You know traditional letter banners that often appear at birthday parties and other standard occasions? The static wording means the sad banner must be tucked away until an event it fits comes along. But wait, Make Your Own Banner from The Pippa & Ike Show comes with 83 letters so you can put up a banner for any reason under the sun and even personalize it with a name. I love how this flexible banner can make any regular day a reason to celebrate. Why shouldn’t you festoon the small victories of life? Love the colour palette of black, fuchsia, light blue, lemon yellow, green and light pink too. Yep, this banner is an instant party in a box. Just add cake and sparkling beverages…

Happy New Year to all my colour-loving friends! My apologies for the unexpected spotty posting over December. Time to get back in the colourful swing of things. While I am a bit sad the holidays are wrapped up, I am thrilled to be in 2012 – a fresh year sure to be full of evolution, inspiration gathering and lot’s of colour. January is the inevitable month of calendar selling and while there are lots of stylish and covetable versions out there, I love the 2012 Accordion Calendar by the very talented Erin Jang of Indigo Bunting. Always a sucker for an accordion fold, I also love the cozy colour palette and simple mix of hand-lettering and clean typography. Throw in some lovely packaging and I am smitten. There are lot’s of ornate and highly-patterned calendars filling shop shelves but this one reminds me of what I want 2012 to be – full of good design and limitless possibilities that can’t be contained by a standard datebook box. (you can buy Erin’s calendar here)

I admit it, I am slightly Christmas bonkers. It’s hard not to be inspired and full of joy in a season bursting with colour. One of my very favourite parts of the holidays is advent calendars. They are just so full of design possibilities from the traditional windowed illustration calendars to the most contemporary parcel-a-day designs. Advent calendars make the lead-up to Christmas special and full of anticipation while also creating some fantastic design avenues to explore. I could post a hundred photos but these are a few that have caught my eye over the last few weeks. A paper forest, a watercolour spectrum, an office window showcase – advent calendars are beautiful in their traditional meaning and ability to make the holidays even more magical.

As we open the final advent calendar window/parcel, I want to wish you (each and every person who kindly reads plenty of colour!) a very happy holiday season and all the very best in 2012. I can’t believe that I started this blog exactly 11 months ago today. I am beyond grateful for the tremendous support I have received from all over the world. I started this blog because I saw a void in colour-focused design blogs and was hoping to just toss some hue-filled inspiration onto the Internet and maybe get a handful of visitors. I had no idea I would meet so many colour-loving, creative and supportive people. All of your emails, tweets and support in general has been amazing. Creating/running this blog has been a dream come true and I am so thankful for all of you who pop by for a bit of colour inspiration. Thank you. There are some changes on the horizon so expect bigger, better and more colourful things in 2012! – Chloé

(images via snug., fry dog design, inspiration overdose, snug., brigg, style cookie, anthology, griottes, a simple nest, happy mundane, house to home, the marion house book, creative review, cirkus, sheenalu, a few things from my life, country living, brigitte, ohdeedoh, french by design and the eclectic life)

I love these Crayon Rocks, available in 16 colours and made from non-toxic soy/beeswax tinted with natural mineral powders. In addition to being handsome nuggets of design, they actually develop children’s motor skills and allow for a better grip. They have a magic bean feeling, don’t you think?

It’s that time of year when new calendars and agendas fill shops and blogs. Sure, they are helpful tools of organization but I like calendars mostly for their design possibilities. The Cut Out Number Calendars at Present & Correct are so simple but oh so elegant with their thick paper board, cut-out design and contrasting primary or netural hues. While I would gladly hang these handsome devils above my desk, I almost like them more in a stack. There is just something about that jumble of overlapping numbers that makes me happy…

This is probably the longest I have gone without posting since I started plenty of colour 10 months ago! Some decidedly uncolourful things have sprung up but have no fear, I will be posting an avalanche of hue-filled items soon. There are few seasons as colour-inspiring as Christmas.

