These photos of Kami and Ryan’s wedding made me smile. The rainbow of bridesmaids is amazing! My favourite part is how each bridesmaid has a bouquet matching their selected hue. Definitely one of the most colour loving weddings I have ever seen.

(images via cori cook)

In the last few years, reusable shopping bags have become a commonplace accessory. It is a fantastic shift from the staggering number of plastic bags we all used yearly. Now, I understand that the main point is the carrier be environmentally friendly. But does that mean it must have no design? There are a lot of strange patterns, colours and questionable quality bags out there. I thought those were the only real options until I discovered Brooklyn-based reusable bag company Baggu. Their high quality, ripstop nylon bags hold the equivalent of 2-3 plastic bags and can be folded flat into a tiny pouch. There are also many other designs from small zippered travel bags to huge market totes. The best part of all? Baggu bags are available in dozens of solid colour choices. No strange frogs or watercolour patterns; just pure, vibrant colour. I won’t lie, I would like a fabulous Baggu bag in every colour!

I am a big fan of Canadian designer Avril Loreti and her home decor and accessory creations. From moustache handkerchiefs to lobster bibs, I just love that her pieces always combine true design talent with clever ideas and wit. On one of my many visits to her Etsy page, I discovered Avril’s new product – Paint Chip Placemats. Designed to look like one my favourite items, the placemats are available in six colour ranges, are a linen/cotton blend and feature fun colour names in French and English. Yet another fantastic design from Avril that would make the perfect gift for any colour lover. I also think they would make a perfect housewarming gift as paint colours are an inevitable dinner conversation topic!

I think I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw these illustrated and hand-embriodered Penguin Classic book covers by Jillian Tamaki. They are a stunning piece of craftmanship. Not only beautiful illustrations but incredible embroidery detail and colour. After a commission from Penguin, Jillian took two months to create the wraparound covers with French flaps. What a mesmerizing update to the covers of classic literature and yet another fantastic Penguin book cover. Wow Jillian. That is all I can say! (p.s. the books will be available in Fall 2011)

(via sampaints)

I guess I am a little obsessed with modern embroidery lately. The work of Japanese-born and now Winnipeg-based artist Takashi Iwasaki crosses all areas of art including painting and illustration but it is his hand embroidery on canvas creations that I just love. The playful abstract shapes, bold bright colours and magnificent attention to detail are incredible. Have you ever seen anything embroidered like this before? Such beautiful, unique and handcrafted work.

The stunning images above may look like fabric or paper but they are actually wood. Crazy right? German textile designer Elisa Strozyk created a flexible wood surface that could be hand or laser cut into pieces and then attached to a textile base. Elisa’s methods were born from research into creating wood with textile attributes and ways to make wood as flexible and easy to manipulate as possible. I like the way Elisa describes her design: “the outcome is a material that is half wood-half textile, between hard and soft, challenging what can be expected from a material or category. It looks and smells familiar but feels strange, as it is able to move and form in unexpected ways. The potential of the carpet is its flexibility. It can be rolled up and transported easily.” I love the shadows and dimension created as different shades of the beautiful wood colour dance across the piece. I don’t know if these breathtaking designs will ever be available in a store but if so, you will see me at the front of the line with a giddy look on my face!

(via strictly paper)

I was looking at flooring options recently and it appears that virtually everything available is some variation of neutral wood. Don’t get me wrong, there are few things as beautiful as wood grain but who said a floor can’t steal the show? Using traditional oiled oak herringbone parquet flooring, Raw Edges Design Studio dyed individual bricks according to a specific colour palette. Add in some extensive layout planning and the final result is an innovative, colourful mosaic design. Raw Edges has said their goal is to create flooring that is reminiscent of a rug or textile and the effect is certainly achieved. I think the only way to describe the final result is absolutely stunning. Also shown is the bold floor Raw Edges was recently commissioned to create for the Stella McCartney Milan store. I think it complements the clothing and strong white space handsomely. I just love the full-colour pattern floors but would also like to see woodgrain flooring with some vibrant colour patterns scattered about. Overall, hoping to see more vibrant floors around!

I have always admired the craftsmanship and detail required to do embroidery. It is a beautiful form of art that adds so much texture, value and intrigue to fabric and other projects. I have become semi-obsessed with the work of Sydney-based studio maricor maricar. On top of fantastic design, illustration and motion work, they create the most gorgeous embroidery I may have ever seen. It is easy to dismiss embroidery as a traditional art form but one look at the modern, colourful and typographically exquisite work of maricor maricar and your mind will be changed forever! Their embroidery, with its bold colours and incredible layers and patterns is just breathtaking. The detail and vibrancy is unreal. Fingers crossed one day I work on a project with maricor maricar and see how they create such jaw-dropping work!

