I am already pretty in love with India as it is a country that embraces colour like no other. While trying to learn more about the nation, I saw gorgeous images of Jodhpur, a city in Northern India with the nickname “The Blue City”. One glance at the cityscape and its abundance of vibrant blue hues and the nickname needs no explanation. There seem to be many theories as to why the heavy use of blue exists but most focus on the past caste system, mosquito and termite prevention or the ability of blue architecture to remain cool. Whatever the reason, this part of India is pretty magical. Blue homes, brown desert features, bright sari patterns and a rainbow of market goods – Jodhpur is the perfect spot for a true colour lover!

(photographs by soundstorm vfx, foreign devil correspondent, arjun, dwrawlinson, nevil zaveri, bb, nekineko, entrelec, borgan, sreekanthmm, sunyuta, nekineko, l_prusecki, nameet & sachinritvika)

There are many reasons I love iconic designer and filmmaker Saul Bass. He was ridiculously talented in so many areas of design and I hope to feature more of his legendary projects in the future. At the moment, I am semi-obsessed with Saul’s 1962 children’s book called “Henri’s Walk to Paris” about a young boy’s adventures in the City of Light. I have attempted to buy this gorgeous book for years but it is a difficult and expensive hunt. A recent bidding frenzy on Ebay ended at almost $500. While remaining hopeful that it is published again one day, I continue to just stare at the images of the book pages. What a showcase of fantastic 1960′s design/illustration, whimsical typography and spectacular use of vivid colour. That simple drawing of hats as the zoo crowd? I love it. Back to Ebay I go…

(photographs via grain edit; view more pages of the book on the grain edit blog)

I have always loved designer David Klein’s iconic posters for airline TWA. Created in the 1950′s, the illustrations are gorgeous depictions of travel destinations. It would be great to see modern airlines return to advertising that motivates one to travel rather than photos of aircrafts and details of bargain deals. From the star-filled city of Los Angeles to the romantic layers of a Spanish flamenco dress, David perfectly captures the essence of colour-filled travel spots. I don’t think I have ever seen an illustration of New York that I love more!

(images via flavorwire)

Golden desert sand, brilliant blue skies, lush green land, dusty urban life, ornate traditional dress, pure white snow, chestnut and ebony wild horses – Mongolia has such a stunning and distinct colour palette. Part of the reason Mongolia is the land of a million earthy colour swatches is its geography. A landlocked nation, Mongolia includes the Gobi Desert to the South, snowcapped mountains to the North and grasslands, forests, lakes and rivers in between. In addition to all of the beautiful landscapes, I have always been fascinating by the vibrant and completely unique faces of the Mongolian people. There is just something magical about them. A sparkle in the eye perhaps? When preparing this post, I also learned more about the traditional Mongolian khadags – blue silk scarves symbolizing goodwill and the open sky. These scarves are given for occasions like weddings, funerals, births, graduations, departing friends and other ceremonial events. When researching photos, the beautiful blue textiles seemed to pop up all over the place and only added another layer of gorgeous colour to the wonder that is Mongolia.

(images via dimitri mundorff, daily travel photos, daniel zollinger, li gang, melinda, daniel zollinger, john white, jim murray, yeeship, christopher de bruyn, charles meacham, mark heard, daniel zollinger, irena portfolio, john white, ms aitch, pixdaus)

If the irritation of folding a map up along its original creases drives you insane, Crumpled City Maps by Palomar might become your new best friend. Described as “soft city maps for urban jungles”, the fabric travel companion takes seconds to open, weights on 20 grams, is super durable and 100% waterproof. Any worries about ripping a map or trying to quickly fold up tourist symbol while in a shady area are gone! Sure, GPS is everywhere but is it as fun and stimulating as a fabric map? (p.s. I’m also liking the colourful packaging and country icons)

(images via palomar & notcot)

