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 frequently daydream about having a large studio to fill with work surfaces, supplies storage and colourful details. A piece I would definitely purchase for said studio is the Supergrau Expose, a front-facing presentation space for magazines, thin books, records or portfolio examples. So handsome. Available in black and white, I love the giant colourful bands securing the books in place. As Supergrau points out, this board embodies the quote “show me what you read and I’ll tell you who you are”…

(photographs via schoener wohnen and supergrau)

Perhaps it is a strange niche but I really love retail signage. In my latest post for Rena Tom, I did a roundup of striking shop signs and reflected on some recent trends and ideas to ponder. From blade signs to unique materials like balloons to illuminated typography – a shop sign can say so much about the products, aesthetic and personality that lies within. Whether you have a shop or not, retail signage is an inspiring part of the design world. Pop over to my post here if you are as sign-happy as I am…

(photographs via remodelista, acre, the189, bpando, hypebeast, trendland and ban.do)

Now this is a colour-happy police station. Designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, the ‘Koban Police Box’ is a station in the Japanese neighbourhood of Kumamoto. A perforated steel ribbon rims the top of the structure allowing for lovely shadows to dapple the sidewalk throughout the day. The inside surface is also painted a rainbow of light hues which, when viewed at street level, allows for colour to pop intriguingly from the perforations in many different ways. This design certainly projects a friendly, less intimidating image of police. I hope the handcuffs are similarly colourful…

(photographs via designboom)

I love the way Dutch studio Raw Color created and presented their colour scheme to architecture studio Merkx+Girod for the pilot store of The Royal Dutch Touring Club. Striking, glossy popsicle stick swatches and autumn hues mixing beautifully with watery summer hues. The seasons really do blend seamlessly, don’t they?

(photograph via raw color)

I love when designers and brands find a way to highlight their colour collections in an innovative way. Case in point: decorative plywood company Ichiro’s 2012-2013 catalog designed by the Irobe Design Institute. A gorgeous collection of nine mini-books, I love the scale of swatches and the way the hues are integrated into images that speak to their inspiration. Also fabulous? The Ichiro Japan Shop 2012 by Torafu Architects – a showcase space of prototypes and plyboard hues. I love the thought of a living, breathing swatch book customers can explore and hope more brands embrace a similar dedication to colour…

(spotted on spoon & tamago) and trendland)

These have to be among the most artful sticky notes I have ever come across. Available at Madewell, the collage-style Pansydaisy® for Top Hat sticky note two-packs come in eight different designs and are sure to bring sophisticated chaos to your next jotted note…

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 am a huge fan of the gorgeous thread installations created by Mexican artist Gabriel Dawe. The ornate layering and depth of colour created using just regular sewing thread is astounding. I love the many rainbow pieces in Gabriel’s “Plexus” series but find myself particularly drawn to the installations of three or five colours and especially the very high ones and those that wrap around staircases. What beautiful magic can be created with simple sewing supplies and a little insane dedication…

(photographs via gabriel dawe)

Whoa – a long and unexpected break from colour posting this week. Let’s just say I departed for beige territory but I’m happily back in happy hue land now! I spotted these gorgeous shots styled and photographed by one of my favourite creatives, Dietlind Wolf , and realized yet again why I love poppies. The crispy scarlet-red and that mysterious blue-purple shade of black makes one smashing combo…

(photographs via dietlind wolf)

In my latest post for Rena Tom, I explored two subtle trends that have caught my eye lately: Constellations and Honeycomb. From sequin pants to abstract mobiles, there appears to be no shortage of unique applications possible. They may currently bask in the spotlight but classic hexagonal patterns and the long-held love affair with the night sky ensure a timeless quality for both honeycomb and constellations designs. If it tickles your fancy, read my post here…

(photographs via 100 layer cake, riches for rags, lauren haupt, matsys design, viasnella, bec brittain, mochi things & julie nolan)

Paper sampler books are always full of lovely swatches of colour but rarely gorgeous items of design themselves. I love this GF Smith’s sample book created by MadeThought to showcase the brand’s “iconic range of premium coloured papers and boards”. The tab cutting style reveals all 50 colours along the book’s edge and highlights the endless hue combinations possible. Oh and don’t even get me started on that sublime binding with multicolour stitches…

(photographs via september industry)

I really do love every colour (except maybe beige) but I have always avoided traditional, yellow-toned pastels. But, the new love affair with sorbet hues has turned pastels in a more clear, modern direction. Sorbet hues are bright pastels and I just love the whole colour family (see my gushing article about them here). I also love these beautiful images by stylist Charlotte Lovey and photographer Jonathan Gooch as they showcase the brightness of sorbets and the way they work beautifully with dashes of white, neon and wood…

(photographs via charlotte lovey)

Photographer Joanna McClure has several series devoted to the dynamic structure of paper but her ‘Synesthesia’ collection has caught my eye for its abstract beauty and gorgeous use of colour. Are those strips of translucent paper interacting in a bed of water? I can’t completely tell but I am smitten with the juicy, gel-like textures and intersecting palettes created regardless…

(photographs via joanna mcclure)