Guest Post: Jessica @ Ecru Stationary & Design

I have another treat for you guys today! It's my good friend, Jessica, with {Ecru Stationary & Designs}. Guys, this girl has true talent if I've ever seen it. I'm so proud and excited for her and her business. She knows exactly how to drive the line of creative and classic design. If you need invitations for an upcoming gathering or personalized stationary for the holidays be sure to check out her out. 

She even designed the invites for my sister's surprise bachelorette party...

And my bestie's bachelorette party!  

LOVED them!! 

But for now, she's going to talk with us about color. 

Yes, my friends, it's a double dose of 2012 Pantone color predications this week! This color scheme is so to-die-for that it deserves another look...
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Hi there! I’m Jessica from Ecru Stationery & Design, and I am delighted that Rachel has asked me to do a guest post for her loyal readers!

I am a second-generation graphic artist, and my sole goal is to bring beauty to the world and encourage others to release their inner creativity. Custom stationery and invitations is my vocation, and my passion is everything design!

So for all you home renovators and DIY-ers out there, I hope you enjoy some design tidbits and general rules of thumb that I like to live by.

A few weeks ago, Pantone, the world renowned authority on color, released its Spring/Summer 2012 Color Forecast. From these 10 beautiful shades, I picked 3 to create a mood board and added a second neutral for a base.



This is such a romantic color palette, and I am absolutely loving these ethereal shades on plush, tufted chairs, dramatic damask prints, and rich brocade fabrics. Avoid going ultra-femme by toning things down with some more masculine details, such as silver studs on chairs and headboards, sleek metal end tables, and modern, clean-line sofas—like Rachel used in her living room makeover. Also check out those killer silver studs on her dining room chairs!

If you’re looking for something to amp up your room, try investing in a classic piece like her modern tufted sectional and contrasting it with a French-inspired end chair with a beautiful print in Margarita. This is sure to bring life instantly to any room!



I just adore the juxtaposition of these insane metallic patterned wallpapers with the more masculine and modern furniture below. See Rachel’s living room where the undertones of her whitewashed walls mimic Sweet Lilac and are offset by that to-die-for gray sectional. Talk about a modern classic!



Although these are all very light shades, you want to avoid going overboard with any one particular color. It’s generally a good rule of thumb to use neutrals as a base and using your pops of color as accents. Depending on how adventurous you are, that pop of color can be anything from a throw pillow and drapes to a sofa and painted ceiling!

It’s all about what fits in your comfort zone. Just remember to give the eye a rest, and don’t be afraid to go a shade darker or lighter in your color palette. In other words, I took the color Driftwood above and used that anywhere from light dove gray to deep charcoal to mirrored finishes. Sweet Lilac can range from pale purplish-pinks to lavenders. Stay within that spectrum for a look that’s polished and not matchy-matchy!

I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed these little design tidbits and feel inspired to go and try some things out in your own home. Again, I want to thank Rachel so much for having me, and I look forward to sharing some more of my inspiration soon!

And if you liked this post, you’re sure to enjoy how I would use Pantone’s Spring 2012 Color Forecast in a beachside Spring event of my own.