Dutch studio Raw Color has an exquisite eye for unique and memorable colour palettes. I love their identity for TextielMuseum and TextielLab and the wide palette created by using different intensities of five dusty bright hues and pops of neon. Cerulean blue and neon pink? Yes please! The typography is also beautiful as letters T, M and L overlap in varying opacities to create distinct colour combinations and overall patterns that mimic textile weaving. The opacities are turned up or down depending on if the lab or museum is the focus of the collateral. Entrance cards, stationery, stickers, publications, tea towels, building flags – the identity is wonderfully flexible and reflects modern textile patterns.

(image via raw color)

The neon trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and I am excited to see some diversity in the hues explored. Often, the term “neon” is focused on four or five colours but there is actually a wide spectrum to consider within the vibrant hue family. I love this old neon thread card on the design center at philadelphia university blog as it highlights just how many directions one colour (like “neon pink”) can go in…

(image via the design center at philadelphia university)

Is anyone still visiting plenty of colour?! I sure hope so! Sorry everyone for the ridiculous delay in posting. I received some very sweet emails asking if I was okay. Indeed I am. I recently returned from Turkey where I was working on the inspiring Istanbul 2020 Olympic bid. If you haven’t been to Turkey, go. What an extraordinary country bursting with stunning colour, brilliant architecture, delicious food and warm people. Every corner seemed to have a new colour palette and unique fusion of modern and historical design. Yep, I even saw blue mosaic tile used to fill potholes! Istanbul is a magical city that you all should visit ASAP. I had a marvelous time and one of these days, I hope to post a collection of colourful images from my jaunt. Above are two quick images of a place I found endlessly fascinating – The Spice Bazaar. Pile upon pile of textured colour and the heavenly wafting scent of mingling spices. What more could someone want? Oh Istanbul, you have a piece of my heart.

I think five days was my longest posting break in the past. Oops. I had big plans of posting regularly while I was away but work got a bit crazy. And I got distracted by Turkish colour. Hee. On a side note, Kate Spade selected my wee colour blog as a “site we love” while I was away and I am honoured to be featured by such a colour icon. Long story short – back to regular and frequent colour posting! – Chloé

(photos by chloé douglas)

Modern wallpaper is bursting with non-traditional subjects from bold geometry to gradient effects to customizable drawing surfaces.

Elegant shimmer, hologram foil, mixed with colour, bold prints, copper details — I love the rise of metallic wallpaper patterns and finishes.

One of very favourite uses of wallpaper is small but mighty applications. From one feature wall to a nook or cranny that is now memorable, it is a brilliant way to bring pattern to a space.

Until recently, wallpaper was refereed to as a thing of a past. Yep, we had all supposedly moved on and become strictly focused on pure painted walls. Like most things in design (especially those with historical roots), wallpaper has modernized and evolved in a new direction. Bold patterns and unique treatments have replaced the wallpaper of yesteryear. In my latest post for Rena Tom, I talk about the various elements of this wallpaper revival including the general pattern direction, popular new finishes, interior use, wallpaper as a styling tool, art possibilities and even exterior products that are emerging. From home to retail, this new direction of wallpaper is worthy of exploration. Who doesn’t love a pop of pattern? Read my full post here.

(modern pattern photographs via: black. white. yellow., apartment therapy, hygge and west, design is mine, designers guild, studio ditte, desire to inspire and house to home; metallic wallpaper photographs moffat, jill malek, apartment therapy, afflante, hygge and west and michele varian; small application photographs via see that there, homedit, edison avenue, poppytalk, more delisious, houzz, mor til mernee and lorenzo castillo)

I love when unique colours pop up amid the expected holiday palettes. St. Valentine’s Day is awash in red and pink so these beautiful origami hearts by Melanie Blodgett and their spectrum of retro colours really tickle my fancy. Perhaps a new holiday palette has been born?