In the meantime and if you are interested in retail branding, take a peek at a post I wrote for Rena Tom’s website on the topic of gift certificates. So many shops and makers use boring plastic swipe cards or fill-in templates which is a missed creative and branding opportunity in my mind. There are a million small but impactful details that can make the buyer feel like their purchase is important to the seller and make the recipient feel like they got a really special gift. Oh and make your shop or company become a beacon of gift certificate attractiveness and fantastic branding! Take a look here if you are interested…

(images via hyperkit, boomkat, september industry, habit of art, present and correct, ncf studio, creature comforts, sweet paul, rie elise larsen and martha stewart)

Today is a bit like the Academy Awards for colour as Pantone announced their Colour of the Year for 2012. Who took home the top prize? Meet ‘Tangerine Tango‘ otherwise known as PANTONE 17-1463. An exotic and provocative reddish-orange with what feels like a pink undertone, this hue is anything but subtle. The inspiration for Pantone’s Colour of the Year is found across every avenue of design, technology, style, sport and world events. The economic and world uncertainty was captured in a series of more dark and muted colours over the last decade but in 2009, more optimistic hues took the spotlight as consumers looked for positivity and encouragement in products and clothing. Last year the colour was a summery coral-pink named ‘Honeysuckle’ that “encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor” and this year’s Tangerine Tango continues the trend of warm, uplifting hues with a tropical soul that is meant to “provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward”.

Orange in general has grown wildly in popularity and the Spring 2012 Fashion Weeks demonstrated that trend as it was a focal point in many collections. Orange seems to be all over furniture, branding, retail design and homewares as well. I’ve never met a boring person who’s favourite colour is orange. They have been, without exception, the most creative and intriguing individuals you could ever come across. Do a short ‘favourite colour’ survey at your upcoming holiday parties – I guarantee the orange-lover will be the most interesting! My grandmother had a completely Tangerine Tango apartment and I thought it was the most magical place ever. According to colour theory, orange is the hue of creativity and stimulates creative thought. That might explain why so many innovators and creative types love it so much (and why I could have sat and coloured in my grandmother’s apartment for days on end). It looks like she was about 20 years ahead of her time with her obsession with Tangerine Tango!

Oops – I digress from the Pantone Colour of the Year. I think Tangerine Tango is a bold choice and a great one. It is not a safe pick as orange is a pretty polarizing hue – you either love it or hate it. But I think it captures the recent trend and love affair with orange perfectly. It truly has been ubiquitous and it looks like that will continue far into summer. It is undeniably uplifting and positive. I love how designers have mixed the colour with neutrals, neons, and bold dashes of jewel tones. I also love the Tangerine Tango seems to have a pink element undertone to it. It can easily be softened into a sherbet colour or kept bold and neon-like. You may have preconceived notions about orange but maybe give it a try in 2012. Perhaps we won’t all be rocking a Tangerine Tango dress or lipstick shade but you could try a bag, shirt with an orange collar, throw cushion, jar of flowers or maybe just a random desk accessory. It’s a happy-inducing and creative colour and that’s pretty good goal for the year ahead.

Oh, I also love Pantone’s description of their Colour of the Year: “Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

(photographs from top left: Derek Lam Spring/Summer 2012, Matthew Williamson Spring/Summer 2012, Nanette Lepore Spring/Summer 2012, Elie Tahari Spring/Summer 2012 and Matthew Williamson Spring/Summer 2012 all via style.com; all quotes via Pantone)

That fireplace. Good Lord. A large expanse of fuchsia that will be in my dreams indefinitely and is only one colourful detail at newly opened The Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. The space was “inspired by the contemporary architecture of Mexico and the Arizona desert… designed around the color and light of the surrounding landscape.” Doesn’t it feel like you are in the middle of a desert sunset? A really inspiring palette including tangerine, fuchsia, grape, coral, saffron and a host of other warm hues. I love those bold pops of colour mixed with varying shades of natural wood. The bedrooms feel airy, vibrant and modern yet still calm. If I am missing in Scottsdale, you can definitely find me sitting by that beautiful fireplace…

(photographs via saguaro & knstrct)

I recently came across these Pantone Pots by Serax and now can’t stop thinking of all the places I could use one (or twelve). I wouldn’t mind a patio full of colour swatch pots with plants of contrasting hue (maybe some bright blue flowers growing out of that honeysuckle-hued pot?). How about using the pot as a hint of what colour will eventually grow from some planted seeds? For example, some lavender planted in that light purple vessel. Love the thought of one as a kitchen utensil or design supply container. From the Pantone Postcards I posted about before to these Pantone Pots, my Christmas wish list has two official pieces of delightful colour nerdiness.

