Today we are interviewing a budding interior designer with an eye for style and a love for interiors. Make sure to check out her interior design blog and portfolio at HOP Interiors. Ok, let's get started.

First up, why don't you tell the community a bit about who you are, what you do, how long you have been doing it, and your background.

Hi COLOURlovers ladies and gents! I am Mary-Ellen Paul, Editor & Founder of HOP Interiors. My creative interiors blog is my platform to share my thoughts, personal style and design aesthetic.

(Me with Interior Designer, Potter, TV Presenter Jonathan Adler)

What past experiences do you think have contributed the most to where you are now?

My passion for interior design has been an immense contributing factor. When you have the passion you are more likely to take the bold risks needed to succeed. Through my passion I am continuously seeking to develop my knowledge of interior design, taking risks with colour and exploring its effects.

What colors do you think we will see a lot of in 2012?

I think that bold strong colours will push through this year such as cobalt blues, bright yellows and fiery oranges and tangerine. In a contrast to that, pastels will start popping up, lots of sugary tones of pinks, greys and blues, will be coming through this year.

(Image credits – Main: trendenser.se, Top: etsy.com, Middle: farm6.static.flickr.com, Bottom: savedbythesouthernbelle.tumbr.com)

What patterns and trends do you think will be big in 2012?

There seems to be a lot of the iconic zig-zag Missoni style print which has segued into the interiors stratosphere. Simple prints with both bold and subtle colours will shine through too.

 Which colors, patterns & trends are you personally most excited about?

Cobalt and Navy blues are my favourite colours but I always enjoy designing with colours I’m not used to – taking me out of my comfort zone.

When you are feeling stumped, where do you turn for inspiration?

When I’m stumped I tend to take a break from it. I go through loads of magazines, tearing out anything that fits into my idea and then build upon that.

What is your favorite website or app right now?

At the moment I’m addicted to the Pintest app. I also adore decor8 as Holly is immensely inspirational. I use housetohome.com for inspiration for images for a particular space, be it the living room or the bedroom.

When decorating your home, what are the top three colors you turn to for the space?

What is your favorite paint color?

When decorating a space in your home it’s vital that you assess the space for its size and the amount of light it receives. The more light it receives, the cooler the shades, the less light it receives the much warmer the colour may be used (interior design 101). The colours I tend to use most are Night Jewels, Velvet Truffle and Cocoa Blush – colours from the DULUX paint range. However my fabric choices for my last interior project did encompasses rich reds and lush silver tones.

What's the best home design-related advice you've ever received?

If in doubt, always go back to the brief. The brief is the central core to any interiors project. When designing a space in your own home try writing a brief, detailed statement of what you want and don’t want to include in the project. This will be your blueprint to refer back to. There may be times when your eyes go into interior overload with so much choice out there, but if the products and colours you choose do not relate to the brief or the ethos of the scheme then it’s a no-no.

For someone that is just beginning down the rode to create a better home, what resources or advice would you give to them?

One of my mantras is that ‘a room must not only look great, but feel right’. The room must be right for you, it must be comfortable and feel just right for you. There are so many fads and trends but instead of going with the flow I would advise going for that is right for you and your home. When embarking on a better home or a redesign I would advice taking it one step at a time. It’s easy to get carried away and so my advice would be to slow down and take it room by room. If you are unable to do a complete redesign you can always add a few little changes to make a room appear brand new. For example, you can add a new splash of colour to your room or a change of colour to your fabrics and textiles. My blog will give you a lot of handy tips on making changes to certain rooms in the home.

I was on the hunt for about 6 months looking for the perfect color for my bedroom. After such a hunt, I realized there probably isn't a perfect "Robin's Egg Blue" that fits each and every room or piece of furniture.

Many people in the blogosphere have talked about their quest in finding the perfect paint color. I checked out every single one of those blog posts and tested every single one of those colors. Unfortunately for me, none seemed to fit just right. So the search continued and I finally found the perfect color.

Source: Nursery, Bedroom

I was looking for something like the bedroom above on the right or something like this bookcase below. To me, this color is a warm blue tone that is subtle yet inviting. I was coming across either icy colors, baby blue colors or just bright blue tones which I didn't want. Since I wanted something warm, it needed a hint of green to soften the tone up just a little.

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Centsational Girl talked a lot about finding the perfect Robin's Egg Blue paint color, and I must say, she did a lot more research than I did! I mean, check out all those paint swatches!

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Red Bird Cabin suggested "antiguan sky" from Benjamin Moore.

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And now, it was time to try all of these samples on the wall.

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I choose tried 4 different paint colors. As you can see, some were not quite what I was expecting when I opened the can. None the less, I tried them all on the wall to see the results.

The runner up was "Bird's Egg Blue" by Benjamin Moore. It was a tiny bit too blue for me, so I decided to jump over to the next swatch which had a little more green in it, "Antiguan Sky" from Benjamin Moore. This ended up being the perfect color for the wall!