(photograph via you are my fave)  

These vibrant soaps by Mamoucha are full of lovely colour swatch combinations and patterns. They would certainly add a striking dash of abstract art to any soap dish…

(photographs by/soap available via mamoucha here and here or anthropologie)  

Product packaging is an essential part of retail design and is a fabulous resource for design inspiration. I love bold type placement and treatments, bright pops of colour, and collections that embrace a range of unique yet united typography.

Yes, I have a thing for retail exteriors and signage. One look I love lately is small but powerful typography. With strong contrasts or in handsome wee neon, the style can make an exterior look rather chic.

Old school hand-lettering, cursive neon, striking handwriting, creating words out of tile — typography based on hand-drawn type can look smashing in design and retail. Done right, it feels modern rather than trendy. I particularly love the craftsmanship it adds to any design. Seek out friends with magnificent penmanship!

I strongly dislike the typeface Papyrus. There, I said it. I get itchy when I see it and feel disturbed when companies, events and shops use typography derived from Microsoft Word to brand themselves. When it comes to telling the world who you are, why use a generic (and probably not design-focused) voice? Not only will you get lost in a sea of competitors also using “Word magic” but standing out in a stylish way becomes virtually impossible. In my latest post for Rena Tom, I showcase how great typography can make all the difference in the quest for memorable design and branding. While focused on retail, the need for fantastic typography is universal so the images hopefully inspire all type-related projects. Take a peek at my post here…

(packaging images via: ddmmyy, raw type, de-construct,cool hunting, lovely package, and slingshot coffee co.; small type images via new places to be, design*sponge, dezeen, and scout magazine; hand-drawn images via la potenza, trish papadakos, remodelista, kristen leigh, kinfolk, wallpaper and remodelista)

Statistics are just better when you add colour, yes? I love this data visualization of interior design colour statistics by designers Mie Frey Damgaard and Peter Ørntoft for global paint brand Jotun. A seamless combination of handcrafted design nd consumer data. I’m not completely certain about the colours selected but the diagram concept and its styling are fantastic…

(photographs/video via behance)

Whoa, today my wee colour blog turns two years old. How did that happen so fast? To mark the occasion, I just had to make Pantone confetti using an outdated book sitting in my art supplies. Perhaps on Plenty of Colour’s third anniversary, there can be a global recycled Pantone guide confetti throw? Hmm…

Also, I want to say thank you to all of the people that pop by this blog, thoughtfully email and tweet me, and support the site in general. The very best aspect of having creating Plenty of Colour has been meeting so many wonderful people from all over the world. I always knew colour lovers were the best of humanity! I am tremendously thankful and grateful for all of the colour love and support you have tossed my way. Cheers to the year ahead and the new features and pops of colour it will bring. Thank you ALL! — Chloé

(pantone confetti and “2″ by chloé douglas for plenty of colour)

Modern neon, bright colour and strong typography — is there a better combination? The Melbourne Theatre Company utilizes all three elements in their 2013 season identity created by Interbrand. I love the custom typography called ‘MTC Neon” and its modern angles, glowing finish and nod to theatrical heritage. A glowing typeface could easily appear cheesy or fake in print but I think Interbrand does a smashing job of using the effect in an truly elegant way. Appearing on dark photographs and backgrounds, it allows titles and type to dramatically “light-up” different scenes (regardless of application). I particularly like the program covers as they highlight how the typeface could be used in photographed or physical 3D. Arts are an illuminating pillar in our society and here, Interbrand has crafted an identity that really captures that sentiment…

(spotted on and images via BP&O) 

I’m not sure anyone “needs” hair chalk but honestly, how fun would it be to run one of these vibrant hues through your locks? The Hair Chalk Set by Urban Outfitters features 32 semi-permanent colours that are blendable on wet or dry hair. I particularly like the look of small hints of colour on thin sections or hair ends. Maybe I do need some pops of fuchsia…

(photographs via urban outfitters) 

I love this photograph of vibrant sarees scattered across the stairs of the Ahilya temple in Maheshwar, India. Captured by photographer Eli Shams, the contrast of old stonework and drops of rich colour create one smashing palette…

(photograph by eli shams; via imagekind)