Trend garden color: teal

 I get obsessed from time to time with a color. I had a pretty long obsession with red. I've flirted with dark chocolate, sage green, french blue. My latest has been a surprisingly long lasting love for anything teal (or turquoise, or seafoam, or anything else that is a bit blue and a bit green). Especially paired with neutrals like tan, cream, or white, teal makes any space a whole lot more restful. I think it evokes cool water, beach glass, sunny skies: all things that make us feel more relaxed, less stressed, just a bit calmer. Funny thing is, I think the lasting appeal of this color right now has a lot to do with the recession. Really, who couldn't use a little more calm right now??

It is such a gentle color that I encourage my clients who are worried about straying away from neutrals at all to use it. It will never overwhelm a space or jump out at you alarmingly (as my old friend red sometimes can). I know that you are worried about the resale value of your house and beige seems like your safest bet, but please, don't let your whole world be beige. Try a little teal. You'll like it, I promise.

This photo is from Sunbrella's advertising, so I can't give the designer of this space credit. I'd love to, though, because it is gorgeous (and the way they blurred the boundary between indoor and outdoor is admirable), so if anyone knows who did this, please let me know in the comments!



© Kate Wiseman 2010. In San Diego? Want your own waterwise landscape design? I'd love to help! Please visit www.sageoutdoordesigns.com for more info.