I’ve always loved chevron and herringbone. Both designs have been used throughout history and are variations of a “v” linked pattern. Lately, chevron and herringbone have emerged as design trends which has resulted in some fabulously inspired modern twists on the traditional patterns. How gorgeous are those floors at the top of this post? If that was my bathroom and living room, I would never leave the house! The image directly above shows the slight variations between the two patterns (chevron on the left and herringbone on the right.) I’ve always liked the fact that herringbone gets its name from the structure of herring fish skeleton. You never know where inspiration will come from… Hoping you see lots of joyful patterns this weekend and they colour you happy!

(images via deco chic, anna gillar, tinsmiths, jen dundas jewellery, design log, claridges, latifah saafir, kat, twisted fork, jenhewett, courtneycourtneycourtney, synaptic impulse, quilt sandwich, robert wallace, mimi and meg, how now design & marcus design)

I love the idea that a bee and a ladybug would passionately argue over who has a better graphic pattern. Another fantastic illustration in Lim Heng Swee’s Doodle Everyday project. (I previously posted about his whimsical clouds doodle.)

(image via doodle everyday)

I can’t seem to stop watching this stop-motion video so I thought I should finally post it! Canadian designers Lisa Blonder Ohlenkamp and Sean Ohlenkamp created this amazing piece of film magic. I can’t imagine how many hours it must have taken to arrange single books and take photo after photo. Well, you can kind of see how much time it took from the hands of the clock spinning around! On a side note, when I visited Sean’s website I discovered he is also the genius behind the Toronto Zoo Polar Bear Colouring Book that I posted about a while ago. What a talent. I am convinced that this is what bookshelves do when they are alone. A truly joyful, colour-happy film.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen a stepladder that I would consider to be a piece of fabulous design. That all changes with Strep by Workshop Peekaboo. The painted wood stepladder was inspired by Japanese steps. The angles and blue are just so gorgeous. I have my fingers crossed Strep becomes widely available and in a wide range of colour. How amazing would a couple of these look in front of a studio bookshelf?

(via muuuz)

British talent Rob Ryan is one of my very favourite artists. What he creates out of paper, meticulously cutting intricate shapes, is truly phenomenal. On top of all that creativity, Rob has an amazing gift for beautifully poetic words. I plan to feature Rob Ryan in a future post devoted to his work but I couldn’t resist sharing his Royal Wedding commemorative plate design for William and Kate’s big day. What a welcome change from the wedding-cliche riddled commemorative designs I have seen around. I love how the traditional British lion and unicorn fuse seamlessly with Rob’s whimsical design and trademark birds/flowers. The gorgeous blue, white and gold accents are elegant, modern and so very British. As always, I particularly love Rob’s words as they are a perfect reminder of what all the hoopla should really boil down to at the end of the day:

“The Crown and the Throne and the lions and the unicorns & the bowing & scraping and all the Palaces and the privileges are worth nothing if you will not spend every day of your life with me until I die. April 29th 2011″

(black version available at Rob Ryan’s etsy store)

I seem to have a thing for punchy pastels this week. Perhaps because of all the spring colours floating around? The shots above by photographer Elle Moss are the definition of strong but ethereal hues. Elle has a fantastic colour sensibility and style that makes all of her photos feel dreamy. There is also this amazing vintage feeling to her work. It’s as if you suddenly discovered a colourful photo album from decades ago.

(See more work on Elle’s Flickr and buy prints in the Elle Moss Etsy shop.

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)

When I was little, I would watch The Wonderful World of Disney almost purely in the hopes of seeing Donald Duck’s uncle, Ludwig Von Drake, sing The Spectrum Song. I’m not sure why I was convinced that the colours would be different every week. I later found out that the cartoon was a good 30 years old and came out in celebration of colour television! No luck finding a high quality version of the cartoon on YouTube but this video is pretty good mood-enhancing colour therapy for a grey day in Vancouver (minus the short but slightly eye burning tie-dye section…)

This has got to be the tiniest piece of street art ever. Artist Slinkachu, who is known for his small scale art, created this piece in a narrow alley of Grottaglie, Italy as part of the FAME Festival. From the details of the shutters and human forms to the perfectly aged balconies, the detail and intricacy of Slinkachu’s colourful clothesline is just plain unbelievable. One of the most magical and joyful pieces of street art I’ve ever come across.

