Ah, green, or “Greenery,” to be exact. This refreshing and rejuvenating, slightly lemony hue is just what we needed from Pantone’s 2017 color of the year.  

Leatrice Eisemen, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, said it best when she reflected on this year’s color: “Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.” In terms of symbolism, this has “wearing your heart on your sleeve” written all over it.

While we could all use a little fortitude, a little encouragement, and a stronger grasp on our purpose, we should not deny the impact that a fashion-forward outlook has on our lives. Described as a “fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring,” let’s resolve to use Greenery, or any variation of green for that matter, as a form of meaningful empowerment as we embark on 2017.

1. Crisply Colored Sweater

This slouchy sweater is certainly no slouch in the color department. The bold green is a sight for sore eyes, lending a freshness to an otherwise stale wardrobe in need of a pickmeup. Per Pantone’s insistence, Greenery goes well with more than just neutrals. If you can handle the color mash-ups reminiscent of a fine spring day, then don’t be afraid to wear this piece with a pair of peachy-pink pants. Priced at $128.

2. Soft Asymmetric Top

Considerably more subdued, and with less yellow than Greenery, this top is a very wearable way to inject some of the nature-inspired freshness into your rotation. The off-the-shoulder style and ruffles are still very on-trend, while the hue is one that will pair well with neutrals and other colors that have a similar saturation, such as terracotta and gray-blue. Dress up this top by wearing it with a skirt and heels, or go for the casual approach with a simple pair of jeans and flats. Jewelry and accessories will make all the difference. Priced at $58.

3. Bold Trapeze Tunic

Zesty and bright, this boldly colored trapeze tunic is another variation of Pantone’s color of the year. This can be worn as a mini dress, or as a top with leggings or jeans. If you’re going the dress route, this would look great with ankle booties or an over-the-knee variation. Spice it up with some accessories, like a long pendant necklace and a floppy felt hat. If you prefer leggings under your tunic, then try them out with a pair of Mary Jane style shoes and a couple of low, tousled pigtails for a retro look that’s super mod. Priced at $88.

4. Braided Maxi Dress

For a touch of the unexpected, this is just what the doctor ordered. Satiny, shiny, beautiful, braided, and green. Whether it’s for a wedding, a special date night, or simply because you like walking around your apartment in a dress that’s worthy of sipping on an extra dry martini, it’s one you’ll find many uses for over the years. Pair this with an elegant lace-up style heel and a clutch to round out the look. Priced at $295.

5. Laid Back Hoodie

Although a tad earthier than Pantone’s Greenery, this hue is still a beautiful take on the color of the year. Whether you’re pulling this on as you head out for the gym, or settling in on the sofa with a good book, the comfort factor of this hoodie won’t let you down. Pair with jeans, shorts, track pants, or your undies — whatever your heart desires, really. Priced at $68.

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The post 5 Pieces Inspired by Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year: Friday Finds appeared first on EcoSalon.

Decorate your home with plants and invite the green to clean and add outdoorsy charm to your indoors.

Plants are wondrous creatures, especially for our homes, after all, they remove indoor air pollutants and they smell nice. A spider plant can make all the difference in the world, insomuch that it will save a blasé room from itself without offending the outspoken minimalist.

An herb garden in the kitchen and azalea in the bedroom are also exemplary of ways we’re incorporating mother nature into the great indoors – but both merely hints of the plant decorating madness that follows.

Tall houseplants used as a privacy wall, via Dwell.

From the always gorgeous Old Brand New, a lush altar: perfect for tapping into your inner green goddess.

This staging company decorates with live plants whenever possible because of the negative ions they give off, as in the tasteless, odorless, and invisible molecules we inhale in “fresh” environs like the mountains or at the beach.

Bring the outside in with crawling ivy in a sun-drenched room.

Or liven up an enclosed patio with plants and complimentary color.

An interior garden will add vitality to a room.

An example of a green appointed bathroom, via M. Design.

And a green touch of humor, also from M. Design.

A shabby chic green-appointed interior photographed by Debi Treloar.

An oldie but goodie from Design*Sponge: a utilitarian approach to greenery.

For the greenery impaired, a table full of cacti. Via Dream Avenue.

Maggie Rose decorates with plants and mirrors.

And finds a humane alternative for the huntsman aesthetic.

If ever there was a more perfect DIY for greening up storage: a cutout furniture idea.

Image: Steven Beckly

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I love magazines and I love travel but not every travel magazine does it for me. My eyes start to glaze over at the terrible sameness of so many resorts, while my heart sinks at the knowledge that the “paradise” they are selling is all too often actually a former one.

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot. – Joni Mitchell

You won’t find a bikini model on the front of Wend Magazine. It’s mainly focused on adventure travel – from hiking the Andes to skiing Japan. But it also has a strong environmental theme – one of the articles in the current issue is about a sailing expedition to the site of a marine plastic disaster in the North Pacific Ocean. There’s a section called Greenery devoted to sustainable design and a section called Platform devoted to an environmental non-profit organization.

The print magazine is printed on paper certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council – meaning it comes from sustainably managed forests – with soy-based inks. Subscribers can also opt for a paperless digital subscription – especially green if you live on the other side of the world (it’s a US-based magazine). The website also has a lot of additional content such as podcasts.

I really like the look of Wend but I must confess I found the digital edition hard to read. It would work well on a desktop with a large screen but it was a bit unwieldy on my small laptop screen – I either had to squint at tiny type, or enlarge it and navigate with the browser arrows. Try it out for yourself – maybe you’ll fare better with the digital edition than I did. If not, but you like the content, at least you know the paper product is also ethically sound (though it would be nice to see an upgrade to recycled paper at some point).

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