Let’s hear it for the family of flower power greens!
For the past several years, just for fun, I’ve named a Retro Renovation Color of the Year. In 2011, my first year, it was simply “Orange“. In 2012, I fancied things up and chose a color with reference to something classic vintage: Bitossi Rimini Blu aka Cobalt blue. This year, I’m continuing the vintage honor roll tradition, declaring the photo Retro Renovation 2013 Color of the Year: “Broyhill Premier Chapter One Lime Green“, after the color of the plastic doors on the bright white Broyhill furniture line, shown above. The color I’m talking about also could, I guess, be called just key lime green, maybe even grass green, or acid green. More or less. Unlike the folks at Pantone, who will make their big 2013 color of the year announcement within the few weeks, my color pick is more of an “idea” of a color — the flower power family of greens — rather than one exact, single color chip.
So why did I choose this color?
Because I like it! The photo directly above is from Furnish Me Vintage — Thanks, Jackie! The first photo at the top is my own, taken of the same piece at Furnish Me Vintage this summer. How dark is the green? Depends on the light.
My big fat crazy retro office remodel included vintage wallpaper squares with shades of this color.This is when the 60s and 70s lime green really started to seep into my brain. Note: The richer green used for the ceiling trim is “Houseplant” from Sherwin-Williams. It coordinates really well. The whole room (now furnished) absolutely positively hit the funkadelic vibe I was aiming for.
The lime-washing continued when I found these Ikea kids storage units and transformed them into legs for my crafting countertop.
When I was renovating my office, I thought I might replace my gold carpet. My contacts at Shaw sent me a sample of the Citrus colored carpet from the HGTV line. I really like the color. But, I ended up just reinstalling my existing gold carpet, out of frugality and because the adjacent family room has the same carpet.
Modwalls makes a porcelain penny round tile called Key Lime. Yum.
Now that I am looking, I spot the color in vintage items on ebay. The Rosenthal-Netter bull plate above. (Photo used with permission of ebay seller; listing now ended and link removed.)This Ikea steel chair is powder coated in a green that’s in the vein of what I’m talking about. Close enough.
Yes, I was saving images from my recent travels to Ikea. This shelving green also is close-ish. Green is such a friendly color.Yup, the Kitchen Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer (<-affiliate link) is one nice looking hunka steel. These mixers come in 24 retro colors — and golly, I could name any one of them a Color of the Year, they are so beautiful. Above: Apple Green — not as acid as Lime Green, but all in the flower power family, as far as I’m concerned.
Marimekko Lumimarja Celery sheets, from Crate and Barrel.
And you know I luv me some Loudmouth Golf — Magic Bus pants, all new. Have a Nice Day!
Jay says
I like green very much but my greens are more conservative. I just painted the hall bath mint green. My last house had bright apple green bound carpet in the living room left by the seller. Although certainly not new it wasn’t worn / stained and was very soft and plush. I wish I knew what is was made from. When I sold I left it for the owner who intended to rent the house and twelve years later, wish I had taken it. It would look nice in the basement with the dark 70’s paneling.
Lynne says
My new sectional is that limey green. Actually, I think the fabric swatch was called “Lime”. The carpet, soon to be purchased with a promised Christmas bonus, is called “Seaweed”. My accent color is gray. I have found that people either love my house decor, or they hate it.
Tracie@MiddleClassModern says
I love how your “retro” color of the year burst out and became THE color of the year, period. Especially orange, but cobalt blue came roaring back into popularity as well. (You must’ve subconsciously inspired me, since I have an orange-ish living room with cobalt blue lamps!).
Cynthia says
We have an entire room painted that color….been that way since long before I discovered Retro Renovating. 😉 We just picked it because, as Pam said, we “liked it.” It’s such a happy color. We call it the Green Room, and I am sitting in it as we speak.
Ima Pam says
Oh, the retro greens!! I sampled so many beautiful ones before settling on three perfect for us. All are from Sherwin Williams. Tupelo Tree in the kitchen, with original birch cabinets and grasscloth covered soffit. It’s repeated in the adjoining room of all natural grasscloth except for the green accent/divider wall. SW Hearts of Palm is in the kids pink and green retro bathroom. SW Parakeet will eventually be used in the basement tiki bar area. For bar and/or tabletop, I plan to use gorgeous mosaic tile scored from the seller Pam K alerted us to a while back. I have a stash of small pebbly aquamarine, which would be fantastic with the Parakeet, and some green/black pebbly ones. This basement project keeps getting back burnered…but someday!
Marta says
I’ve always loved these colors. In the kitchen of my first apartment (on the main floor of an old victorian with ten foot ceilings), I painted the cabinet doors lime green to match the Holly Hobby shelf paper I picked out. It was mainly lime and sunshine yellow. Then Tupperware came out with the measuring cups in lime, yellow, and orange with a matching wall rack. Sigh. Sooooo long ago.
sarahjaneb says
I have various shades of green spread throughout the house, starting outside with the shutters and doors, which are SW Lime Granita.
Kitchenaid used to make mixers in a much limier color than that Apple Green, but I think it was discontinued in 2005ish. IIRC I got mine on clearance because the color was like soooo last year. The color was called Lemongrass, and it coordinates well with Le Creuset’s Kiwi.
And right now as we speak, I’m stripping my master bathroom cabinet doors in preparation for painting them green. Not very limey, but pretty green – Farrow and Ball Cooking Apple Green.
Joe says
This sure brings back childhood memories of the 1970s for me! My parents painted their living room walls this color (it was called “limelight” – and, trust me, there was nothing “light” about it). It certainly caused visitors to stand back and go “WHOA!” I grew up with walls painted in shades of “flamingo”, “mandrake”, “orchid”, “spanish red”, “ole orange”, “smiley face yellow” and “mod blue (turqoise)”. I give my parents a ton of credit, because it seems everyone they knew was afraid to break out of the boring off-white walls and neutral decor. When people wonder why I favor colors like orange and lime, I have to remind them of my “past”. My retro tastes run conservative, because when I finish my retro restore on my kitchen it will have knotty pine on the walls, a coppertone gas range, and rounded out with sears merry mushroom and corning spice of life. BTW Pam: do you remember that this shade of green was ALWAYS paired up with that bright lemon yellow back then? You may want to keep that in mind when you select your next color of the year!
puddletowncheryl says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjxSCAalsBE
puddletowncheryl says
Go flower power. Let the sun shine, let the sun shine in, the suuuun shine in. It’s the dawning of the age of Aquarius… It’s required that you sway to the song.