The Pantone Color Institute™, the world's authority on color hues, has defined the 2014 color of the year as Radiant Orchid, an energetic shade of purple, pink and fuchsia. The Institute explains, “Since 2000, the Pantone Color Institute™ has been designating a Color of the Year to express in color what is taking place in the global zeitgeist. A color that will resonate around the world, the PANTONE Color of the Year is a reflection of what people are looking for, what they feel they need that color can help to answer. Not necessarily the hot fashion color of the moment, but a color crossing all areas of design, which is an expression of a mood, an attitude, on the part of the consumers.”
Radiant Orchid is vibrant and girly, original and innovative; it easily introduces a dose of fun into home decor, outfits and beauty. We scoured local shops for 2014’s hottest hue for you, our readers, and came up with a few subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways to incorporate the shade into your life this year.
Divine Details
Our first stop was at Five and Divine in Wernersville. The home décor shop, started in 2004 by owner Chris Kimmel, carries a mother-lode of home décor items, from vintage pieces like the Firetime Marshmallow tin (ideal for countertop bread storage to add a flash of purple to the kitchen) to affordable glass cloches, perfect for showcasing your favorite mini sculpture or a beautiful potted orchid. We also found adorable glass drawer pulls in a light pink/purple hue to dress up any bureau or cabinet.
Five and Divine is an official seller of Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan. The company makes an exquisite matte paint in a just-right shade (the perfect DIY answer to incorporating Radiant Orchid into your home). The all-surface friendly Chalk Paint® comes in “Emile,” a grey/purple hue that will subtly incorporate the energy of Radiant Orchid into any home. Whether you have a vintage wood table or a small picture frame that needs a coat of paint, this is perhaps one of the easiest, least expensive ways to introduce the 2014 Color of the Year into your surroundings. We can see Emile-painted furniture pairing perfectly with grey and white accents in the home. For a quick jolt of color, we put a vintage picture frame brushed with the Emile Chalk Paint® together with a unique print from local artist Katie Vernon (the unique Bearded Flower print is available from Hello Bluebird in West Reading).
Hello Finds
As we sorted through hundreds of prints, jewelry, soaps and cards at Alex McCarty’s Hello Bluebird on Penn Avenue in West Reading, we couldn’t help but be smitten by the great assortment. A self-described “plucky gal who prefers Mary Janes and pigtails to heels and a suit,” Alex has a plethora of items in the new Radiant Orchid shade, including beautiful notebooks and cards by Papaya Art, sweet gift tags that will jazz up any present, and handmade soaps in scents like “Comfrey Spearmint” by the local craftsmen of the Little Flower Soap Company. We were also excited to see that Hello Bluebird carries the cheeky and beautiful work of one of our favorite designers of paper products, Anna Rifle Bond.
Get Gorgeous
After finishing up at Hello Bluebird, we headed down the street to the beauty mecca of Wyomissing, Bell Tower Salon & Spa. At The Store at Bell Tower, we hand-selected NARS products in hues perfectly aligned with the Pantone color. Specifically, the St. Mark’s Place eyeliner adds a dose of electric purple to any beauty regime, while the Bourbon Street eyeliner lends a more smoky, subtle purple to your 2014 nighttime look.
Add Accessories
Our last stops on the hunt for Radiant Orchid wears landed us in Kutztown. After we experimented with the orchid purple eyeliners and beauty products at Bell Tower, we stopped by the sparkling Sorrelli store for jewelry in the new orchid hue. We found a show-stopping necklace in the “Purple Lotus” collection, a great way to add a jolt of vibrant violet to your wardrobe. Jackie and Daughter Flower Shop carries fresh, beautiful blooms for a bedside bouquet. We also found a sweet little pebbled-leather wallet in the perfect shade. Who knew the flower shop had such on-trend little gifts?
Now you’re armed and ready to incorporate Radiant Orchid into your home, wardrobe, and/or beauty routine. These five stores are just a sampling of the amazing boutiques peppered throughout Berks. We hope you’ll take some time to explore all that our local businesses have to offer throughout 2014.
SOURCES Five and Divine 27 E. Penn Ave., Wernersville 610.670.9700 Fiveanddivine.com Hello Bluebird 609 Penn Ave., West Reading 610.750.6642 Hellobluebird.net The Store at Bell Tower 18 State Hill Rd., Wyomissing 610.372.6379 Belltowersalonspa.com Sorrelli 220 W. Main St., Kutztown 610.894.9857 Sorrelli.com Jackie and Daughter Flower Shop 271 W. Main St., Kutztown 610.683.7070 Jackieanddaughterflowershop.com
by Lily Oswald | photos by Mark Nester
