Design Trends 2013

 HOME DECOR

According to Michael Boodro, Editor in Chief of Elle Decor, there are five hot trends that will define the year ahead including: brass accents, the color green, embellished walls, lace details, and the color beige. Here I share with Boodro's design predictions for 2013.

1. Brass Accents 

(and lots of it)

"With its rich gleam and sculptural weight, this metal is experiencing a resurgence. With so many designers looking to the '70s, it's inevitable that brass and bronze will show up more—from accessories by Carl Aubock to cocktail tables by Gabriella Crespi to virtually entire rooms by Kelly Wearstler, brass is the metal of the moment."
 

2. Green

(in various shades)

"Pantone named Emerald the Color of the Year for 2013, but we're seeing all shades of greens and expect more in the future, from bright spring greens to olives, and especially lots of different blue-greens and teal."

3. Embellished Walls

"[Boodro] expects this trend, already strong, to continue at full strength. The options now are limitless, from simple grass cloths to hand-painted papers to coverings embellished with glass beads and crystals.

4. Lace Details 

"...Already big on the runways, lace is showing up in the home collections of Zara and H&M, so you know it's ready for its close-up. Count on seeing lots more see-through in the months ahead."

5. Beige

"A surprise, but it's showing up more often, and in quieter room settings. The danger here is going corporate bland, but very talented designers are using a variety of shades of cream, off-white, and yes, beige in a variety of textures to create serene settings." 

 Click here, to see more!

Mirror Image

 "There is no influence so powerful 

as that of the mother..."

- Sarah Josepha Hale

Fanny

ART & ACTIVE LIVING

by Chuck Close 

Recently, I visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; I heard about the “Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective” exhibit that would be on display there from October 14, 2012 to January 13, 2013 and I wanted to see it before they closed it.

Yet, ironically the highlight of my little escapade to the museum was not the viewing of the “Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective” exhibit, but Chuck Close’s “ Fanny” finger-painting. I've seen copies of it before, but it’s nothing like seeing it in person. 

According to the National Gallery of Art “Fanny” is “a portrait of Close's grandmother-in-law, [it] represents one of the largest and most masterly executions of a technique the artist developed in the mid-l980s. That technique involved the direct application of pigment to a surface with the artist's fingertips. By adjusting the amount of pigment and the pressure of his finger on the canvas, Close could achieve a wide range of tonal effects. Typically, he worked from a black and white photograph which he would divide into many smaller units by means of a grid. He then transposed the grid onto a much larger canvas and meticulously reproduced each section of it. The result is a monumental, close-up view that forces an uncomfortable intimacy upon the viewer.

Seen from a distance, the painting looks like a giant, silver-toned photograph that unrelentingly reveals every crack and crevice of the sitter's face. Closer up, the paint surface dissolves into a sea of fingerprints that have an abstract beauty, even as they metaphorically suggest the withering of the sitter's skin with age...” 

The contrast in viewing the painting from a distance and close up is what had me in awe for at least 10 minutes. After, admiring the piece for so long, I was done. I knew that nothing else I would see after could compare, so after a long day and one amazing piece I finished my day at the National Gallery of Art with a smile.

Click here, to plan a visit!

 

Blazing

FASHION

If you follow my other blog, Pure Love, than you most likely know that I recently completed a custom handmade design for a returning customer of mine. The design incorporated amazonite, black agate, black glass, and sterling silver. With the permission of my client I modeled her set, "Blazing," for you all to see here. 

Beauty Is A Process

BEAUTY

Some say monarch butterflies are the most lively and most beautiful of all butterflies. They are considered the “king” of the butterflies; hence the name “monarch.” However, as much as “we delight in the beauty of the butterfly, [we] rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelo 

Beauty, without a doubt, is a process.

Resources 1, 2, 3

The Best of 2012

We had a great year here on Belladonna. As a collective group we empowered and inspired one another, while keeping each other informed of trending issues; we fulfilled our mission. As the New Year begins I am confident that we will have another great year. I look forward to discussing the latest fashion trends, health issues, nutrition, lifestyle, beauty tips, and other topics of 2013. Yet, I would like to take a moment to recap 2012. Afterall, in order to move forward you must look back. 

Here are some of  

Belladonna's most memorable posts

- in no particular order - of 2012.

 1. Roses - This beautiful poem accompanied by some lovely artwork truly highlights what women are not. Every woman who read and commented on this post loved it - one particular individual wrote, "BEAUTIFUL paintings! The poem is nice, I really like the message."

2. Little Girl  - This transcribed spoken word piece is very graphic. Yet, it's powerful description of a "little girl" in need of guidance makes it worth the read. 

 3. Robed & Caped  - Here I share a snippet of my day on May 18, 2012 where I received my Bachelors degree in Psychology from George Mason University.  

 4. Saving Super Women - This extensive post highlighted political issues concerning women, while examining pertinent research that suggests that men face fewer challenges than women in balancing work and family due to society’s ideas of gender/ gender role values.

 5. Get The Picture - Since, "the first cases of ...AIDS were reported in the United States in June of 1981," one would think that by now - decades later - more people would be aware of the disease and would take preventative actions; yet, this is not the case. Surprisingly, one in five living with HIV is unaware of their infection. This post brings awareness to AIDS through controversial AID campaigns from around the world.  

 6. Virginia Beach - Here I share with you a few pictures from my family vacation to Virginia Beach.

7. Beauty Redefined - This beauty post went international with numerous responses from around the world. Side Note: This is one of my favorite posts.

8. Stars & Stripes - Trend Alert! The American flag has been seen printed in various forms from Jeffrey Campbell's popular Stars & Stripes Lita platforms to Balmain's controversial American flag tank. However, the most catching form is the shorts form. The American flag shorts have been spotted on some of the most stylish celebrities and some of the most influential fashion bloggers. Check it out!

 9. Breakfast Worldwide  - This popular post highlighted 15 breakfast dishes from around the world.

10. Own It - Karl Lagerfeld once said, “There is no beauty without strangeness;” this post emphasizes just that – the beauty in defying mainstream beauty. Also, I share with you one of my “best” features.  

11. The Fishtail Braid - This is one of Belladonna's most popular posts of all time with over 4, 000 pageviews. It demonstrates how easy it can be to do a fishtail braid in your hair. 

12. Trayvon Martin - This popular post - receiving almost 10,000 pageviews - discusses the popular case of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Florida high school student,  who is found shot and killed.