Memorial Day, John Adams and Pantone Style

Red, white and very blue – miles redd tablescape; image via Material girl

First and foremost, let us not forget the point and purpose of Memorial Day. I would not want to minimize or veneer the big picture which involves celebrating the ultimate sacrifice of many brave Americans to protect our domestic shores, whose sacrifice has enabled us with the freedom to consider lifestyle choices such as interior style that we take for granted.

I honor the collective American sacrifice via the words and vision of  John Adams (withstanding old English spellings).

“I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. (12 May 1780)” ― John Adams

So we begin with a solute to our brave men and women and solute the freedom their sacrifice has provided us all by expressing our freedom to consider tapestry, porcelain and the gift of grace that they afford in a lifestyle that we are so fortunate to enjoy – even in difficult times like these!

I am not one for explicit interpretation, and that’s probably a good thing, since there is not a whole lot of the American flag out there in Interior Design. The interior design and architectural communities have been a great deal more conservative than the irreverent art community, whose credo strives to beg social introspection through the expression of humanity, political and otherwise – another keystone of our liberty.

Image from Pantone‘s 2013 color and home interior color predictions webinar

I think the reason for reluctance on the part of the design community (that normally enjoys its share of irreverent expressionism) finds its roots in issues of respect regarding how the flag should be treated – I.D. and architecture are after all, predicated on specs and standardized practices. Our British fore-father’s however have no such qualms about their flag and exhibit a great sense of humor mingled in national pride in their interior applications – as does Pantone. Pantone LLC is the last word in the standardization of color, and how we as a retail and visual language industries express that collective consciousness – here’s their tribute Flag representation and color for 2013:

Pantone’s 2013 New Old School Color Palette

Pantone unifies the colors under which we unite our ethnocentric diversities by expressing them as a world rather than domestic point of view. Flags are the ultimate graphic expressions of color – no gradient color to muddy the waters. Flag colors are strong statement assemblages of color, that tend to involve no more than 3 colors.

An ode to the colors of Italy – a chair with italian-flag-color – elyouncescom

Vintage french flag via greigedesign

So how does one incorporate Old New School from concept to home?

Vintage flag design from dan marty design

By mixing it up – like the Bohemian expression of American spirit above.

a vintage “union jack flag” framed greigedesign

flag color image via decor pad

A graphic color triad always creates the most striking design when one color out of thre is given a softer voice in the color conversation.

image via vividhuelivingroom

Horizontal stripes are an expression at least as old as our flag (much older in truth) and just as enduring and graphic in interior application…

a flag-graphic hallway from vivid hue

Whether your celebration today is expressed via room decoration, table story or outdoor landscape, you honor the sacrifice of all those who dreamed, (like John Adams) of the day that you should have or ensure your continued ability to express your freedom.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Thanks for making Re-Do it Design a part of your heritage of celebration!

oprah-winter-2005-4

flag inspired tablescape via Oprah Magazine 2005

image via mixmingleglowcomblog

You may all enjoy this inspiring makeover as a gift from a military wife to her husband returning from Afghanistan featured today on HGTV.com:

http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/operation-fixer-upper/pictures/index.html

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