I’ve been reading a lot about wood lately. Perhaps it comes from a greater awareness of natural resources brought on by last week’s celebration of Earth Day, in addition to a special project I was doing for one of our clients in the forestry industry. This sustainable natural material has been on my mind for several weeks since I perused the April issue of House Beautiful and was astounded again by the variety and design excellence available with this natural material. Whether stained, painted or left in its natural state, wood offers a multitude of options in the world of interiors.
In thinking about the larger well-designed world, however, I noticed that wood also displays an amazing array of tones and patterns that can be used as inspiration. Just take a look at the round cutting board in the picture above. I picked it up from a craftsman in the East Tennessee area. It is made from a variety of wood types left to age in their natural colors and patterns. Aside from the amazing craftsmanship executed in the design, I am continually inspired by the natural varieties found in what we might consider on the surface level to be a drab neutral. Just look at the warmth and depth there — from blond and honey-colored tones to chestnuts, burgundies and deep chocolate browns.
Even with the light and airy feel of Spring and Summer, these rich neutrals can lend a deeper warmth and grounding to many projects. Various browns can be a less forceful, softer alternative to black in compositions, and they also lend an unmistakeable richness to the look of marketing materials, beyond just a simple environmental feel.
I used the tones of wood to select a wood-inspired palette of Pantone Matching System colors for printing as well as some favorite Hanes Beefy t-shirt colors. Add a woodsy feel to your projects with these choices. When paired with other earth tones or with vibrant alternate colors like lime green, orange, teal or fuschia, these neutrals speak a powerful promotional message.
Stay tuned this week for some well-designed and wood-inspired creations I’ve found from the world of design as well as a couple of ways to harness wood for your promotional message.
Tee shirts are always a favorite for school clubs and events, and are a great way to hold on to summer after classes begin. These tee shirt colors are some of the recent popular choices and can easily transition into fall events while keeping a touch of summer’s heat. We’ve noticed that they’re a hit with the student crowd!
