I posted one of Andy Gilmore's pieces on the COLOURlovers Facebook page a few weeks back. While digging deeper into the site, I found myself in awe over every single piece. I don't have enough space to feature them all on this blog post, but I would highly recommend checking out his entire collection of work if you are as impressed as I am by this small feature.

Creating magazine covers is nothing new for Andy. He shows plenty of them in his body of work. I do however remember this Wired issue which I thought was great when I saw this. Opposite of Wired is the cover he created for the New York Times Key Magazine.

Here are a series of excellent pieces using bright colors and some very modern shapes.

Source for all images: Andy Gilmore

What do you think of this art? Would you use these patterns on something fun such as your iPhone case or throw pillows? Let us know what you think.

Uniting all dish towel lovers for this post. If you're not a fan of awesome dish towels, it will suffice if you are a fan of really cool patterns printed on textiles. If you haven't checked out the online shop Leif, make sure to do so. They have some incredibly unique and really cool stuff on their website from decor accessories, paper, candles, and much more.

I found a fun collection of items that are sure to spruce up any kitchen quite fast. The paint chip placemat is a perfect addition to any table. And, it comes in different colors, so you can mix and match or just play it safe with one color all around.

Leif definitely covered all the popular patterns of the moment in their textiles section of this online shop. Houndstooth is becoming an increasingly popular option, and I think this design and color palette would surely brighten up any room, don't you?

Cityscapes! Talk about a different take on a cityscape. Great addition to my tea towel collection.

I love the bright colors in this lattice design. This might just be my favorite, if there was a way I could choose a favorite.

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And just for fun, I love their take on bottles that we have all the time in our home anyway. These vases were created from dish detergent and yogurt bottles. Awesome.

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Which pattern your favorite? And do you love these vases? Now it is your turn, create some fun palettes from these cool dish towels.

Comment to let us know your thoughts and make sure you pin your faves!

We have seen geometric patterns inundate our homes, our decor and our style. It is not to say that Moroccan prints or chevron is out, but it is time to make a little space for a new pattern coming up on the horizon. Honeycomb. And if you are still skeptical of letting another pattern into your life, here are some awesome ways to add subtle touches.

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Chicken wire is made in a honeycomb shape, which happens to be both stylish and practical. (Who would even thought the day would come where we would be saying chicken wire is stylish?) In the above DIY, you can make any frame a place for hanging vases and fresh flowers belong.

When deciding to paint a room we tend to have a heck of a time picking that perfect paint color. But some crafty people took it a step further using paint chips as inspiration for a paint replacement. Beyond that, there are some crafty ways to reuse those billion paint swatches you are left with once you finally pick your perfect paint color. Here are some quick tricks, easy DIYs, and all around great ideas inspired by paint chips. For lots more paint chip ideas, check out our Pinterest board.

If you are looking for the perfect way to create a statement piece in your house, and you are a lover of color, this might just be the perfect thing. And the best part is, the cost is extremely low (depending on how many paint chips you can get from your local paint shop).

Source: Paint Wall, Bedroom, Wall, Stairs

Welcome to the Community Roundup! Each week I will be pulling some great stuff from the nooks and crannies of COLOURlovers to feature here on the community forefront - the blog. You can expect everything from member-hosted games and contests to some fun finds you might otherwise miss. So let's dig up what's happening.

Member-Hosted Contests

We are lucky to have some very motivated COLOURlovers in our community. Here are a couple of great contests going on with plenty of time to join up and play.

If you are new to COLOURlovers, pattern templates are designed by members using Seamless Studio (Mac/PC desktop) or Seamless Lite (free / web version). If you have questions about Seamless you can contact me or your fellow COLOURlovers.

Carnival Template Contest hosted by Sunmeadow :: NOW until Feb. 21st 2012

The festive and colorful season of Carnival is now in full swing. Carnival is celebrated by over 10 million people worldwide from New Orleans (Mardi Gras) to Carnival in Rio de Janiero, Brazil and all through the carribean Islands. Group leader, sunmeadow, is hosting a Carnival Template Challenge. All are welcome to partcipate, from beginning template makers to seasoned pros. The challenge started this week and closes on February 21st, when five winners will be announced and featured on the COLOURlovers blog and Facebook page.

Reference Tag: CTC-1

Shamrock Template Challenge hosted by o2bqueen & rubyvillasenor :: NOW until March 16th 2012

With the month of March approaching, we have St. Patricks Day fast approaching! The challenge is to design a template that includes a shamrock shape. This challenge has already started and ends March 16th 2012. The top five designs will be featured on COLOURlovers blog and Facebook page.

