on design for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, I am full on bonkers about all things Olympic from sports to design to cultural events. One of my favourite facets is how the “Look of the Games” comes to life and dresses the event from tiny keychain to massive building. I particularly like when this design breaks tradition and changes the look of a sport. Case in point? London 2012′s Riverbank Arena where, for the first time ever, the Hockey competition will be played on a colour that isn’t traditional grass green. Instead, the pitch will be vibrant cobalt blue with hot pink edges and, in another Olympic first, the ball will be yellow instead of white. CMYK dreaminess, no? The palette was created in response to a request from the International Hockey Federation to help raise interest in the sport and is the final product of copious testing. Both the warm-up pitch and competition field are bold, modern and sure to catch the eye of many new hockey fans. The cobalt field will help the yellow ball be seen and overall, the vibrant colour trio will be beautifully telegenic and bright. Great abstract pattern in the spectator seating as well. I love when sports experiment with modern hues and design. Can’t wait to see this field in action as I may have just found my favourite London 2012 piece of colour…

(photographs via creative review, anglotopia, telegraph, teamgb, guardian and the big picture)

I do love desk accessories and this Multiples Pencil Holder by Anthropologie is a beauty. The gradient of blue metal would look fabulous with a jumble of vibrant pens and pencils. Fingers crossed this item becomes a whole series of different cylinder and shade mixes…

It feels like over the last few years, navy blue has gone from being considered stodgy and traditional to a true “new neutral” that is modernly mixed with many colours. This shift is the topic of my latest post for Rena Tom. Neons, tropicals, metallics, pastels – virtually any palette looks smashing with a dash of elegant deep blue. Remember when mixing navy blue and black was considered a faux pas? No longer. The pair looks like it will be a big trend this fall season and into the future. Yep, navy blue manages to mingle with any colour and is universally flattering and elegant. To read more, pop over to my post here.

(photographs via apartment therapy, linconnuedeindochine, we are twice, australian interior design awards, scotch and soda,  convoy, design sponge and anagrama)

I can’t imagine not living next to the ocean. An endless source of inspiration and natural beauty, oceans provide stunning colour palettes from dreamy persimmon sunsets to streaks of foggy lavender to layers of neon sailboats. I love this shot of Venezuela by photographer Sergio J. Padrón A because it highlights the many dimensions of water hues and how just a bit of colour pops against a textured blue canvas…

(photograph by sergio j. padrón a)

I just spotted prototype shots of a simply beautiful weather app called ‘Brisk‘ and it has put a stop to all my complaining about the sad weather icons that dominate technology. Designed by Eddie Lobanovskiy of Two Solid, the app works like a regular thermometer with temperatures moving up and down bars. It looks like there will be local forecast and detailed weather info too. Of course, I am most smitten with the gorgeous colour coded bars depicting heat levels. Instinctual and clever. I can’t wait to see how Brisk will develop. Colour coded weather is just better…

(sign up here if you want to know when Brisk makes its way to the App store)

Spanish photographer Lola Guerrera created her series ‘Nebula Humilis’ in the deserts of Mexico and I love the juxtaposition of harsh, neutral rock formations and soft, vibrant plumes of coloured smoke. The red image really feels like a magical volcano, don’t you think? (p.s. I am a huge fan of this coloured smoke movement in art. Take a look at my other two postings on the subject here and here).

(photographs via lola guerrera)

I think The Queen and I share an affection for bright colours which is why I love this colour chart created by Vogue Magazine. Charting her hue and pattern choices in every outfit worn over the last year, Vogue discovered that Her Majesty’s favourite fashion colour is overwhelmingly blue (worn 29 per cent of the time) with floral patterns, green, cream, pink and purple next in popularity. At the bottom of the list is beige with only a 1 per cent showing wardrobe-wise. With that colour fact in mind, I think the Queen and I could totally hang out. (click on the image to zoom in on the chart)

(image via daily mail)

Watching the Oscars and its red carpet of fashion has to be a high point of February. What colour trends emerged victorious on Hollywood’s biggest night of the year? I would say winter white was the runaway style choice. Other trends focused on various shades of red, blue, green, neutral and gold. I can’t remember an award show with less black! To be honest, I was a tad disappointed with Oscar 2012′s sartorial showing. I guess I just loved the fashion of last year’s show and wasn’t overly enamoured with many of the dresses selected this time around. That being said, I loved Emma Stone’s raspberry-crimson Giambattista Valli, Michele William’s coral-red Louis Vuitton, Penelope Cruz’s blue-grey Armani Privé, Tina Fey’s deep blue Carolina Herrera, Viola Davis’ emerald Vera Wang, Maya Rudolph’s plum Johanna Jonson, Cameron Diaz’s buff Gucci, Octavia Spencer’s white Tadashi Shoji, Meryl Streep’s golden Lanvin and Milla Jovovich’s sparkling Elie Saab. There were plenty of fashionable gents (and a mini-trend of navy tuxedos) but my very favourite was Christopher Plummer’s dapper midnight blue tuxedo complete with black trimming and a handsome Order of Canada pin. Now that’s true style. What was your favourite?

(photographs via harper’s bazaar, elle, the province and instyle)

What are these intriguing pans of shimmering colour? Perhaps liquid metal or coloured glass? Nope, they are stainless steel trays full of Listerine mouthwash. Created by Canadian artist Steve Bishop, the pieces are proof that real beauty can come from the everyday colour that infuses our daily lives. In this case, the colours are (from top) Listerine’s Cool Mint, Freshburst and Clean Mint. Steve has a gift for turning simple materials and objects into fascinating work. See more here.

I have posted about the sublime embroidery work of Evelin Kasikov before but with every visit to her website, I am reminded of Evelin’s immense talent and am inspired to post again. A project that I just love is her Stitched CMYK Colour Chart. Embroidering the cyan/magenta/yellow/black or CMYK colour model required in colour printing, Evelin creates a handmade printing process that charts colours combinations by an interval of 25%. Designed for the Digital Soirée event at Central Saint Martins, this piece is a beautiful fusion of meticulous handmade design and the technological aspects of printing. I can’t wait to see where Evelin takes her fantastic CMYK embroidery talent next. Perhaps a completely embroidered Pantone guide?!

Love illustrator Lucie Sheridan’s ‘Prolonged Daschund’ print. Available in blue and red, this long whimsical weiner dog is just plain happy-inducing. Couldn’t you see he/she as a children’s book character? Running across countries, wrapping around landmarks – there is no shortage of tall tales this happy daschund dog could get up to.