Venetian Mask by Anthony Dunphy on Zatista.com

There seem to be all sorts of rules about color choices, from the by now fully disproven edict that redheads should never wear red, to the suggestions to visual artists that there are just some colors you should never put together, to the dos and don’ts of how to decorate your home or office to achieve a look that not only looks good but also promotes well being.

Collaboration by Lynne Cunningham on Zatista.com

But rules are meant to be broken. Artists have long played with unusual contrasts and seemingly wrong combinations to stunning affect. Designers have made bold decisions creating a unique décor from ideas and items you would never have believed could work in practice.

Colors of Summer 5 by Konnie Kim on Zatista.com

So what is it that makes art that breaks the rules succeed so surprisingly well? Is it just that we expect not to like it and then when we do we are charmed all the more by the fact that whoever had the courage to create it actually pulled it off?

Strange Attractors by Marilyn Fenn on Zatista.com

Are we naturally more pleased by something confident in its strangeness, that draws us in and changes our minds in spite of ourselves, than something that just does what it’s supposed to do and no more?

The Green Room by Robert LeMar on Zatista.com

Whatever the reason, the next time you are looking for some original art for your working or living space, instead of following the conventional wisdom or making safe choices, why not try something different that doesn’t seem as if it should work at all? You might just end up with art so wrong it’s right.

Brian Sylvester is a guest blogger on WallSpin, and an artist on Zatista.

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• Big Art

Raw emeralds

It seems to come earlier and earlier each year. Even before 2013 landed, Pantone announced it’s Color of the Year 2013: Emerald.

Elizabeth Taylor wearing Bulgari emeralds

According to Pantone, “Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions.”

Florescent green Masiero chandelier Photo: Ital Design Furniture

“Also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.”

green napkins photo: Pantone.com

“The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.

Green cups photo: Pantone.com

“As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally-appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

photo: Pantone.com

photo: Pantone.com

photo: Pantone.com

Enough said. Get your green on!

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• Emerald Green – Pantone’s 2013 Color Of The Year.
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• emerald

photo: Simon Upton via Elle Decor

You don’t have to have a fancy house, or a lot of wall space – just a love of making artwork a part of your life and living space.

photo: William Waldron via Elle Decor

Of course, if you have a hallway, you can have a gallery:

photo: Eric Piasecki via Elle Decor

If not, consider going for crazy for color:

photo: William Waldron via Elle Decor

Or simply flaunt your collection:

photo: William Waldron via Elle Decor

Your walls don’t even have to be white:

photo: William Waldron via Elle Decor

Share with us the bold moves you’ve made with your walls, here on WallSpin.

Related articles

• Guest Curator Interview: Eve Ashcraft (zatista.com)
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If you haven’t heard about Pinterest yet, take a few minutes today to check it out. As lovers of all things visual, especially original art, we naturally love the site.  In the words of Pinterest:

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

Best of all, Zatista is pleased to announce we’ve got some great boards going where we regularly post a selection of the amazing works on the site.

So head over, check out Pinterest and follow our boards!

Tangerine Tango!

Prada in Tangerine Tango image: GoRunway/Indigital

Eiseman continues, “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Pantone comments, “Over the past several years, orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike. A provocative attention-getter, Tangerine Tango is especially appealing in men’s and women’s fashion.”

“Tangerine Tango is a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way. Tangerine Tango is a complementary opposite that flatters blue or green eyes. When paired with brown, it brings out an amber cast,” says Pantone.

Pantone suggests, “Energize interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color.”

Related articles

• Color of the Year 2011 (zatista.com)
• Color of the Year 2010 (zatista.com)
• Pantone names orange as its colour of the year (money-gurus.com)
• Yellow is the New Red (zatista.com)

Interested in joining our “Most Needy” art contest on Facebook? Take this simple quiz:

1. Do you own a Velvet Elvis?
2. Do you have a Van Gogh, Picasso, or similar ‘greatest hits’ poster from college still hanging on a wall at home?
3. Are your walls naked and in desperate need of help?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, upload a photo of your dreadful art or explain to us why your wall needs updating. Then, tell all your friends to cast their votes for you on Facebook! Zatista will choose a winner from among the 3 most voted for entries. The winner will win $100 in free art from Zatista.

So, what are you waiting for? Enter today!

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photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

I came across this house recently in The New York Times.

photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

Not surprisingly, the carefully furnished (aka, sparse interior) caught my eye. I couldn’t help but wonder: is there any artwork on the walls?

photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

With each photo, the notion became less and less likely. Granted, in a house that doesn’t have running water, I’m not entirely surprised.

photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

Clearly, there is an intention of simplicity in this home. Yet for conversation’s sake, my question to you is: If this was your house, would you hang art? If not, so be it. But if so, what kind of art and where?

photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

Or, is the view of the dense forest outside the windows framed by the clean lines of the house, art in itself?

photo: Goeril Saetre for The New York Times

I must admit, I’d love to spend a weekend away in a place like this. Would you?

