Eco Fashion

Have you heard about the ‘Red Carpet Green Dress’ competition?  The contest is aimed at showing great design can have green credentials. Suzy the wife (pictured below) of Director James Cameron an ardent environmental advocate came up with the idea.

Image of Red Carpet Green Dress 2010 winner via RCGD website

This year the winner will be announced in February and the winning dress design will be worn at the 2012 Academy Awards. Designers need to submit a design to be made up in a sustainable fabric. For example organic cotton, hemp or peace silk. Or dresses can be created from reworked vintage pieces. In line with eco principles fabrics should be sourced locally.

Image of Red Carpet Green Dress winner 2011 via RCGR website

I found this information via a twit by Eco Fashion Week which led to the Red Carpet Dress website. The site is a great site to visit if you are into eco fashion. Fabric manufacturers in the past have been focused on the beauty, feel, flow and the durability of a product at the expense of sustainable issues. There is a growing momentum to address this with competitions like the one mentioned above.

If you are interested in the topic Dr Kate Fletcher’s ‘Design Journey’s’, Prof Sandy Black’s ‘Eco Chic’ are books recommended by Dilys Williams Director of Sustainable Fashion at The Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College.

Fashion Concept Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

In this blog are some images of the winning entries for 2010 and 2011; really look forward to seeing this year’s winning dress. All this inspired me to have a play around creating a concept board on the www.sampleboard website. If you are interested in fashion you will find loads of images on the sample board site; have ago creating a concept board just follow the links on the right it is easy and fun.

What about saying I love you with an exciting unusual surprise this Valentine’s Day?

In Melbourne you could take your loved one to the Melbourne Ice Lounge surely one of the coolest of Valentine Day treats.

In Sydney what about going back in time for a BBQ lunch on a Tall Ship Harbour Cruise

Or what about a hot air balloon flight with a champagne breakfast. For example Hot Air Ballooning in the Hunter Valley wine region offers champagne in flight and a gourmet breakfast after.

Instead of flowers say it with berries. In Aus in the state of Victoria Fancy Berries offers a wonderful range of delectable delicious alternatives check them out at www.fancyberries.com.au.  In the USA Shari’s Berries www.berrries.com also offer a range of berries and other special treats. I have featured some of their goodies on the image above.

What about a lasting surprise an interior decorating makeover?

You could do a romantic bedroom makeover for a Valentine’s Day treat. Use a sophisticated grey, elegant black and passionate red color scheme. Add some funky feathered lamp shades and trendy classical styled furniture. Also add fluffy bed throws and satin and/or silk fabrics for cushions, curtains and bedding to create a sensuous luxury.

Concept Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

To get this look

• Graham Brown Wallpaper

• Province Lighting of South Africa Chandelier

• Fabrics from Fabric.com and Osborne & Little

• Andre Stead Sculpture

• Wunders armchair

• Fundi Design lamps and cushions

• Dare Gallery Lamour bed

• Black bamboo floor from Bamboo and Timber

If click on the concept board you can find out more details about the suppliers. You can have some fun and create a concept board of your own on SampleBoard.com just follow the links on the right.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day

New Zealand company Resene’s forecasts for 2012

Continuing my January theme of searching for trends in this blog I look at the New Zealand paint company Resene. Resene forecasts for interior design a cheerful optimistic colour range of yellows, oranges and reds for 2012. But they suggest tranquil blues and greens with a vibrant mix of purples; mustards and earthy tones will also be fashionable this season.

Concept board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

In 2012 bold patterned, textured, metallic and paintable wallpapers will be right on trend according to Resene. Feature walls will continue to be popular; making a statement in a room still in vogue. Textures with flock papers in large floral and damask designs will also prove popular.

Concept board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Resene is a New Zealand paint company and is well known for leading the development of environmentally sustainable surface coatings in that country. They produced their first waterborne paints in 1951 and the removal of lead from decorative paints in the late 1960s. Their first ‘green’ paint range was launched in 1996.

Concept board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

When Australian College QED launched their Interior Design and Decorating course in 2006 Resene very kindly provided the college with a professional colour box for each students. So I have been aware of this great company since then. I have created a few concept boards for this blog featuring Resene paints, wallpapers and curtains.

Brilliant news SampleBoard.com has been rebranded for optimal user experience

Yes www.sampleboard.com has been made even better. The wonderful thing about the sampleboard team is the desire to be on the lookout for ways of enhancing and improving an already excellent web site.

SampleBoard’s entire site has been improved and rebranded  

Towards the end of 2011 SampleBoard.com a design-focused website was selected as one of four start-ups in the first ever Google Umbono programme, consisting of seed funding and mentorship for online entrepreneurs.