The Boston Globe’s Big Picture is one of my often visited bookmarks as it tells a news story through incredible photography sets. Their recent feature behind the scenes of New York Fashion Week has some great shots of how such a massive scale event comes to life. I love the photos with striking bits of colour. In particular, I have always wondered how runway shows are organized so I was excited to see the photos of fashion designer Jason Wu’s seating and model charts. Love how the model charts use colour coding to ensure all pieces come together (writing specific style names on top of blue dot for belts, yellow dot for handbags, red dot for necklaces, green dot for sunglasses and purple strips for bracelets or pins.) A strange detail but I really do enjoy colour coding! I recommend checking out the whole set here.

I love watching the Oscars and especially the Oscar fashion. Among the hundreds of gowns, there always seem to be colour trends that emerge. Last night was no exception as bright red, shades of purple and sparkling metallics took centre stage. While a black dress will always be an elegant Hollywood classic, it was nice to see so much vibrant colour showcased. My favourites colours and gowns on the red carpet were Natalie Portman in fuschia Rodarte, Sandra Bullock in scarlet Vera Wang, Cate Blanchett in lilac Givenchy, Mila Kunis in lavender Elie Saab, Helen Mirren in metallic taupe Vivienne Westwood, Halle Berry in sparkly champagne Marchesa and Hilary Swank in silver ombré Gucci. I loved the mix of lilac and yellow leather pearls and crystals on Cate Blanchett’s high fashion gown. In addition to an unexpectedly gorgeous colour palette, it really stands out as a work of art. What were your favourites?

(images via elle, styleite & just jared)

This photo, ‘Girls in the Windows’, is jaw-dropping. Even more amazing, it is from 1960 so its brilliance is clear of any Photoshop enhancements or trickery! Ormond Gigli dreamed up this photo when he realized a brownstone across from his New York apartment was being demolished. He quickly organized 43 models in formal attire to pose in the windows and ended up with an iconic photo that perfectly captures 1960′s architecture, fashion and colour. What an incredible image.

From Ormond’s personal description of the shoot: “We had to work quickly to secure City permissions, arrange for models which included celebrities, the demolition supervisior’s wife (third floor, third from left), my own wife (second floor, far right), and also secure the Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk. Careful planning was a necessity as the photography had to be accomplished during the workers’ lunch time! … the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows. I was set up on my fire escape across the streeet, directing the scene, with bullhorn in hand. Of course I was concerned for the Models’ safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.”

I have always been fascinated by sequins, particularly the vintage and one-of-a-kind varieties. The shining, sparkling discs of colour just have so much joy and life to them. Many historians believe that sequins have been around since 2500 BC. Egyptians would cut thin discs of real gold, glaze the top to prevent scratches and adorn swanky people like King Tut. Now no longer reserved for royalty, sequins remain a central design element in fashion, accessories, textiles and craft. On her blog puglypixel, Katrina showcases her amazing vintage pre-war Belgian, Czechoslovakian, and Japanese sequin collection. I envy her trays of inspiring sequins and love the beautiful colour palettes they create.

Breaking colour news! Pantone released their Fall 2011 Fashion Colour Report today. Twice a year, to complement the start of New York Fashion Week, Pantone releases the colours that will dominate that particular season. I have found it to be very accurate in predicting colour trends across fashion and all areas of design. Honeysuckle, a coral-pink that is Pantone’s Colour of 2011, makes an appearance in this list. Although an unorthodox Autumn hue, I think it will look incredible against the warm colours of Fall leaves.

A description of the palette inspiration from Pantone: “taking cues from the great masters, sepia tones of old Hollywood, Chinese opera, cityscapes and countryside, designers are paying close attention to texture, contrast and color for fall 2011 — pairing menswear with feminine twists, warm prints with cool metals, incorporating both old and new influences, and creating an intriguing balance between colors.

(read the report here)

I am huge fan of Skinny laMinx, a South African line of handmade textiles and products. Its designer, Heather Moore, posted some photos of her colour strike-offs and they are beautiful. Something functional becomes a piece of art. The palette created is not only connected and complimentary but also reflects Cape Town as well as the elements of nature and ancient rock art that inspires the collection. I would love a tea towel in every colour (including one based on the colour palette!)

(images via skinny laMinx)

Behold Lindsey and Avi’s wedding. The portraits of individual wedding party members are just plain stunning. The way hair and eye colour contrasts with opulent, vibrant fabrics kind of takes your breath away. Rather than standard wedding shots, the bride and groom are left with colourful, editorial-style photographs of their friends. Brilliant.

(photography by Jesse Leake. See the whole set here.)