Blue and Gray are Hot But I Prefer Green Decor; Now What?

Now nothing. Green is an amazing color!

And green decor is classic and timeless.

a true story…

Many moons ago, when I was in interior design school, my color teacher, Ms. Fax loved to tell a story about a student who said that she loved blue. Ms. Fax told her, “you just think that you love blue…

…You don’t love it; you hate it. What you really like is indigo or teal, but not blue.”

I sat there thinking that I wasn’t particularly all that fond of blue [then, that is]. Perhaps her assertion had some validity, if maybe a bit harsh? After all, she was the professor and what did I know?

Now that I’m a lot older and well, just older, ;] I would probably be thinking… “What an arrogant b^tch telling that poor young woman that she doesn’t like blue. Ya know, she can just take her Munsell Color Chips and shove them up her mechanical pencil!”

Point being. If you love blue or green, taxi cab yellow or Barney purple, who the hell cares? If you love it, then go for it. My job is to help you make your favorite color(s) the best they can be!

I have always loved green and green decor. And by the end of this post I think you’ll know why.

I first fell in love with green in design school. I soon discovered that many different shades of green mixed together was very pleasing to my eye.

In the early 90’s there was an editorial of Ina Garten‘s Hampton Home in Metropolitan Home. I stared for hours and hours at the photos. I still have them.

Tell me, aside from the quality of the photography, can you tell that this was done well over 20 years ago?

The lush tapestry on the sofa is from Clarence House, so I had to get a sample. Back then, the NET price was $200/yd. I was working on my white on white living room and knew that I had to have pillows made out of this fabric! So, I went for broke and ordered 2.5 yards.

Here are the pillows today.

I love them just as much as I did back then. It’s a fabulous fabric which in this closer view is full of depth and richness of color. It was worth every penny!

The associations with green are oft-times polar opposites; I find that quite interesting.

Green is:

neither warm nor cool, but perhaps by association with some green things like grass and mint is perceived to be more cool except in its yellower shades.

• soothing [unless super bright, of course]

associated with

• wealth and stability,
• charity and greed
• vitality and illness
• envy
• hope

For this post, I decided to have a lot of fine art to express my points. Interspersed will be rooms which mimic the art work in color and often in emotion.

Hang on!

Late Summer English Landscape by the Circle of Thomas Gainsborough circa 1780

I adore 18th century European landscapes with their rich wooded greens of many hues.

The James Family by Arthur Devis 1751

The artists back then really loved landscapes and greenery too. Notice how it appears that the family is super-imposed on the landscape that isn’t really behind them. They were most likely posing in their parlor.

Marquise [Madame] de Pompadour by Francois Boucher 1756

I certainly knew the name but didn’t realize that she’s was Louis the XVth mistress. Looks like she was well taken care of. Big magnificent teal green silk dress. Impossibly tiny feet.

Madame Bergeret

Another masterpiece by Boucher. Not sure how someone’s waist can only be slightly larger than their fore-arm but again, I’m sure that artistic license prevailed. Notice how both women are looking in the same direction? I wonder what they’re looking at?

The Swing by Jean Honore Fragonard

Did y’all ever see the musical “Contact?” I was lucky enough to see it on Broadway shortly before it closed after September 11th 2001. My favorite show ever! The show is comprised of three vignettes. The first one brought this painting to life with the brilliant choreography of Susan Stroman.

Ahhhhh… the idle rich…

Jean Honore Fragonard – A Game of Hot Cockles

Yes, that’s what it’s called! I have no idea what they are doing but as long as no one gets hurt, I’m fine with it. Fabulous colors!

Suzanne Kasler

William Beechey,  The Oddie Children, 1789

Melchior d’Handecoeter

Jean-Baptiste Greuze “Silence” 1759

This poor woman looks like she could use a hand. Wonderful colors!

Jane Moore

Portrait of Isaac van Rijneveld painted by Louis Tocqué 1738. rijksmuseum

There’s the hand in the waistcoat. Just like that dude Napoleon. Apparently, for whatever the reason, it was a sign of gentlemanly good breeding. Forgive me, but Mr. Van Rijneveld looks like an arrogant pr^ck. Maybe he just had a case of bad gas? No matter, the colors are divine!

Meg Braff

“Kindred Spirits” (1849), a tribute to Hudson River School founder Thomas Cole by Asher Durand

Thomas Edwin Mostyn Circa late 19th c “The Green Dress”

I love this young woman. Her face says it all.

“I have a headache and my period… this dress makes me look fat, are you done yet?”

Jean Paul Beaujard

Martin Drolling (1752-1817), “Interior With View of Saint Eustache”, 1810. From the Metropolitan Museum Show “Room With a View

What would this magnificent, enigmatic painting be without that translucent green drapery? Don’t you wanna know what’s happening next? I think I know. :]

Arthur Hughes, The Gardener’s Daughter 1842

luscious.

How do you feel about green?

It was a gray rainy day here in New York. Soon the black snow will be all gone and my favorite color will appear. Chartreuse. [one of my first posts!]

Big week ahead! More about that coming very soon!

xo,