Reference Tag: STC12

Learn About Tags & Tagging Here

Along with posting on the blog, I will actually post each template in their fully colored state (as those are more exciting than a grayscale template). So make sure to include a nice colored version with your submissions.

Please feel free to contact me (mollybermea) if you have an organized challenge you would like posted to this community announcement.

The designs of Simon Page take us back to basics, to the literal building blocks of good design: geometric shapes. Page, a London-based graphic designer, is all about creating a visual experience that stimulates the emotions. His philosophy is “Good Design Excites.” And you’ll be surprised how exciting circles and squares can get after Page is done with them!

Though all of his designs jump-off from basic geometric shapes, his work gets more sophisticated as he layers on his color palette, cuts and rearranges the shapes in the frame, and develops unexpected patterns and textures. In the words of one commenter, he creates work that “you can get lost in - they are busy, but somehow calming at the same time.”

Geometric Cushion Designs

At first glance, the design covering this pillow seemed to have sequins on it, but on second glance, this is illusion created by bold color choices and the juxtapositions.

The same type of visual tricks follow in his other four pillow designs, which would make a striking focal point in any living room.

Happy Valentines Day! Our community has created and named millions of user-named colors that help us create, innovate, and celebrate the joy of color itself.

Some of the “most loved” include "Dutch Teal" by Skyblue2u, "Haunted milk" by alpen, "Vitamin C" by GreenLantern, "Chartreuse" by oeln, and "Juicy Pink" by MetteBB. It is almost too obvious to say that WE LOVE COLOR!

Color is infused into every aspect of our lives, especially those in our color bubble, so we thought it was time to devote a big Valentine to Color itself! Although we couldn’t include all the colors in the rainbow, here are some colors that really touch our hearts on Valentine’s Day.

Unique Valentines Day cards are booming everywhere! Give something fun to a secret crush, your grade schoolers classmates or your life-long love. There is something for everyone from easy DIYs, quick printables and a few fabulous Etsy card inspirations.

Finish off your Valentine's Day Cards with a matching sticker printing order to seal up the envelopes. Find great deals at Next Day Flyers.

source: Fortune Teller

Activity cards can be fun for all ages. Present your valentine with a fun fortune telling card. This DIY card could get really creative! The fortunes on the inside could go as far as presenting fun things to do with your day/evening when you give it over... if you have made mystery plans for your crush or loved one, you could let them choose their fortune of events such as dinner, dancing, drinks, foot rub, shots, wine, make-out... you get the picture. ;)

Wallpaper of today is definitely not what it used to be with the installation process and the choice of patterns or images available. Ghastly florals and patterns of the past are replaced by reinvented, contemporary florals, patterns and palettes of the present.

This article is presented by InkShuffle.com offering you beautiful Easy Off Wallpaper – perfect for renters. Millions of designs in categories like vintage, cityscapes, and room openers.

We recently published a post about wall stenciling, also a booming trend and a more budget-worthy route than wallpapering, but could also be more work, depending on what you chose to paint. Wallpapering can also almost ensure a very clean, accurate and even more elaborate finished wall as well. At the end of the day, both have their pros and cons like anything else, it's just a matter of budget and preference.

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I'm falling fast in love with Kreme wallpaper patterns. Very Moroccan-inspired design work with fabulous palettes. The example above is one of their more minimalist designs called, Painted Gate.

"Painted finishes, although great in some spaces, don't equate to the luxury and opulence a few rolls of wallpaper can provide." - Cadee Wilder of Kreme

Sourced from slideshow in Kreme Wallpaper California Collection 2012

Contemporary wallpapers are sometimes so graphically reinforced with such dramatic design work. This type of pattern design is so intricate that paint just couldn't replicate (or could, but with a lot of effort).

At the beginning of every year I often wonder that the next big things are going to be in the wedding industry. It always excites me what crafty people can put together and bring to life. And every year I am more and more excited with where trends have taken us and where we are now.

I wanted to share a look back at some of the biggest trends of 2011 as well as some of the up-and-comers for 2012.

2011: Ombre

Source: Cake, Dress, Flowers, Napkin, Escort Card

Ombre hit big in 2011! It seemed like all of the sudden these monochromatic details were just the thing needed to create a romantic and elegant look. Of course, this trend will continue to hit weddings for years to come, but the gorgeousness that is ombre will definitely be remembered as the up-and-comer detail to have of 2011.

2012: Color Blocking

Source: Dress, Invite, Table, Wedding Shot

Color blocking became popular right before the close of 2011. Every designer, especially Kate Spade, was embracing pairing one bold color to another until you created a well-executed look that made you pop. This trend is something that hasn't hit the wedding industry too hard just yet, but come 2012, we will see it in both subtle and obvious ways.