Our Coloful Past

On the East Coast this year we are seeing some early signs of Spring. As we look forward to renewal of our landscapes, we look inward - to renew our living spaces as well.

Last week I received the new color palette from Benjamin Moore for 2013. The interesting thing about color is that it reflects the current pulse of the country and mood of the economic climate. Colors in 2013 are based on recycling principles - not only of what we shed, but what we repurpose. "As we look to the future, we find our ideas are rooted in the past" relates Benjamin Moore's Andrea Magno. "What's new is in the details."

Found objects turned into art, vintage clothing and facilities like Second Chance in Baltimore MD are a treasure trove for homeowners and designers alike. An architectural element from a torn down building can become a shelf on a wall - it's muted patina proudly reveals it's past life. A furniture piece can be added to a bath remodel for additional storage, melding colors from the past with the softness of a natural stone. The refined hues of a gold leaf frame show it's wear and it's history. 

Imagine if these pieces could talk - talk of all the people that had admired them, of the life played out in front of them. Of the people who lived with them and among them. The heartaches, the love shared, the same emotions we feel today played out in years past. These objects hold secrets we'll never know.

My hope is that the "throw-away" society we have become is slowly eroding to allow us to embrace the things in our past. To understand that our history is who we are, what we are made of.  And pull the best qualities of that past to the forefront while letting go of the ones that simply won't work. Design is truly in the details, the details of our everyday.

http://www.secondchanceinc.org/index.aspx?u=Store

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/authentic-color