Holiday Series: Personalized Decor Gifts (and 20% Off Code!)

Looking for a great personalized present that will arrive in time for the holidays, and help add a unique design touch to the home of your friend or family member?

These designs available through Minted, are produced by an artist right here in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  They're beautiful watercolors - and some designs have real gold foil that adds a touch of festive glitter/shine to these pieces.  Perfect for the holidays, or anytime.

They're not only beautiful and unique, they support a local artist.  What a great personalized gift idea!

If gems aren't your thing, how about Zodiac Signs with gold foil accents?

Also use the code GIFT20 for 20% Off Art orders from Minted!

Kelly Wearstler: Wine Colors

Celebrity Interior Designer Kelly Wearstler is recognized as a trend-setter, with dramatic taste.  In this case, she was ahead of her time in 2008 when she designed the rooms above, which fit in perfectly with Pantone's Color of the Year 2015: Marsala (wine).

For more on these rooms, visit Apartment Therapy.

Rose-Colored Glasses: Rosy Retro Trends in Design

The recent announcement of Pantone's 2015 Color of the Year (Marsala, an earthy mid-tone wine-rose), we couldn't help thinking we had seen this color before...  Which got us to reminiscing about design trends of the past.

Here are just a few examples from pop culture involving wines, rose and earthy red tones.

Also 1980s contemporary designs (below: one ultra modern and graphic, the other soft and glamorous) often featured warm rose or wine tones.

And one of the most obvious, wine rose florals!

Finally we wanted to send you off with two modern takes on warm wine and rose tones!  Below, the first graphic wall treatment is from a Kelly Wearstler Interior c. 2013.  The second is a purposely retro and vintage design featuring a 1980s shelving unit and 1980s pottery.

Pantone Announces 2015 Color of the Year & J. Rohr Listens!

Pantone announced their 2015 Color of the Year, following some bright choices the past few years -- including a vibrant cobalt blue, two orange-coral shades, two teal leaning greens, and most recently: Vibrant Orchid for 2014.

We've been waiting to see what the color for 2015 would be, because it sets design, fashion, make up trends and more.  From the runway to the store shelves, you can be sure we'll be seeing this color in the coming year.

It's a soft, flattering, rosy shade that's organic and earthy.  Right on trend, it's retro and reminiscent of the contemporary and southwest interior design trends of the 1980s (more on that this week!).

Without further ado, here it is: Marsala, Pantone's 2015 Color of the Year.

This color immediately calls to mind another big design trend right now: Kilim accents (from rugs, to pillows, wallhangings, and more).

We can imagine Marsala being right at home in Moroccan-inspired rooms like these below...

And also in eclectic and bohemian-inspired rooms...

Finally, it also fits in well in southwest and rustic/primitive/cabin home designs.