the color lab blog — home decor

I hope you love the products I recommend! While this blog post was not sponsored, it may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

 

Candles could be the most underrated items in the world of home decor. Not only do they create a certain ambiance when lit (THINK:  romantic, relaxing, refreshing), their scents, if desired, can evoke passion, a sense of calm or high energy. The same with using color in candles.

JulRe Designs Studio, South Orange, NJ

While white candles will always be readily available at all price points and will remain the standard because of their ease of placement within your home and their obvious versatility, there is something to be said about bringing them into full effect with the addition of color.

 

 

 

image: abc carpet & home, New York, NY

Over the years, I have found that decorating with pillows is one of the easiest ways to refresh your home and incorporate new patterns, textures, and colors into your decor. And as a PwPP (Person with a Pillow Passion), I exercise my right buy colorful cushy cushions whenever I can. One such shopping excursion took me to one of my fave pillow emporiums in New York City, abc carpet & home, where I found a plethora of pigment-rich pillows in incredible fabrics.

image: (top left, clockwise) Master Bedroom, Living Room, JulRe Designs Studio, Master Bathroom

There aren't many rooms in my home that haven't been touched by a pillow treatment or two, but that's not because I have an obsession. I mean, I do but that's not really relevant, is it? And though the standard square pillow will always be my go-to classic, other shapes such as bolsters and lumbars are the perfect way to add even more appealing optics to your pillow pastime.

I hope you love the products I recommend! While this blog post was not sponsored, it may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

 

Here are some tips on how to decorate with pillows of many shapes and sizes:

It's Hip to be a Square Pillow 

image: Missoni Home Pasadena Pillow

PILLOW TALK: While a good square pillow can hold its own, placed solo on a chair or stacked in multiples on a sofa, the shape coexists well with others. Use them as a foundation for a pillow arrangement: Place two squares with an striking lumbar or bolster pillow for a stylish, cohesive look.

 

Long and Lean: Lumbar Pillows

image: Yves Delorme Tonga Decorative Pillow - Bloomingdale's

Lumbar pillows are those chic rectangular shaped cushions you're not quite sure what to do with. Their name is derived from the support they offer to the lower back but they offer a unique design element to any room. You can find them in many sizes, from standard (around 14″ x 22″) to oversize (typically 60″ in length.)

PILLOW TALK: Lumbar pillows are typically used as a focal point—the pièce de résistance in the position of prominence of a pillow grouping. But this versatile style can do it all solo. Try using a pair as armrests at the ends of a couch for a contemporary look.

 

Raise the Chic Quotient: Bolster Pillows

image: Harbor House Crystal Beach Quilted Bolster Pillow - Macys

Long, cylindrical bolsters are similar to the lumbar pillow in that they come in a wide variety of sizes and can be used for both back support and decorative purposes. They are a bit more traditional due to their shape.

PILLOW TALK: As member of the lumbar family, the bolster is often seen as the on-the-bed rockstar, but I also love it alone on a quirky chair or at the ends of a dramatic daybed.

 

The Unorthodox: Uncommon Shapes

image: Cyprinus Carpio Creative Knot Throw Pillow - Amazon

From updated classics like cube and box pillows to quirkier designs such as spheres, stars, and animals, an offbeat pillow may be just the touch of whimsy your room needs.

PILLOW TALK: Use them anywhere you'd place a standard throw pillow! Mix and match with other comfy, loungy cushions for super coziness.

Want to try a new pillow or two? I've got 20 goodies so shop my 20 cushy cushion picks below:

 

FOR MORE HOME DECOR IDEAS, SHOP THE COLOR LAB SHOP

 

 

 

The Holidays seem to come earlier and earlier each year. I know it's not actually possible for that to actually happen but the busier I get, the more pressure I feel to pack as much as possible into a 24 hour day. I've managed to squeeze in a bit of time to knock a few gifts off my shopping list and my last color-themed gift guide was a great help! How far have you gotten on your gift list? Perhaps my latest gift guide can offer you some assistance.

Apricot Brandy and Fig are the colors I've selected colors for the 2nd part of my Color Craze Gift Guide series. They are two of the warmest colors you'll want to wrap yourself in and share with those you love! Not only are they what I call delectable comfort colors, they are season-less classics. Think of them for places in your home that may need a touch of cosiness. They work well together in your wardrobe as well whenever your mood is mellow - at that candlelight date night dinner or lounging in front of the fireplace on a frigid Winter night.