Paris-based Japanese patissier Sadaharu Aoki creates the most gorgeous confections that perfectly merge French tradition with Japanese design. From cakes to macaroons, his Paris and Tokyo shops are full of striking and edible pieces of art. I am particularly in love with Sadaharu Aoki’s “bonbon maquillage” or make-up candy. The rectangular, brightly-hued chocolates looks like pots of colour from an eyeshadow palette but are actually one of Aoki’s signature creations. The bonbons are filled with fondant that is infused with diverse range flavours including wasabi, caramel, matcha, coconut and raspberry. Forget reaching for the wrong chocolate or fumbling for the info sheet. Aoki streaks each bonbon with a strip of colour that not only creates a modern and handsome look but effectively “colour codes” each chocolate so you always end up with the confection you were hoping for. Visiting Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki in Tokyo or Paris is definitely on my to do list as I imagine the works of art are as delicious as they are exquisitely beautiful and colourful!

(images via chocolat only, aaron lum, purple cloud, chaxiu bao, yuichi sakuraba, anglofille, gsanjose, jemie, chaxiu bao, purple cloud, dig a cherry, yuichi sakuraba, peter repetti & yocca)

Cinque Terre is a region on the Italian Rivera consisting of five small fishing towns that hug the cliffs along the turquoise Ligurian Sea. The area has avoided modern development and as result, has retained its unique Italian culture and natural beauty. Every image I see of Cinque Terre is full of an almost indescribable glow. The warm colours of the town buildings, especially at dusk, are just breathtaking. At night, the towns look simply magical as they sparkle along the rugged coastline. I think I could stare at the first image in this post for hours on end. If the photographs of Cinque Terre are this beautiful, I can’t even imagine how colourful and luminious it must be in person. I think Cinque Terre has definitely shot to the top of my “must travel to” list.

(images via robert crum, jeff, andrew dobney, ian jeanneret, federico, trek earth, andy kaye, mirko caserta, alex roe, anita, andy kaye, eduard ballestero, lena q, travelpix, christopher schoenbohm, simon, gianluca)

Love these photos by German photographer Matthias Heiderich. Matthias has hundreds of wonderful shots but his ‘Colour Berlin‘ series is just so fascinating. I love the warm, retro colour palette and patterns of geometry that run across all the photographs. Such a beautiful way to look at the colourful details that make Berlin special.

(via honestly wtf)

Bo-Kaap is a brilliantly-coloured area located on the slopes of Signal Hill in Cape Town, South Africa. One of the oldest communities in South Africa, the area is rich with influences from the nations of its original inhabitants – India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Holland among others. These influences are apparent throughout Bo-Kaap and its incredibly colourful flat-roofed houses, mosques, patterns and architecture. Stunning use of warm colour mixed with fascinating history and culture? Yet another community that must be added to my travel wish-list!

(images via joanne, linda g, linda g, jochen hoesch, michael hansen, linda g, rebecca jacobson, rebecca jacobson, julian k, marcy bidney, tim rebecca)

This photo of a terraced rice field in Yunnan, China is pretty show-stopping. The bright colours and shapes created by the terraces look more like a textile or art piece than a landscape shot. Yunnan is the most southwestern province in China and has, by far, the most diverse plant life of any other area in the country. Judging from this photo, I would love to see Yunnan in person one day!

(photo by Thierry Bornier, National Geographic)

I love how Gold Panda (one of the best band names ever by the way) have used colour in their new music video. Filmed while the band was on tour in countries such as India, Germany and Israel, the video features the people and places met along the way. Director Ronni Shendar hoped to “simply focus on people and the notion of something shared, regardless of place, situation or climate zone.” I love how colourful lanterns become the symbol for what is shared – linking each person through the sparkling objects. In a sea of mindless, product placement laden music videos, it is inspiring to see a video that feels humble and hopeful. Everyday life is infused with vibrant pops of colour that unite us all and the result is a beautiful mini film.

(thanks to music guru Mélanie for the inspiration!)

