Valentine’s Day Inspired

On this day of love I’m sharing Valentine’s Day inspired pretty pictures and FYI Valentine’s Day facts- a Valentine from me to you.

Handcrafted Valentine

Handcrafted Valentine Inspiration- Photography by Mac Jamieson

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Flower Magazine- Photography by Amy Neunsinger

“Love is a canvas furnished by nature
and embroidered by imagination.”

—Voltaire

Heart of Blooms Embroidery Digital Design, Floral Bouquet

Heart of Blooms Embroidery Digital Design, Floral Bouquet

Seeing that Valentine’s Day is the subject matter of conversation hearts and music of the heart, I have fittingly updated my Power of Love Spotify playlist.

54ea59a4c4f02_-_clx0607ant02dg-deAntique Heart Shaped Ring Boxes

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Written in French by Charles Duke of Orleans in 1415, the oldest known valentine was a poem penned in words of love to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine,
Since for me you were born too soon,
And I for you was born too late.
God forgives him who has estranged
Me from you for the whole year.

I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine,
Well might I have suspected
That such a destiny,
Thus would have happened this day,
How much that Love would have commanded.

I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine.

Children First Love Statue

Authored in 1477 by Margery Brews as a love note to her fiancé John Paston,  the oldest English language valentine begins with the words “Unto my right wellbeloved Valentine John Paston.”

Esther-Howland-Valentine-card-Affection

“Affection” ca. 1870s

Valentine’s Day cards were introduced to the United States in 1849 by Esther Allen Howland, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts.

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Inspiration is everywhere.

Taken with an ornate English Valentine received at nineteen years old, Esther Allen Howland replicated the style of the card by using intricate paper lace together with decorative floral details.

HowlandValentine2

Esther Howland

Pink is such a delicate and graceful color.

Proving a personal favorite choice, the color pink is known for its soft tones and shades never failing to command principal palette attention as well as serving as a complementary accent companion.

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Photo by Jessie Daniella on Unsplash

Soft pinks, rich chocolate browns, and shades of regal red stand timeless as ideal shades and hues for a Valentine’s Day color palette.

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Veranda Magazine – Photography by Melanie Acevedo

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Murdock Solon Architects

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British Vogue – Photography by Gianluca Longo

Summer blooms in an interiorAdolf Heinrich Claus Hansen – (Danish, 1859–1925)
Summer Blooms in an Interior

Ever wonder why pink is used as the base color in many cosmetic and beauty products?

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Valentine’s Day inspired interiors, colors, and accents get to the heart of the design and decorative matter through texture, craftsmanship, and design style application.

Valentine’s Day by the Numbers

Maybe I should say Valentine’s Day buy the Numbers.

Cupid’s consumers will be spending a total of 25.8 billion (that’s billion with a Be My Valentine) on Valentine’s Day, spending an average $185.81 on Valentine’s Day.

Source: National Retail Federation

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Chocolate confections, strawberries, macarons, meringues, fudge, cheesecake, cupcakes, cookies and conversation hearts are served with Valentine’s Day love.

Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Macarons

Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Macarons

“Where we love is home –
home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”

—Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Love lives on.

DSL-valentine-card

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Darleen-signature-love

Color Combination Pink and Black

Conversing about and consulting on the use of the color combination pink and black is one such topic- a house favorite if you will.

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Sugar and spice.

Hammer and nail.

Love and marriage.

Style and elegance.

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Architectural Digest

Good things come in pairs.

pink-black-decorMy Domaine

Color drives the design and decorating choices we make.

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 Amie Corley Interiors

Texture and pattern factor into the design and decor selections of space and timeless aesthetic.

Heron Print Wallpaper Gucci

Gucci Heron Print Wallpaper

Decades and trends influence our design style and taste preferences.

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Vogue – Monique Lhuillier Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear 

It’s quite natural for our personal style to evolve and mature over time, but I find we seem to stay true to our first loves.

