Sunday, July 26, 2009

Black + White

Hi Everyone, this is Crystal over at Plush Palate - where I blog about fashion, interior design, and style. As you know, Tina will be taking a much deserved little hiatus in the upcoming weeks. So, while she's gone I'll be contributing as a guest blogger! I'm super thrilled to be part of English Muse and to meet all of you!!

For the sake of getting acquainted with each other, here's a little bit about me. I'm a girl who grew up in Seattle, then went to college in Boston, who most recently lived in Italy, and now finds herself in Chicago. I work in publishing during the day and devour all things design in the evening :)

So let's get started with a little inspiration! Where do you find yours? For me it's fashion and interior design. But above all, it's the collision of the two as they inspire one another and endlessly intertwine.

The other day I overheard a conversation on how artists always wear black and interior designers always have all-white homes.


Those words stuck with me and inspired my current color obsession, black + white.


A timeless palette, the two together will never go out of style and always make a strong impression in a home or with an outfit.
In a world full of ambiguity and grey, there's something empowering about surrounding yourself with the confident contrast of these two.
How about you? Do you do black + white?

*images via Skona Hem, Corrie Bond, The Sartorialist, Busy Being Fabulous, emmas designblogg, Porch Light Interiors, From the Right Bank, The Kitchen Designer, Lazareva Valeria flickr, Stockholm Street Style

30 comments:

Maggie May said...

I do black and white in my clothing but not my decor. Nice to meet you!

Jaqueline said...

Wow! Interesting take I never though of fashion colliding with interior design so much...I soon realized how wrong I'd been as my eyes landed on the first picture posted. But I guess it makes sense... this is a whole knew way for me to see things...

Italo said...

Beautiful house, but I think more black & white should be better! ciao, Have a nice week! Italo.

Daydream Lily said...

oh I think that quote is true!! My sister, an artist loves black. Her home style is black, with a bit of red. Me, im not really a designer as such, but im white. I love all white in my house with touches of colour in the detailing. Very little black at all.

look forward to getting to know you more and reading your posts.

x Liss

Brian Miller said...

love the word pic above the bed.

The Blushing Hostess said...

I do wear it, it is my most favorite combination though it will not be as lovely as these photos!

ruthpclark said...

I used to think black and white was boring and too easy, so I always stayed away, or paired it with something bright. As I've gotten older, I realize that simple really is beautiful, as seen in these photos--gorgeous!

clare @ the pretty walrus said...

wonderful! absolutely - love b+w!

Kellie Collis said...

Ohhh i adore those stripes! Gorgeous ! xx

Lisa said...

ahhh, I LOVE back and white..my fav color combo. Lovely photos! :)

Simply Colette said...

Welcome crystal! No matter how hard I try to get into more color in my wardrobe, I always get pulled to the black and white. Can't resist it.

Same New Story said...

love these interiors! all of them.

Mary Atwood said...

black and white makes ME feel colorful...

maybe that's why artists always wear black (i sortof am, and i kindof do). it makes room for all of the crazy things going on in our heads.

carolina @ patagonia gifts said...

wow I adore black and white, in fact I'm a bit obsessed with these colors, in my clothing at least!

Micaela said...

hi crystal!!!

so nice of you to still give us our fix at the English Muse.

I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE that framed, "Every day I love you." LOVE IT!!! where can i get my hand on this simple but powerful print???

xo

jessica said...

This is just so true - I have white house, no black. However, my wardrobe is riddled with the dark stuff!

Love the post!

<3

trckalovesyou.com

Teri said...

I strayed away from my black/white obsession because of what others said (gee Teri, you might want to try some color sometime!), but I found I my personality actually change. So nice to meet someone who is of kindred spirit.

Striking photos!

Crystal @ Plush Palate said...

Hi Everyone! Thanks for making me feel so welcome with all your lovely comments…I enjoy reading each and every one!!

Brian Miller & Micaela: you can find that awesome “Everyday I Love You” artwork right here:

http://www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk/antiqued-wooden-sign-every-day-i-love-you-1924-p.asp

Michelle Schraudner said...

I never realized how true that quote is until I saw this!

reckless daughter said...

agreed! black and white never get old! I love those two photos from Sartorialist! those girls are beyond classy.

so great of you to step in and do a bit of guest blogging.

Sierra said...

I always have loved black and white, it is so crisp and clean and always looks fresh! Lovely photos.

Ali said...

Love me some black and white!

Welcome Crystal. :)

Anonymous said...

I do black + white. I think these two colours are the most underestimated. As an artist myself I think black + white are the only two colours in the colour scheme that can depict any and all emotions. You can be very posh and elegant in one picture and also very grungy and obscure in the next. That is why black + white photos are my favorite, it depicts emotion so well.
♥Shell

Anonymous said...

You know I do! My wardrobe is all black and I'm working on an all white house. :) Great post, Crystal!

Sarah Klassen said...

Great images, Crystal! I do like black and white -- when done with texture and depth, it can look sophisticated and lovely...

My favorite is image 16 -- there's something so soft, warm and inviting about it. Perhaps it's the plush bench, or the flowers. I could spend some serious time in that room~

Tina Tarnoff said...

Hi Crystal! Even though I miss Tina terrybly I am very exited she'll be having guest bloggers!

You got me with this post - I am tryly a blac and white, stripes, dots, you name it girl! xoxo

p.s. tina, I miss you!

jessica | destined to design said...

i love all of these images. black and white will always be my favorite. so classic.

Yvonne Anderson said...

Have been noticing this too.

I do like B&W as there it is clean slate feeling...a new start...fresh and not boring at all. I do enjoy color though...finding a connection with purple at present :)

Micaela said...

Crystal, a belated THANK-YOU SOOOOO VERY much for the link to the gorgeous decor i could not get my mind off of. You were a doll with your quick response.

thank-you x 10,
xo

Anonymous said...

This seems like a great way to make home decor slightly more masculine, especially when, like us, you can't paint the walls. My fiance always complains about my very-girly anthropologie-inspired home decor-- not cause he hates it, but because every room seems the same from his perspective. I showed him this and he immediately went to fixing up his office using some of the B&W inspiration. :)