Years ago I worked with a client, Ann, who was really big on personal color analysis . Have you heard of this? I think I am a “Dark Autumn” and my colors include crimson, plum, and different hues of umber and sienna browns and yellow ochres. In short, it is a list of colors that look best on you based on your tones and undertones of hair, skin and eyes. Honestly, I think most people can look at the charts and identify what their color palette is just based on the colors you seems to get the most compliments on when wearing. The quizzes are fun to take, regardless.

This specific client however, took it to the next level explaining to me that there is psychological side to color and insisted that her home needed to be in line with her personal palette because it “clearly was the colors that made her feel best.” So a combination of Light Summer colors it was and we designed every thing in hues of pastel pinks, beige, muted blue/ greeens, and then pops of brighter Summer colors in corals . It wasn’t my favorite color palette for the home and especially during that phase in interior design when everything was Tuscan but she loved it and it did all come together in the end.

So I may not always design to a specific color palette for events or my home, but I certainly do have my favorite color schemes for each season and of all of these, my favorite is most certainly, Summer. Why? Well, in Summer, just about any bright cheery color goes! What other time of the year does coral get to be friends with happy yellows, lime greens team up with baby blues and poppy pinks pair with a true orange? For three solid month, these colors put all hard feelings aside and just hang out like family.

Well in the spirit of Summer approaching, I may have jumped a little ahead when I was asked to style this end of the year party for 12 fifteen year old Girlscouts. With free rein for colors and a limited budget I opted to use this brilliant rich pinky-red FREE bougainvillea and bright hues of oranges (literal too) with pops of fuchsia and pale pink peonies. (I mean, when do peonies and bougainvillea ever get to hang out either!)

Fun colors right? And the chandelier, such a great wow factor for any party!