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 Carrie Hatfield Interior Design

Pairing pink with the color black has the visual ability to create palette synergy resulting in a shift from demure to dramatic.

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pink-black-Grease

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Which came first, fashion color combo finery found or the home décor fascination with the color combination pink and black?

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Pinterest

Distinctive color combinations influence the fashion world as well as personal design styles.

pink-lanternMitzi Leigh Polished Nickel / Pink 4-light 16” Wide Mini Chandelier

Thoughtful additions accent decor pieces.

Adding to a piece to suit your style in zhuzh it up fashion achieves the intended design outcome while creating a curated look.

Falling in Love Canvas Art Print

Falling in Love Canvas Art Print

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Chic color combinations apply and appeal to the fashion and home décor taste of today.

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Houzz

Marble tile accents lend glamour to this modern day take on the classic pink and black bathroom.

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Heidi Caillier Design

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Well-suited color combinations anchor, accent and accentuate the look.

pretty-in-pink-on-the-patio-linens

Spring into summer entertaining season will be here before we know it, and pretty in pink and black on the patio is seasoned to go.

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Incorporating the color combination pink and black into a space opens the door to a sophisticated palette presence.

Darleen-signature-love

Brand Recognition and Interior Decorating Ideas Association

Brand recognition and interior decorating ideas association influences the market and the buying public.

Shopping in retail, grocery, electronics, big box, dollar and home improvement stores for the items that keep the all things house that make a home process up, running and connected is what you make out of it.

Some love the thrill of the shop, search and source while others find the process about us much fun as spending the day in the dentist chair getting a root canal.

My approach and attitude toward this necessary ritual is rooted, no pun intended, in the glass half full it’s what you make of it attitude.

640px-Coles_South_City_aisle_1Commons

I have a resourceful tool of spin I use when the aisles begin to close in- a friendly game of brand recognition and the interior decorating ideas association.

I am not endorsing or granting preferential product treatment or mention, but it’s not hard to connect the dots.

This is simply a shared exercise that serves as just another source of inspiration for incorporating beauty, color and style into the day.

Quaker-Oats-LogoThe Quaker Oats Company

The stately portrait of the white haired gentleman framed in attire and colors befitting the home of the red, white and blue is the brand hallmark of a classic breakfast cereal.

This famous logo never fails to bring to mind the Federal era, American antiques and star spangled decor.

federal-paletteHouse Beautiful

Well, hello!

Talk about gorgeous on a most colorful scale.

bright color decorHouse Beautiful

Going boldly with bold color, furnishings in unique form and placement, and pattern play perfection are design and decor treatments that will have people talking.

black white marbleBlack and White Marble

Black and white and basic.

Or is it?

Twenty odd years ago a major grocery chain in our area introduced a line of generic brand products packaged in no-frill black and white packaging.

I mean this packaging was straightforward and to the point with white being the predominate color choice accompanied by plain text black lettering.

black white tablescapeDomino

One would think the plain, ordinary, lackluster, non-descriptive packaging would have faded into shelf obscurity, but not in this case.

The complete opposite effect took place, and the basic packaging stood out above all the others.

Why?

I can only venture a guess, but I think as eye catching as colorful and bold packaging can be, it served as a frame to draw the eye and attention to the generic brand and away from all others.

black-white-bedroomThe Glitter Guide

Visually commanding focal points are not decoratively exclusive to interior design and home decor accents.

The generic brand packaging successfully caught the eye in spite of the basic branding.

Less is more proved brilliant in this case.

Connecting the dots to decorating yet?

 Kate Jackson Design

It is amazing how many brands utilize the color combination green and blue in product packaging.

I’m beginning to catch on to the genius behind this clever marketing choice.

It’s hard to deny the power of this color combination and the association of it to the calm and cool coastal waters of Any Beach, USA.

From sea to salad, tranquility sells, sales and sails!

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The next time you are shopping, searching and sourcing, remember this decorating exercise in brand recognition and interior decorating ideas association.

Inspiration is everywhere!

Love your style!