Valentine Design - How to design with the colors of love

I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day.  I imagine a lot of people do.  Let me start by saying, I actually am a ridiculous romantic at heart.  And maybe that’s why Valentine’s Day grates on my nerves so much.  I’ve never appreciated the commercialism of holidays and this one is no different.  Not to mention I think I have an ever-so-slight non-conformist streak in me and I don’t like being told when we should celebrate our loved ones.  But that having been said, I do love to lavish my littles (who aren’t so little anymore; one being 9 and the oldest just turned 12) with a sweet V Day treat each year.  So to some degree, I guess I have taken the bait.  But we won’t talk love and romance today.  I promise.  Instead, I thought it might be fun to explore the traditional Valentine’s Day color scheme and introduce you to some really clever ways to incorporate them into your Library design.

APPLY SOME BOLD PINK AND RED TO YOUR WALLS

I often teach that these hot colors should be used in moderation.  And I still hold to that school of thought. These are very intense colors and they can cause intense reactions in people of all ages and personality types.  And I’m sure all of you who have worked specifically with children know that these colors can encourage more excitable behaviors at times.  But they are also known to rouse creativity in the best ways.  So while these next images of children’s Libraries might feel a bit bold to some viewers, I hope you can also see the beauty of such a colorful and imaginative world that these designers have come up with.

^{Photo Credit: Thayer Children's Library - arrowstreet.com}

^{Photo credit:  2020 Library Design Showcase - American Libraries Magazine}

ACCESORIZE IN THE COLOR BOLD

If you’ve been with me for a while now, then you know all too well that my absolute favorite way to incorporate bold and funky colors is through accessories and furniture.  I’ve put together a cluster of red light fixtures that are fantastic for any design.  You could pop these in place and keep everything else neutral with great success.  They don’t call that proverbial little red dress a “statement” piece for nothing.  And don’t forget that lighting is like the jewelry of your space.  It’s what people look at.  That and furniture.

Adding bold pops of color to your furniture layout will be one of the best design decisions you can make.  This is a safe place to be able to express your accent colors with reckless abandon and not have to worry about whether or not some of your patrons walk away wondering what you were thinking.  Colorful furniture is also an easy thing to change out.  But don’t overdo it.  You don’t want to have to reinvent your entire furniture budget by tossing everything out because you bought everything in red and pink.  Remember, you’re just making a statement.  Like adding those sexy hot pink heels to a classy black A-line dress for a romantic Valentine’s dinner out with your sweetie.  Or if you’re all about ignoring the holiday all together, who says you can’t dress up and binge watch your favorite show with a messy New-York style pizza?!

WOW THEM WITH ARTWORK

You can also bring these fun colors in with artwork.  That’s an easy option and can be done for super cheap if you’re on a tight budget.  Just select bold prints with super saturated colors and you’re all set.  Make sure to display them where they are well-seen and accent them with a very simple, clean-lined frame.  Feel free to add some bling by using a gold frame for these hot colors.  It will frame them nicely and draw the eye to them every time.

WHO KNEW WALLPAPER COULD BE SO WILD

For a long time, my clients were on the fence about re-embracing wallpaper.  So many of us lived through it’s excessive use in the 90s and became quite traumatized by it.  BUT, it has since made a come back in a good way.  We use it in commercial projects all the time; especially Libraries, but we make sure to use it in small doses so it doesn’t take over the project.  My favorite location is behind an important piece of furniture like an info desk or an accent wall in a youth area to emphasize something special that helps brighten up those areas.  Textures, prints and colors are vast but also muted in many cases so it becomes an understated element of design that adds a bit of visual interest.  But hey, if you’re going to really do something exciting and bring in some pinks and reds, you might as well fully embrace a more wild wallcovering like this one by Patty Madden.  This is digital so it can be altered to personally work with your space.  You can also use large prints in a bright pink with strong dark neutrals to balance it all out.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

So whether you’re pro Valentine’s Day or absolutely not, you can hopefully still appreciate the wonderful color palette that comes along with this sweet and sappy holiday and find ways to express your more passionate side.  Be bold, daring and design spaces that bring out the creative curiosities in your patrons!  Make a statement and don’t be afraid of color.  Because when you apply it the right ways, your Library will most definitely stand out above the rest.