2016 Pantone Color(s) of the Year

It's that time of year again!!! 

Pantone has announced their 2016 Color of the Year, or should we say "colors" , because for the first time they've selected TWO as representatives for the year; ROSE QUARTZ and SERENITY. 

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So why two colors this year? 
Pantone Color Institute Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman best sums it up as so:

"Joined together Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance 

between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, 

reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace."  

source: www.pantone.com

At first glance, the only thing this color duo brought to mind is a baby's nursery. I wasn't very impressed, considering the past bright and vibrant colors of 2015, 2014, and 2013. But also like years past, my first impression began to shift after digging deeper and seeing each color in action. Pastels have been such a huge trend lately, and I think Rose Quartz and Serenity will be fuel for the fire. 

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If only I could pull off pastel hair...oh baby I'd be a mermaid in an instant! A lot or a little, this light pink is sophisticated, but at the same time super soft and feminine. 

For me personally, Serenity may take a little longer to warm up to. I could see it being a big hit this Spring for wedding colors, but the grey-ish tone this blue has could easily lead itself successfully all winter as well. 

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So maybe it is time we toned it down a notch. Not every color-of-the-year has to be loud and scream "OMG LOOK AT ME!" Sometimes subtlety is key. 

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Whatever side you're on, team Rose Quartz or team Serenity, be prepared to see these colors popping up everywhere. And if you're having a baby soon, you no longer have to decide what shade to paint the nursery! 

What are your thoughts on Pantone's 2016 choices?

Squeezing in Some Small Stuff

Every relationship has it's dry spells. 
Giant gaps of time where excitement is at a halt, and nothing occurs except the very predictable and mundane. 

Every since wrapping up the kitchen bathroom makeover, our poor house has hit a major dry spell. It's not that we've run out of things to do, oh no, it's just finding the time to do it! Between Eric's sports schedule, weddings, trips, and the holidays; September through November have completely escaped me. And looking ahead, December will be quite the same.

But even though the big projects are still on the back burner, there HAVE been a few moments here and there to squeeze in a couple tiny improvements.  

First up is the demise of yet ANOTHER boob light. 

The upstairs hallway is where our latest victim resides, and I've been searching for the perfect replacement for a while now. It couldn't be too big, or hang too low, otherwise Eric would hit his head. It needed to be flush with the ceiling, but also interesting and attractive. 

A few weeks back, I found this beauty on Craiglist with an asking price of $35. I adored the clean lines and geometric shapes of the glass, and just knew it would be perfect. A few text messages, and a little visit with a BEYOND adorable couple and their two dogs later, and it was mine! 

When I first saw this light, it instantly reminded me of a similar version I had seen at Shades of Light...except without the smack-you-in-the-face price tag.

I have no clue where this original fixture came from, but I like to tell myself I found the deal of a lifetime. 
$35 is better than $169 any day.

A quick removal and installation via the husband, and our good friend Jared who stopped by, and we were in business! 

The lines and shadows casted on the ceiling just add to its visual presence, and I think it's magical. 
Chalk up another win for Craigslist! 

Another thing that's constantly being tweaked is our gallery wall. When I last mentioned this wall, it was back in August of 2014 (click HERE to see the post), and looked like this. 

Over the year, we've added quite a few pieces to the puzzle (thank you weddings!), and it now looks like this! 

I freaking love this wall. Finding new art, pictures, and funky treasures to fill in the blank spaces is a challenge I'm constantly working on. 

Moving outdoors, Eric has been determined to finish up the remaining details of the pergola before Winter. He added a few more thin beams to the top, covered the support beams with nicer planks, and stained everything to match. 

I still can't get over how great this looks. Once the weather warms up again in the Spring, we'll start planning the patio reconstruction. Fire pits and twinkle lights are definitely in our future, but for now I think we're at a pretty fantastic stopping point. 

In a few weeks we're hosting our Framily Christmas party, so getting the house to full on holiday-mode will be my next big task. 

But not until AFTER Thanksgiving, because well...I'm not insane.