The room isn't done being decorated yet, but check out the overall color on the wall. It is the perfect mix of blue and green and offers a warm feel in the room.

Do you like the final color? Are you in search of the perfect Robin's Egg Blue color? Which ones have you tried?

An influential designer that I would like to shine the spotlight on would have to be Jessica Helgerson of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Several years ago I stumbled across her work, which I found to be organic as well as aesthetically pleasing. Looking through her impressive portfolio, you can see where she is very versatile as opposed to sticking to just one style or look. Also, the fact that Jessica works in an environmentally conscious fashion does not hurt either.

Being able to work with a wide range of styles,  being earth friendly at the same time, while executing such timeless and tasteful spaces is a skill in itself and is something that should be commended.

The wood that is used for the floors and cabinets of this bathroom are of reclaimed tobacco-barn oak and the

color palette was inspired by the surrounding land of this beautiful home.

Dining room and living room done in Jessica's signature organic style. A combination of whites and browns were

used in this palette.

Loving the use of orange to add a nice taste of color in this bright and airy kitchen that was inspired by Swedish design.

A dining room with great large windows that allow plenty of natural light to come in while that are great for viewing that serene ocean. Greens and beiges were used, definitely inspired by the nearby beach.

Source: All photos by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

A serene living room with a charcoal gray fireplace and smart built-ins.

What do you think of these bright and fresh designs? Is this your style or would you go for something a bit more bold?

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!

As we become more aware of how things affect our environment and about earth-friendly living,a huge focus has been geared toward non-toxic paints. Being an Interior Designer, I am by any means not a paint expert, but have done some research and have come across some very interesting tidbits that everyone should be aware of, if they are not already.

I have learned that the majority of paints have a degree of toxicity, only egg tempera can really be accepted as completely non-toxic if using non-toxic pigments. Egg tempera is basically pigment paste and egg yolk. The benefits of non-toxic paint are that they are ideal for those with allergies, have a low-odor and are ultimately better for the Earth.

A soft color palette of organic paints by ECOS Organic Paints.

Benjamin Moore's Natural Paint Colors.

Image from Mythic Paints room visualizer page.

Yolo's Boho trend colors.

Anna Sova's food paint.

Spring is upon us and with that comes the need of much more color in your life. One way to add more color into your home is by finding the most colorful and creative rug to fit your home. This dose of color will brighten up any room and will definitely brighten your spirits along with it.

Whether you are looking for a solid color or want to add a little extra pattern into any given room, there are so many different styles and ideas that you can sure to find something fabulous to fit in with your current palette.

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This colorful rectangle rug is made of felt balls. Genius huh? Such great colors and a pattern made among colors is perfect for a welcome mat or even as the focal point in the living room.

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Here are a few different takes on color and patten when it comes to rug shopping. Both are completely unique and would definitely get noticed where ever you chose to lay it down.

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The thing I love about this next photo is how the piping on the chair matches the colorful feel of the chair.

Source: Anthropologie, Baby Room

These colorful rugs all offer something fabulous to a space. You can easily spruce up any room, mundane or not, with these awesome rug designs. And these definitely aren't your grandma's rugs. These are modern and hip and create the space definition that everyone needs in a room.

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Looking for something geometric to fill the space? Any of these pieces would fit perfectly to give your room that awesome colorful glow in a modern way.

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Rugs are a great addition to a room because it creates that great definitely in any room. Whether it be under the kitchen table, in the living room or practically any other space in your home. And these colorful pieces would spruce up any room and any attitude with a lot of color. Which are your favorite pieces? Where would you put these in your home?

Hello everyone! Chloé from Plenty of Colour here again.

I am a major fan of art installations, especially when creators turn an everyday object into something breathtaking. An example of making the mundane magical is this beautiful piece called “Capturing Resonance” by sculptor Soo Sunny Park and composer Spencer Topel.

Featured at deCordova Museum, the colourful and iridescent installation feels like a work of exquisite glass. In fact, Park created the undulating textile by inserting thousands of acrylic squares into chain link fencing. As “Capturing Resonance” was created in a window-filled space, different lighting makes the piece a constantly evolving palette of colour, shadows and reflection. The installation also features an audio element as composer Spencer Topel created an dreamy, elegant composition that is activated by motion sensors so the sound is ever-changing and layered like its iridescent muse. “Capturing Resonance” showcases that any material, no matter how industrial or mundane it may seem, can become a gorgeous piece of art.

(photographs by Michelle Aldredge and Peter Harris via gwarlingot)

As individuals, we change our colors often. We reflect our inner palettes in what we wear, what we buy, where we cast our gaze. We have the freedom to engage unlimited combinations whenever we see fit.

But what about the colors of the websites we visit daily? Do websites shift in these same ways, or even at this rate? Over the course of a year we change our color preferences untold times, but looking at how websites evolve over a similar time period indicates something quite different.