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Keyboard (grey) by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

At first glance I thought these patterns were drawings or prints on paper. Without a doubt, these pieces are works of art on another level.

Orange Spiral by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

Not surprisingly, Barbara Perrino is an accomplished New York artist, versatile in many mediums.

Square Ring by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

After spending years as a fine art photographer, she made a ‘special gift for a special friend’ and the rest was history.

Black Rings by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

Here’s a great way to bring a bit of life, texture, and color into a room, without using a frame or glass.

Broken Chain by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

Even if you don’t think of yourself as a quilt person, you’ve got to admit that b/perrino’s color palette and clean, graphic patterns are pretty appealing.

Brown Totem by B Perrino www.bperrino.com

There’s no fuss, frill, or flower here; these are not your Grandma’s quilts. Try combining art like this with great original art on your walls. Sounds like a winning combination, don’t you think?

photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times

In addition to its distinctive design, the juxtaposition of this trailer’s overhauled interior vs. the energy of burning man is intriguing. The interior has a Moorish theme whose nomadic culture appropriately reflects some of the concepts behind Burning Man.

photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times

According to the New York Times, “Among those attending [the festival] this year are neophytes Rachel Horn, 43, a Los Angeles interior designer, and Justin Kreizel, 33, her husband and business partner, who gutted and renovated a 180-square-foot 1969 Airstream trailer for the trip. The trailer, which they found on Craigslist for $5,000, has a working kitchen and a full bathroom, a living room, a bedroom and plenty of storage space.

photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times

The Times continues, “(Their budget for the entire project, including the trailer itself, was $20,000; as of this writing, what they actually spent had not been determined, but Ms. Horn said they had “gone way, way over budget.”)”

photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times

Needless to say, the airstream’s interior is filled with high end finishes one would not usually find in a trailer: custom cabinets, Carrera marble, stainless steel appliances, and a fancy cappuccino machine.

photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times

My favorite fact from this article is that Rachel has never been camping before. Funny, huh? I can’t help but be impressed by how this rookie rolls out. And to Burning Man, no less. I wonder where their campsite will be on the playa? Who will their neighbors be?

photo: hilong2 James Price flickr.com

Burning Man 2011: August 29 – September 5. Long live Black Rock City.

Jonn Coolidge apartment Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

Here we see how the combination of architecture and personal taste do not clash, but blend together thoughtfully. This interior is not overly decorated or filled with colors and patterns. In fact, the opposite seems to be the intention, following the modernist aesthetic.

Richard Serra's Tujunga Blacktop hangs in the dining room Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

Simplicity flows from the furniture, to the art, to the frames, for an overall look and feel of clean lines and sophistication.

Yellow Bird cardboard sculptures by Tony Smith and ceramics by Wilhelm Kage Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

Color lovers do not fear – black and white is not the only palette here!

Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

This saturated yellow pierces the space with effortless distinction. Between the natural light and this art, seeing this space makes me happy. I could live here.

Robert Ryman print from Concept Art Gallery in Pittsburgh Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

This photo makes an important point: the art itself is nearly impossible to see but the presence of artwork in a frame gives the feeling of a ‘finished’ room. In my opinion, art is an essential part of every space.

Richard Serra print Photo Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

The strong shape depicted in this artwork jumps off the wall and there’s a synergy happening here between the art, and the lines and color of this corner chair. Very appealing.

Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

The two Robert Mangold prints to the right of the desk above were the first pieces Coolidge bought when he started collecting.

Credit: Laure Joliet for The New York Times

Punctuating the neutral color scheme and abundance of light, the blue in this artwork brings serenity to this room. Similar to the photo of the bedroom, we don’t need to see the entire frame to appreciate how the artwork contributes to the space. Overall, I think this apartment is a great example of how our homes and our art do not have to be fussy. If we give thought to all elements of a room, including the artwork, with a bit of grace and ease we can create a beautifully simple space that makes a great statement.

