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School bus + planter, one of many "small" vignettes in the garden

Generally, I’m not a fan of ‘whimsy’.  I like the idea of whimsy but it’s REALLY challenging to execute it well.  The Dain garden is the finest executed example I’ve seen in Utah.  In looking at why the eclectic design succeeds so well, a common thread became apparent.  The large space is filled with dozens of more intimate ‘vignettes’ which creates a balance of unique elements with a common thread that ties them together perfectly. 

There are many definitions of the word ‘vignette” but it has its own context in the design world where it is used to describe a ‘scene within a scene’.  Whether it’s inside the home or out, vignettes offer pockets of interest or focal points by grouping objects, shapes and colors together.  The trick with a vignette is that it needs to be good enough to stand on it’s own while contributing to the larger scene.

The Dain Garden has a great deal of space and can therefore have some rather large vignettes- few of us could accommodate a school bus in our gardens!  Even fewer could create a context in which it doesn’t feel weird to HAVE a school bus in the Garden! However, the Dain garden is just such a magical place. 

Pamela has an unparalleled eye for details and this garden is, by far, the most effective use of ‘whimsy’ I’ve ever seen.  I hope we can make a field trip to the Dain Garden a summer time opportunity for the Club! You’ll never forget it!

The concept of the vignette is slightly less daunting when applied to interior spaces.  It can be a bookcase filled with all the right design details or a grouping of furniture.  The key is that each little ‘scene within a scene’ should relate to the larger space around it without NEEDING the items in the larger space to feel complete.  Clear as mud?

Photo courtesy Better Homes and Gardens

 The photo to the left illustrates the vignette concept at work indoors.  Check out the bookcases, they are filled with not only books but decorative objects of similar color and shape that unify the bookcase as one complete vignette- it can stand on it’s own as a completed work.

However, the bookcases DON’T stand on their own.  They also serve as a piece of a larger scene. Note the color of the art work and coffee table in the living space in the background.  The same tones and shades of blue and green are used to provide a visual link between the different spaces.  Just as the bookcases don’t need the larger context to look good, the living space would continue to look nice even if the fabulous bookcases were not present.

Vignettes are visual points of interest that straddle the line between unity and variety.  It’s also the key to having a home and landscape that is detailed nicely and flows together smoothly.

For most of us, this will take many years (if not a lifetime) to really achieve.  Some people prefer more details and objects and some fewer.  It’s not the quantity of things but rather the way they are made to be both dependent and independent simultaneously that creates the impact.  A challenge to implement but a joy to behold!

Clockwise from upper left: 'Fire Chief' Arborvitae, wall at Denver Botanic Garden, 'Georgia Spice' Heuchera and 'Flamethrower' Echinacea, orange pot, 'Coppertina' Ninebark.

Photo Courtesy Pantone

Pantone, a leading color-forecasting company, has declared “Tangerine Tango” to be the 2012 Color of the Year. What does this mean? It means many companies from fashion to cosmetics to home decor will be adding merchandise in this color into their products. The color is a bright reddish-orange and it’s pretty bold!

“Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

However, it may be just thing thing to liven up a neutral scheme and adding a ‘pop’ of color to many design themes.  I’ll confess that I have been predudiced against orange in the past.  It’s loud.  However, in small doses loud can be just the right thing- even for a more conservative decorator.  Of course, if you’re more the bold type, then this color opens up a wealth of opportunties!

Totally Tangerine isn’t just and interior design trend, there are a whole host of goreous plants which can carry the theme in the landscape!  Whether it’s through vivid flowers, such as the newly introduced Echinacea ‘Flamethrower’ or through bronzy-orange foliage, the addition of this color to the landscape will really pack a punch!