I haven’t posted anything about the upcoming holiday season thus far but expect some festive entries on the horizon as December knocks on the door (tomorrow? eek!). On the topic of colour and the holidays, I wrote a piece on Rena Tom’s website today pondering the many unique colour palettes and swatches beyond the famous holiday pairing of red and green. From icy vintage to bright yellow to neon details, there are endless modern possibilities. Please take a look here if you are interested in the colours of the festive season. Do you have a favourite holiday colour scheme? I would love to hear…

(photographs via rifle paper co., shop sweet lulu, martha stewart, emmas designblogg, hey look, 101woonideeen, the sweetest occasion and emmas designblogg)

Pie charts, colour wheels, bright stickers – I love them all. These Rainbow Dot Stickers by Poketo are not only vibrant but translucent so you can bring a little happiness to envelopes, packages, maps and whatever else tickles your fancy. I’m thinking they could really spruce up a boring bill or text book…

Lines by Millimeter Milligram are simple but handsome notebooks. The front pattern matches the line style inside so you never have to worry about grabbing the wrong book. Don’t they look fantastic on a bright coloured desk?

Bottles, bags, crazy foil envelopes – there are a million types of packages and even more reasons to love their niche of design. Now more than ever, companies and designers are using minimal packaging so how do you get your brand across in an impactful and creative way? I wrote an article for Rena Tom’s site on that very topic so please take a look if you are interested. There are plenty of inspiring images if you are looking to brand your product or yourself!

(image via miss design and retail design blog)

I am completely and utterly smitten by the packaging for these Holiday Barrettes by Kate Spade. The vibrant orange card, the mix of typography, the integration of the barrettes into the whimsical sentence – I love it all. Simple and pitch perfect design. I’m pretty sure every holiday outfit would be enhanced by a hairdo featuring words like “pop fizz clink”!

(images via kate spade where the barrettes can be purchased)

Oribbon, a mixture of origami and ribbon, is a sticky strip of paper scored in a multitude of directions so it can folded into different shapes including the origami bows above. Talk about turning a regular present into a work of art. What a ridiculously clever design by Azumi Mitsuboshi.

(images via upon a fold where oribbon can be purchased)

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marked the end of World War One and is now a day when countries around the world honour those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, those who served and those who continue to serve. It is a holiday unique to every nation but in Canada and many Commonwealth countries, Remembrance Day is a memorial wrapped in vibrant red. Why red? For the symbol of Remembrance Day itself – the poppy. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian artist, doctor and solider, wrote the now iconic poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915 as he processed seeing the bodies of so many fallen comrades intermingled with the bright red poppies that now marked their graves. The poem was published shortly after and spread across the world. Its first two lines, “In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row” inspired the use of poppies as a symbol of remembrance. The blooms are sold each year to raise money for Veteran services and worn as a promise to never forget those who served and continue to serve.

I didn’t mean to turn this post into a rambling history lesson (although I have been asked by many a tourist what the red flower is for!) Overall, Remembrance Day is a day of honour, reflection and red. The poppy is an enduring symbol of gratitude and I am always struck by their beauty and meaning. Combined with the colours of military ribbons and uniform neutrals, it is a day of poignant colour palettes and a vivid poppy red that ensures we always remember. The image above of lights is of Vancouver’s war memorial in Victory Square Park and is a piece of local art I really love. Eleven lights based on WW1 helmets encircle the memorial and, when lit at night, always feel like a hauntingly beautiful tribute to all of those we lost and are beyond thankful to…

(photographs via themonarchist, iammacgirl, amanda last, tt24813055, matt s, wikipedia, dale calder, piscesdreamer and rainypete)