radiant orchid | Pantone’s color of the year

Radiant Orchid. What a beautiful name for such a gorgeous and unique color! Pantone is a company who, according to their website, is the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. They have the famous Pantone color chip books that, as a graphic designer, I have become VERY familiar with. But their Color of the Year announcements seem to have transcended beyond the design world. And, maybe it’s the designer in me, but I love that they have established this fun trend. Radiant Orchid is a color that is part purple and part pink. It’s both soft and strong at the same time. And orchids, by nature, are generally regarded as a symbol of rare and delicate beauty. So where is my Radiant Orchid??

In my print design, this color does not show up much. My corporate clients are pretty conservative so I design mainly with blues, reds, grays, etc. And even in my blog shop I’m creating (coming soon!), I don’t use it – and I may have to change that!

In my home design, it’s almost non-existent. It’s not that I’m afraid of color. Although I do lean more towards the neutrals, I have splashes of oranges, robin’s egg blue, and lime and emerald greens throughout our home. I just haven’t seem to navigate to the orchid family. Even my daughter’s room is decorated in shades of seafoam green, blues and pinks. No orchids. But as you can see in the photos above, Radiant Orchid makes for truly beautiful and unique home decor (I love, love that chair!). For most of us, just a hint of this color would be enough. Add some Radiant Orchid fun into your home with small accessories like pillows, candles or artwork. Or go bigger: cover a large upholstered piece, paint your walls, or drape your bed in glorious Radiant Orchid linens.

I probably see the most of this beautiful hue in my fashion choices. See my new sweater from the Gap, or my North Face beanie that I adore – mainly because it hides my bad hair days. It’s a beautiful color for cosmetics too – but again, I have no. orchid. colored. cosmetics. No nail polish, lipstick or eye shadow. What a shame.

So, I guess this Color of the Year announcement has opened my eyes to new possibilities. I love seeing all the Orchid radiating from the collage above. It makes me want to find more of this glorious hue. Keep your eyes open to this Color of the Year. And then do something radiant. This color has inspired me to try and be more radiant too. Maybe a Radiant Orchid manicure would be a good start.

C O L L A G E   S O U R C E S :

Tori Burch Robinson Smart-Phone Wristlet Wallet, $155  |  North Face Beanie, $28  |  Gap sweater: sorry, not online – only in stores (and it’s on clearance!)  |  Chuck Taylor Fresh Color Sneakers, $50  |  Butter London Nail Lacquer, $15  |  Home decor ideas by Fieldstone Hill Design