Spool Stools in 8 colors by Jeb Jones

My good friend and dependable source, The New York Times says, “This fair showed that objects as banal as recycling containers, stepladders, fruit crates and old potatoes can have flair.” And that is just the kind of furniture I like to see! Resembling a pile of firewood, this cabinet is by Cleveland designer Mark Moskovitz:

Facecord Cabinet by Mark Moskovitz

Picking up on the knitting craze, Esque Studio from Portland, OR presented the Cozy Light, a pear shaped glass lamp wearing a nice little sweater for those chilly gray days:

Cozy Light Lamp by Esque Studio

The New York Times goes on to report: At the Javits Center, Catherine Mui, a designer based in Hong Kong, showed her GO Recycling Bin, its compartments topped with sculptures of a bottle, can and carton to assist in sorting. Adding humor and clarity to recycling, the product will be manufactured this summer and available in the US for about $60:

GO Recycle Bins by Catherine Mui

Hannu Kahonen’s Fruit Box chair, on display at a Finnish design exhibition in the meatpacking district, challenged consumers who presumably have mastered Ikea furniture to assemble their own seating from recycled planks lashed together with linen cord:

Fruit Box Chair by Hannu Kahonen

One of the fair’s most remarkable objects in this genre didn’t look like craft at all, but an ebullient work of industrial design. The Bulldozer Lounge, a stocky aluminum-composite chair lined in neoprene that resembles a caterpillar (as well as a Caterpillar), is the first production piece by Mark Goetz, a New York designer, and Efe Buluc, a designer based in Istanbul, who have been working together off and on since 1997:

Bulldozer Lounge by Mark Goetz and Efe Buluc

“We wanted it to be animated and playful,” Mr. Goetz said, adding that his 7-year-old son is bursting with pride in his accomplishment. There is nothing toylike, however, about the $12,000 price of the made-to-order chair.

Um, I’ll be shopping for something in a much lower price range. Regardless, three cheers for whimsical art and design!

It seems like just yesterday I was writing about the Color of the Year for 2010 selected by the Pantone Color Institute. Not sure how it happened so fast, but 365+ days have already passed and now there’s a new Color of the Year for 2011. Are you ready for it? Drum roll please…

Honeysuckle!

pantone.com

According to Pantone the color Honeysuckle is, “Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing ‘everyday’ about it.”

Christian Louboutin "Lassagi"

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Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® explains, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues. Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Sarah M. photography devinatart.com

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Eiseman continues, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

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Simon Fairless "Pink1" zatista.com

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Pantone elaborates, “Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. It’s a striking, eye-catching hue that works well for day and night in women’s apparel, accessories and cosmetics, and in men’s ties, shirts and sportswear.”

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theinsidesource.com

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“Add a lively flair to interior spaces with Honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway.”

houzz.com

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“Honeysuckle is upbeat and dynamic when used on large areas like the entry area of a house or an apartment. It is an appetite and conversation stimulant when used on the dining room walls. In the kitchen, it adds a fun touch on the table in placemats and other linens (patterned or solid), colored glassware, candles and small appliances.”

Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker

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“Honeysuckle is a great color to cover up shabby kitchen cabinets, or, if that’s too much of a color statement for you, try repainting knobs and drawer pulls. But be warned – once you try this arresting shade, it can become addictive.”

Silly Wigs marthastewart.com

Whether your style is sophisticated or fun-loving, Honeysuckle may just be the versatile accent color you’ve been looking for!

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In 2005, one of my favorite books of the year was called, “My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living”, by Jonathan Adler. Filled with humor and photos of his signature bold approach to interior design, the book made me smile for weeks. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of this self-proclaimed “maximalist” designer whose journey to fame is endearingly authentic. If you’re familiar with Adler’s style but haven’t heard his story, The Anti-Depressive Apartment will give you a good idea of what makes Adler tick, plus a peek into his NYC apartment. Here are some highlights from the article:

Jonathan Adler Dining Room Photo: Jessica Antola wsj.com

This dining room is anchored with three focal points: the rug, and two great pieces of art. The size of the art holds the room well and the contrasting colors in the art and the rug make your eyes do a happy dance.

Jonathan Adler Living Room Photo: Jessica Antola wsj.com

I love to see a living room where art plays a major role. Here, a set of nine images over the fireplace makes a bold statement.

Jonathan Adler Den Photo: Jessica Antola wsj.com

Setting the tone for the intimacy of this cozy den, the art is displayed on freestanding ‘easels’.

Jonathan Adler Pocket Door to Stairs Photo: Jessica Antola wsj.com

Adler seized a fantastic opportunity by displaying art on a pocket door. The scale of the image is a perfect compliment to the multitude of books on the shelves of this small library.

Jonathan Adler Foyer Photo: Jessica Antola wsj.com

Anyone who can successfully decorate with gnomes is a genius in my book. When done well, a home with humor is a great place to live.

To my great joy, Adler has released two new books this week, Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic Colors and Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic Accessorizing. I can’t wait to add them to my bookshelf!