So I was browsing through one of my many design magazines lately and came across Pantone's Top 10 Fashion Colors for Fall and Winter 2011. For those of you who don't know who Pantone is, here is a little history.

Pantone is the world renowned authority on color. For more than 45 years, Pantone has been inspiring design professionals with products, services and leading technology for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity.  For more info go to www.pantone.com.  The Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2011 is available for download at www.pantone.com/fall2011

The following colors are Pantone's top picks for 2011:

1) Bamboo-Likened to a "filtered sunset on the waning days of fall. Bamboo is a yellow with a subtle green undertone.

2) Emberglow- This "traditional autumnal tone, emanates the warmth of a glowing fire"   

3) Honeysuckle- Pantone's color of the year, this reddish pink works with every other color in the fall pallette.

4)Phlox- A "magical, deep purple," Phlox adds drama to the season's neutrals

5)Cedar- Drawing from nature, this tone is a "versatile, mid-tone neutral green"

6)Deep Teal- This blue-toned green "suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness"

7)Coffee Liqueur- Rich and elegant, this is a great alternative to basic black.

8)Nougat- This warm camel tan is a classic neutral

9)Orchid Hush- This gray tone with "undercurrents of orchid" blends well with the pallette's other colors

10)Quarry- This medium gray is a solid staple, as its name implies

You'll be seeing these colors now during spring and through to fall and winter 2011. These fabulous colors are sure to brighten any room in your home as well as in fashion. Enjoy!! 

Shop Your Home

Vicki Payne from the television show For Your Home, has some great tips for living "smaller". One of the tips is to shop in your own home. Instead of going out and buying something new in the way of home decor, how about repurposing something that you already own? Her example was using a nice wooden salad bowl and filling it with lemons and placing it on the coffee table. Another tip was to redecorate with what you are already using. She says it is a great idea to take all of your lamps and put them all together in the dining room. Once there, replace each lamp to a different room. You won't believe what a big difference this will make and it won't cost you a thing. Lastly Vicki suggests to seasonally change up the decor. She says to choose a colour for the season and pull all of the items that you have in that colour then make a little vignette in your entryway or on your front mantel where it will have the biggest impact. These are three great ways to satisfy your urges to decorate while being very economically conscious!

You've got to try them!

We have the most amazing bamboo towels - you've got to try them. They are 60% bamboo and 40% cotton and they feel like cashmere. The great thing about these towels is that they are very absorbent and they dry quickly after use. The towels have natural anti-microbial properties as well so they inhibit bacterial growth and stay smelling fresh. The only things you have to remember is to wash on cold and not use fabric softener. The towels come in a fabulous array of colours; the ones you see here and they also come in black, fuschia, and purple.