(via unurth)

I came across these images, by different photographers, during two separate Flickr searches and started to think about how much they had in common. The effortless, random swirls of ranunculus and fabric rolls (In particular, the pink and orange flowers elements) are fascinating in their vibrancy and layers. More than anything, I have always loved the eye candy of gorgeous ranunculus and the patterns created by fabric rolls lined up on the shelf.

(images via jessica nichols & robert wallace)

It’s hard not to love these images styled by London-based stylist Rebecca Newport and photographed by Ania Wawrzkowicz. I love the idea of painted spoons and the matte finish showcases their craftmanship and intricate lines. The colour palette is also particularly dreamy. There is nothing insipid or faint about these pastels. In fact, if there is such a thing as strong pastels, these are it! Now if only they sold silverware like this somewhere…

(images via rebecca newport)

There is something magical about sea glass and the journey required to turn sharp chunks of clear glass into smooth, matte works of art. American artist Jennifer Booher combs the beaches of Maine for beautiful cool-toned glass and arranges her collection into gorgeous spectrums of colour. I love how these photographs highlight the beauty and endless hues of sea glass. I am more than inspired to go on a beach walk as soon as possible!

(images via jennifer booher)

The more photos I see of Cielito Querido Café, the more I fall in love with it. Drawing from Mexican and Latin-American design heritage from the late 19th century to early 20th century, the space is just so full of life and details. With vintage Latin-American signs and product labels of old grocery stores in mind, Mexican studio Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena created the vibrant branding and café design. In a world of coffee spots that are far too beige, Cielito Querido is café overflowing with bold colour, dramatic typography and wild patterns. It is a modern and playful place that retains a truly Mexican flavour. Even the take-away coffee cups are beautiful! Fingers crossed Cielito Querido Café expands in Canada soon. If that happens and you need to get in touch with me, I’ll be the one in the pink chair…

(via we heart & the dieline)

I’ve always felt like clotheslines were a kind of hanging colour palette where articles of clothing become swatches floating in the breeze. Also, as you can probably tell from the posts on plenty of colour thus far, I love when colour pops up in unexpected places. A line of vibrantly hued garments can definitely bring life and joy to a boring exterior (it helps if you have bright and interesting clothing!) Overall, I have just always loved clotheslines for their whimsy and colour inspiration so they became a very random topic for this week’s colour me happy!. Hoping you see a colour palette next time you pass a line of clothing dancing in the wind…

(images via yemanja79, darrell godliman, lindamade, aya_nakai, elli 19, chatursunil, ruffeloo, markus, g!l, g!l, foto blitz color, gabriela bruno, ashlee patten, elaine, sgoralnick, cozy memories)

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)

Nope, these electric blue trees aren’t photoshopped! They are part of the Vancouver Biennale, a bi-annual public art exhibition. Three blue forests have popped up in areas of Metro Vancouver – Garden City Park in Richmond, Port Moody Arts and Civic Centres, and Grosvenor Ambleside in West Vancouver. Created by artist Konstantin Dimopoulos, the vibrant trees are painted to bring attention to global deforestation and the importance of trees as our world’s lungs. Dimopoulos used biologically-safe pigmented water that is completely biodegradable. The paint will slowly fade away, creating an evolving piece of art as the trees return to their natural forms. I love this project because it really does highlight the value of trees in our urban areas as well as underscoring the need for nations to address deforestation. Visually, it is also a gorgeous project. I can’t wait to see the forests as cherry blossoms start to burst open. The angular blue branches and fluffy pink flowers will look incredible together!

(images via clayton perry, the vancouver sun, grant mattice & art threat)