Mood Board Inspiration: December 2022
I've never been too much a fan of "traditional" holiday colors, especially when I think about this time of year & Christmas. The widely celebrated holiday has become synonymous with reds & greens, which is likely why I was [consciously or subconsciously] drawn to this palette to close out the year.
Filling out the palette I felt drawn to more warm tones that would visually speak to the warmth we desire for the season - in temperature & in feeling - as well as the whimsical cheeriness associated with the holidays in general. The combination of greens, reds, and browns, for me, evoke the simultaneous feelings of merriment & stillness of the season. How is it that a time of year known for gathering, shopping, and celebration is also a season that inspires us to slow down & reflect in preparation for the new year.
I'd been staring at this color palette for this mood board for months & even though I couldn't quite put it to words, I knew it visually explained all the feelings I have this time of year.
Greens are associated with harmony & growth, as well as a connection with nature. We see this literally in our Christmas trees - if you celebrate - and figuratively when we do end of year audits of our growth for the past 12 months.
Reds are associated with enthusiasm & conducive to warmth, reflective of the nature of the season as we excitedly gather with loved ones in celebration of the season.
Browns & nudes are associated with comfort & strength, like the earth. It's a grounding color, which, sets the tone for how many of us would like to end the year.
What we see with this combination of hues, in summary, is growth, enthusiasm, comfort, and strength.
Admittedly, these aren't colors that you commonly see together, and yet... they just work - as color hues & as color themes. These are colors that work beautifully alone in both fashion & decor for a monochromatic design, as well as in combination with one another for a bold & eye catching look. They perfectly transition from the warmth of the Autumn season into the merriment of the winter holidays while also allowing room for the rest required before starting a new year.
Comfort. Enthusiasm. Growth.
I recently shared my end of year wish for all of you - that instead of finishing the year "strong" you finish the year energized, rested, and at peace. Color theory tells us that the colors for our December mood board parallel these sentiments, including the one that possesses a very close resemblance to Pantone's 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta. P.S. I concocted this mood board palette two years ago so I was clearly ahead of my time lol.
As we close out this disjointed year of mood board inspiration - in case you missed it... I began this series in 2020 & resumed the final months this year - it's been a fun introspection on how color shows up in the world around us, influences our designs, and plays off our emotions. I hope you've enjoyed followed along and I especially hope that next year will be full of even more mood board inspirations.