Google believes in SampleBoard.com     

For those of you who are new to SamplBoard.com; SampleBoard offers an online image editor for creative professionals to quickly and easily put together inspiring designs and professional visual concepts. All designers know the conceptualizing of visual design ideas is vital. Creating sample boards in the traditional manner is very time consuming and costly.

Creating design concepts boards just got a whole lot easier, faster, and greener

SampleBoard.com developed by designers for designers has created a brilliant eco friendly online way of digitally creating sample boards. There is an extensive library of images, designers can easily upload their own images and the boards can be emailed directly to clients. Adjustments and changes to the concept boards can be made in minutes saving time and energy.

SampleBoard.com is an easy way to impress clients with your design flair and eco credentials  

In a nutshell SampleBoard.com is a trendy up to date way of presenting design ideas. Presenting your design ideas just got a whole lot simpler, faster, better and greener with this professional rebranded web site. I believe we cannot under estimate the power of a great presentation. Presentations give us the opportunity to sell our design ideas and show our design flair. Everything we do, from how we dress to how we design sample boards in a folio has an impact on how we are perceived by a client.

Great presentation boards sell design ideas

The best way to understand and enjoy the improvements to SampleBoard.com is to visit the new enhanced digital concept board editor and have a go. Please be aware there may be some adjustments that need to be made, bear with us and give us lots of feedback so we can give you the user an optimum conceptualizing experience.

Have a look at the images here to glimpse the improvements

I have placed some examples of the improvements made by the SampleBoard team in this blog. For example note the difference in the size of the images in the gallery making it easier for the designer to make selections. The new SampleBoard site has made it easier to share and export concept boards to for example the community or via twitter. There is also a new colour scheme option available for ColourLovers. The site is easier to navigate, cleaner and sharper. I’m the type of person who usually hates changes to any technology I work with. When Google, twitter or wordpress make changes I often shout “OH No! Why did they do that? Are they trying to confuse me” So for me to say it’s easier I do mean it? We really look forward to and welcome your feedback.

Happy Conceptualizing and Creating    

Featuring Pantone Color of the 2012 Tangerine Tango and Dulux Orange Color trend 2012

Orange is really in vogue this season. I am not too fond of orange but I just love the red orange colors available in fashion, décor and other items. One of my favorite pastimes at this time of year is watching the Australian Open Tennis. It reminds me of the times I spent with my mother in law discussing the characters and fashions on court. This year the stand out (I think) is the Stella McCartney red orange tennis dress worn by Caroline Wozniacki.

Image via http://www.tennis.com

Last week I sang at a friend’s wedding and surprised everyone by wearing a red orange layered dress with a matching shrug and fascinator.  I tend to wear lighter more subdued colors. I must admit I really enjoyed the change and plan to add more bright, oranges, melon and peach colored items to my wardrobe.

Concept Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

The orange range created by Dulux this year is a nostalgic look back to the oranges of the 60s and 70s. The vintage colors are homely and fresh. The deep tones can be used to create a homey relaxed atmosphere. The lighter tints can create a sense of sunny freshness making people feel alive.

Red orange is a great color to use in dining rooms or restaurants as it can stimulate conversation and appetite. The Pantone color of 2012 is the vibrant fun Tangerine Tango 17 – 1463. It is a reddish orange with just enough yellow to make it a friendly, bright exciting hue.

Concept Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

I have used Pantone’s color of 2012 ‘Tangerine Tango’ and the Dulux ‘Time Honoured’ as inspiration for the concept boards featured in this blog. I have been meaning to mention my spelling of words like color. I often use Australian spellings like colour and honoured instead of honored. Sometimes I forget to use US spellings in my blog. Hope you don’t find this confusing.

Black, white, grays and charcoal still in vogue for 2012

The versatility of black, charcoal, white and beige will still be in vogue this season. Elegant color schemes can be developed with the range of colors called Re- Set from Dulux. Classic whites, beiges and silver grays are being used with metallic and soft pewter finishes.

Sample board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

A more casual look can be achieved by going back to basics and keeping it simple using off white, grey, charcoal with touches of timber. An inside out feel is achieved by repeating the same colors in the outdoor areas. The trend of darker shades for outside spaces will this year be replaced with soft whites and grays.

The aim is to create a sense of spaciousness and accentuate natural light inside and out. The classic less is more and back to simplicity as a backdrop is highly desired.

2012 Blue Colour Trend: Immerse yourself or room in Dulux’s range of blues

Welcome to the first Creative Buzzing blog for 2012. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and you have a happy and successful 2012. I thought I would spend the first blogs of the year checking out the color trends for 2012. Looks like being a vibrant color year.