If there is one festival or event I am dying to attend it is Holi, the Hindu festival of colour. This past weekend Holi was celebrated in India as well as Nepal, Sri Lanka and several other countries with large Indic populations. There is plenty of fascinating history and rituals tied to the annual festival that you can read about here. I bet you can guess the part of Holi I am obsessed with – the day devoted to throwing coloured powder and coloured water in celebration! There are many theories tied to this practice but most revolve around bringing people together – cutting across classes, castes and beliefs while officially ushering in spring, the season of love. I am dazzled by images of markets full of colourful pigment piles that turn into brilliant clouds of colour. Most of all, I love the unbridled joy and love of colour demonstrated by those celebrating Holi and how their faces become individual works of art. I really need to book my ticket to Holi next year!

(images via majid saeedi, angela coles, shrimaitreya, majid saeedi, my modern met, my modern met, majid saeedi, star telegram, kalsnchats, majid saeedi, poras chaudhary, les ghosh trotteurs, majid saeedi, rafiq maqbool, majid saeedi, my modern met, rafiq maqbool, my modern met)

Placed firmly atop my travel wish list is Iceland (I know, this list is getting rather long!) Iceland is a nation full of fascinating geography, history, culture and colours. I love the incredible nature palettes created by peaceful, snowcapped landscapes, lust green farmland and mesmerizing blue glaciers. The architecture, particularly in the capital Reykjavik, is equally show-stopping as details like brilliantly painted corrugated sheet metal create a vibrant city that glows with colour and joy. No wonder Iceland often ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world! I really hope to visit this breathtaking nation one day. (p.s. the top image of a magical white house in the middle of stunning island Elliðaey belongs to one of Iceland’s most famous exports, singer Björk. How surreal must it be to live there!?)

(images via zamaan, a.rey, matthew molloy, trek earth, pie ketron, martin ystenes, berta, martin ystenes, martin ystenes, neil gallop, stefthor, a.rey, neil gallop, trey ratcliff, stefthor, neil gallop, a.rey, anna andres)

I was halfway into preparing this week’s colour me happy theme of water when I heard about the horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Needless to say, upon viewing the devastating images, I quickly abandoned my theme.

When I was a designer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, I worked on a merchandised product that required separate editions for many different countries. Part of the product was an information booklet. To save money, the booklet was reproduced in black and white for every country except for one. I was told that Japan placed so much value on colour, their version would be the only exception. With that comment, I realized Japan might be my kindred spirit. Across architecture, textiles, stationery, food, fashion and every other avenue of design and art, there is so much innovation and astounding creativity in Japan. Watching the tragedy unfold, I feel what I am sure so many others do – totally helpless. I was thinking of that booklet project and, while I realize this post might not colour anyone in Japan happy, I hope it serves as a tribute and show of support to a nation that saturates so much of its life in vibrant, joyful colour.

(via sea of shoes, amir jina, sakura, chisato, chris meter, petit tows, karaoke, karaoke, aaron shumaker, sea of shoes, an tran, airisshuu, loren madsen, gernot, banana granola, ayahuasca, fever breaks)

La Félibrée is a French festival that celebrates the language, culture and traditions of the Occitan. Since 1903, this festival has taken place on the first Sunday of July in a different town in the Dordogne region of France. I imagine there are many fantastic elements to this celebration but I have always been mesmerized by the sheer amount of incredible decorations. The town holding La Félibrée is bathed in spectacular colourful displays of handmade paper flowers as they are strung across every conceivable surface. It is such a beautiful display of craftsmanship and the bright colours punctuate the celebratory occasion. I would love to see a behind-the-scenes account of how the kilometres of paper flowers are created each year!

(images via will richards, camilla engman, tourisme vezere, will richards, famille valentin, terrasson, gothickma, martine, famille valentin)

Sometimes, especially on a Monday, you just need to gaze at a beautiful scene full of brilliant colour. I think Navagio Beach (or Shipwreck Bay) on the Zakynthos island of Greece does the trick today. The rugged, curvaceous topography is certainly intriguing but it is the gorgeous blue colour that stops me in my tracks. I almost thought the photos were colour treated until I researched many others that all contained a similar vibrancy. Today I wish I was eating an olive oil focused Greek lunch and staring out at that unreal blue.

(images via rita, shay lawless, robert wallace, emelie klamvik)