I hope you love the products I recommend! While this blog post was not sponsored, it may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

 

 

image: myrecipes.com

Before we start shopping, I just had to share this great recipe I found while searching for appetizer ideas for an upcoming Holiday party. You'll find some of the ingredients quite apropos for this post: apricots, brandy and figs! I taste tested this dish  and it will be one of the standouts on the buffet table for sure! You can find the recipe for quick and easy Brie with Jeweled Fruit Compote here.

Now, let's SHOP in color! Here are my top 9 gifts in Apricot Brandy and Fig:

1.  For the Fashionable Hipster - Herschel Supply Co. Seventeen Hip Pack - Amazon

2.  For the Eternal Sunshine Seeker - D'BLANC Beach Vida 53mm Square Cat Eye Sunglasses - Nordstrom

3.  For the Colorful Kiddies - OLIVER & RAIN Fawn & Fern Kids Gift Set - Nordstrom

4.  For the Comfort Seeking Man - Champion Life Men's Stretch Woven Sleep Pants - Champion

5.  For the Motorcycle Mama - BB Dakota Teagan Reversible Faux Leather Drape Front Jacket - Nordstrom

6.  For the Well-Heeled Lady - ECCO Shape Motion 75 Booties - Nordstrom

7.  For the Man Who Hates Dress Shirts - AGAVE Box Canyon Men's T-Shirt

8.  For Those Who Love to Snuggle - Vellux Faux Sheared Mink Blanket - Bloomingdales

9.  For the Hostess with the Mostest - Divina Fig Spread - Amazon

 

I'd love to know how you feel about these colors and how your Holiday shopping is progressing. Follow The Color Lab Blog on Facebook or Instagram and leave your comments!

Until next time, live a color-filled life!

 

 

Philly is a city of extraordinary textures, fabulous flavor and color galore. I spend as much time as I can there because its diversity of cultures, its devotion to the arts and its "let's do it all" spirit give me life. With every visit, I'm struck by how nothing ever stays the same - there's always a new adventure, in even the most familiar places, to be experienced!

Photos by Juliet at Material Culture, Philadelphia, PA

Check out my latest 60-second ColorStory from the City of Brotherly Love below. And I'm also sharing a place I discovered where dreams come true for the home decor obsessed!⁠ Take a look!

BLOG DISCLAIMER: This blog post was not sponsored but may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

Soft. Sensuous. Dreamy. All apropos descriptives for two colors that personify the comfy, cozy lifestyle. But don't be fooled. They have a sneaky way of punching up your home with a vibrancy that can only be described as alive.

image: House Beautiful

There's something so comforting about the elegant living room in the NYC apartment designed by Jamie Drake pictured above. While this color palette is far from traditional, its soothing vibe is warm and inviting. The walls were expertly painted using Salmon Peach by Benjamin Moore Aura and softened with a custom glaze. The steel and pale gray accessories could have made a hard,  sharpened contrast but instead complement the calming energy of the room.

image: Benjamin Moore Paints

BLOG DISCLAIMER: This blog post was not sponsored but may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

 

The Salmon and Glacier Gray palette get 2 thumbs up for versatility. While it may now be easier for you to envision these colors in an expansive space like a living room, incorporating them cohesively in smaller ways and spaces can be uncomplicated too. Refinishing a desk or uplifting a vanity (see below) can give new life to a home office or bathroom.

image: Estuary Designs

 

 

image: Remodelaholic

Adding a few lovely home decor items in Salmon and Glacier Gray to your space or to give as housewarming gifts is easy because I've done the discovery for you! Shop my 6 fabulous finds below!

1.  Nordstrom at Home Faux Fur Throws

2.  Christopher Knight Home Club Chair

3.  Baby Aspen Ceramic Shark Bank

4.  Beatriz Ball Vida Alegra Bowl

5.  Industrial Rewind Soap Dispenser

6.  Jonathan Adler Charade Studded Table Lamp

 

I've curated some more Salmon and Glacier Gray color inspiration on Pinterest! Tell me what you think!

Until next time, live a color-filled life,