Dulux this year is following the fashion trend with its range of blues for 2012. The range of tonal blues can create ocean inspired colour schemes. Interior designers are mixing darker and lighter blues and using them with transparent and textural accessories.

 

Colour Board created by Rosena on Sampleboard.com

The blues are popular in women’s shoe, dress and handbag fashions. The different shades of blue are available in textiles, decor, glassware and plastic items. The multiple vibrant and close to white blue hues can be layered to create depth. Blue is often the star in color surveys with many people stating blue is their favorite color. So the wonderful range of blues available should prove to be a hit this season.

 

WHY USE A WEDDING INSPIRATION BOARD?

A wedding inspiration board is a great way to express wedding ideas. They help the wedding planner and client to see how different colors, styles and themes work together. Sometimes it can be difficult to explain how the whole wedding theme will work in words. The visual language of a wedding inspiration board can overcome this problem.

Wedding Inspiration created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

A great way to create wedding inspiration boards is online at www.sampleboard.com. The wedding planner can create boards easily and quickly on one site. In this age of environmental consciousness Sampleboard is an eco friendly way to create wedding inspiration boards. The finished boards can then be emailed directly to the client. If after discussions with the client some things need to be changed the wedding planner can easily logon and make adjustments to the wedding inspiration board.

Wedding Inspiration board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Creating wedding inspiration boards is also a great way to stimulate your creativity. Sometimes you can have something like what writers call a writer’s block. Writers are encouraged to keep writing to overcome this block. Wedding planners can use the wonderful site Sampleboard.com to overcome this dilemma.

Wedding Inspiration board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

This can be done in two ways. Firstly logon to the site and start playing around with the different images available on the sampleboard digital editor and start creating a new wedding inspiration board. The second way is to visit the Sampleboard creative community and be inspired by a range of professional wedding inspiration boards created by other members of the Sampleboard creative community.

Wedding Inspiration board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Inspirations for Warm Winter Wonderland Wedding Theme

The winter allows the wedding planner to create a winter wonderland theme. Warm colors like rich reds; plums, burgundy used with candle light and warm cozy fires can add a sense of luxury during this cold season.

Wedding Inspiration Board created by Rosena on sampleboard.com

Brides can be encouraged to use fur coats, wraps or capes. Venues like stately homes, classic hotels and even castles would add to the fairytale atmosphere. Or a hall decorated to resemble a Tudor great hall is another option. Winter time is a wonderful season for creating a fancy dress sort of wedding theme; maybe a Jane Austin style wedding. An empire style dress with a fur or velvet cloak would work wonderfully together. Or maybe a Versailles theme with the bride truly feeling and looking like a princess as illustrated in Mane’s wedding inspiration board below.

Ice Wedding Inspiration Board created by Mane Carrion on sampleboard.com

Vintage cars, carriages or sleighs if there is snow can be used to take the bride to the church and then the bride and groom to the reception venue. Can you imagine the snow glittering and the sleigh bells ringing truly magical. Winter can be used to advantage to create a unique fairytale atmosphere not easy to create in the summer.

Versailles Inspiration Wedding Theme Board created by Mane Carrion on sampleboard.com

A number of sample boards have been created with a winter theme as you can see above. It is very easy to play around with your ideas on the www.sampleboard.com website. You can select from a vast number of images and/or upload your own. You can easily create any number of wedding inspiration boards using the brilliant digital editor sampleboard.

Forgot to add this great wedding inspiration board  Winter Wedding Venues Inspiration Board created by Emma Christie on SampleBoard

WHAT IS A WEDDING INSPIRATION BOARD?

Many professional wedding planners are now using wedding inspiration boards to help their clients clarify their ideas. So what exactly is a wedding inspiration board? Interior designers, decorators and other design professionals have used design concept boards and sample boards as a way to express their design ideas for years. Images of ideas are gathered together and placed on a series of concept boards. The wonderful thing is this process can now be carried out easily online using sampleboard the digital editor to combine images easily. The best way to explain a wedding inspiration board is with an image. Below is an example of some wedding inspiration boards created on Sampleboard.com

Wedding Inspiration Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Wedding  inspiration Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Wedding Inspiration Board created by Rosena on Sampleboard.com

A wedding inspiration board can be created on sampleboard.com by selecting from a large library of wedding images. Images include a vast range of wedding dresses, bridal party wear, flowers, cakes, wedding style themes and color schemes. The images can then be arranged together to act as a wedding inspiration board. Another option available to the Wedding Planner is to upload your own images on to the Sample Board site. The wedding planner can create a number of boards dividing the couples’s ideas into a number of different themes. The ideas are endless and wedding planners can also be inspired by other members of the creative community.