2012's colour of the year: Vibrant, bold and tangy
Have you heard? The colour of the moment is … Tangerine Tango! In early January, the Pantone Color Institute in the U.S. announced that 2012's colour of the year is a striking shade of orange. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the institute, Tangerine Tango is "reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset" and "marries the vivaciousness and adrenalin rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy." Having tangerine fresh in my mind, I couldn't help but notice this vibrant and cheerful hue jumping out at me in all sorts of stores recently - whether in the form of a shirt, a shift dress, a cushion or a throw. Fashion and home decor, it seems, are experiencing a winter wake-up when it comes to all things citrus.
THE LOOK While it’s unlikely that you’ll embrace tangerine wholesale and redesign your entire abode in an overture to orange, there are plenty of ways to juice up your home without making a lifetime commitment to sunset shades. Use it, in other words, as a vibrant accent colour.
INTRODUCE ORANGE THROUGH PATTERN Your ode to orange doesn’t have to be an exercise in monochrome. Tyr it with other au courant hues. Fabric designer Lulu de Kwiatkowski recently added the wonderfully energetic and edgy printed linen fabric, inspired by the shapes of torn tissue paper.
LOOK FOR OBJECTS WITH CLASSIC LINES This tends to lend staying power to orange purchases, especially if you’re worried about committing to an of-the- moment colour. This kitschy, youthful cutlery set by West Elm will endure long after the next colour of the year is announced.
THINK OF ORANGE AS A NEUTRAL The master of all things orange, Hermès provides an excellent example of this unconventional rule. Everyday objects such as wallets, passports holders or iPad cases, like the one shown here, take on a bold aspect in a colour as unexpected yet versatile.
CREATE ARTFUL VIGNETTES Use tangerine when dressing a mantel or coffee table. This sculpted Murano glass vase from the Secret Dawn collection at Birks, rendered in various shades of red and orange, adds a brilliant hand-hewn pop, with or without blooms.