I recently examined a representative sample of websites that have gone through a significant redesign in the last year to analyze just how much, if at all, these websites changed in terms of their inner color palettes. These few examples represent a trend I noticed - that some websites have gone through massive shifts in layout, usability, and general structure. In comparing their palettes, however, you don't see such shifting.

In the example of target.com below, you can see that there has been an obvious overhaul of structure, reorganizing the site completely. While there is a subtle increase in a practical implementation of color 'coding' (notably pink to indicate a 'spring' item and brighter link colors), the base of the palette remains the same. This shows that Target knows the importance of evolving functionality (and product) independent of base branding colors.

Another great example of a structural overhaul is bankofamerica.com. Here you can see they've moved to a centered layout and are using a few brighter blues for specific calls to action, but again, the remainder of the palette remains unchanged.

Another website I took a look at was twitter.com, which went through somewhat of a transformation last year. Save for a button color change (for the better) the base of their palette and branding remains the same.

Of particular interest this past year were the transformations undertaken on dennys.com. Around July last year they went with an overhaul not just of structure but of color as well. I don’t think the color portion of the overhaul was that successful, as a look around six months later shows they've reversed their direction. They've gone closer to what they had previous to the saturated yellow look, dialing back to a more traditional food-friendly palette of light tans/browns and creamy whites. Did Denny’s find out how much is too much? Was bright yellow too much of a stretch from what is traditionally a red-dominated industry?

In the case of our recent Purple.us redesign, you can see that we’ve maintained the base of the palette, only adding a select aqua to draw emphasis to the site’s informational hierarchy. Again, you can see how important the core of a palette is to the site’s overall presentation.

It is important to understand that while sites adapt and alter in various ways and degrees, there are some decisions that must be absolutely correct in early stages of development, namely color. Color delineates brand. Color can define a site. Color resonates in the mind of the user, whether they notice or not. Color is vital. If a website requires modifications, initial color choice and primary concepts must be considered just as vital.

Every clock will tell you the same thing, but how you want it displayed is what can very greatly depending on your style and even your creativity.

Telling time in 3D is not yet something that is common in every household, in fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't common at all. The Manifold Clock hopes to change that. "Time repeats itself, yet it is ever-changing. It's like watching someone climb spiral stairs - if you look from above you see him going in circles, but if you look from the side you see him advancing."

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Here are a few clocks that you can easily DIY to spruce up your home. This first one is made of magazine pages, such a fun and very simple DIY to undertake if you are looking to spruce you your current clock situation. Below is a paint chip clock and a clock made out of books.

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Time can be told in many different ways, colors and designs. This simple clock simply has color swatches which lends itself to a piece of wall art as well as a clock.

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A colorful clock made with CSS & JQuery. Here is the tutorial if you want to build one for yourself.

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The Present Clock offers a completely different approach to telling time. The idea to to tell time throughout the year to hopefully enjoy the moments you have instead of breaking them into minutes, hours and days. The Present is not available just yet to purchase but I can't wait until it comes out so I can grab one.

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This is a pretty cool way to tell time. Of course time wouldn't always come out like this, but when it does, it looks pretty awesome.

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Whether you want to DIY something or just want to add a little more color to a room, a clock is a great dual-purpose way to do so. What are your favorite designs when it comes to telling time?

Today's guest post is by Jaime Derringer, Founder and Executive Editor of the popular design blog, Design Milk.  

I’ve always struggled with color. As you can tell from my website, Design Milk, I love everything black, white and gray so you’re probably wondering what I’m doing writing about color? Well… surprise! I love color! I know you wouldn’t expect it based on my site’s palette, but I’m a huge fan of just about every shade, hue and pigment out there. I’m especially fond of all things multicolor, bold and vibrant.

When I was initially designing my website, I struggled with whether I should add color. I went through quite a few options and couldn’t make up my mind. I realized that no matter what accent color or color palette I chose, I’d eventually end up changing my mind, so I opted for no color at all to let the photos in the content become the colorful stars of the site.

Nothing makes a color pop more than against a black and white background, so I thought it might be fun to look at some colors that I could have used on my website in addition to black and white. Since Design Milk is a blog all about design, what better way to share color than through design?

BLACK, WHITE + YELLOW

Like a bumblebee? Yes! But, um, no. This gorgeous black, white and yellow kitchen looks nothing like a bee! Image from Colorama.

BLACK, WHITE + RED

Wow – there’s nothing like a giant piece of red glass as your backsplash to make a huge impact. This design is by Neil Lerner Designs.

BLACK, WHITE + GREEN

This image, from the IKEA catalog, shows how dramatic a wall color can be.

BLACK, WHITE + ORANGE

Sometimes simple pops of color aren’t enough and you need to create pattern. Image from Blount Design.

BLACK, WHITE + HOT PINK

This bedroom from Elle Décor, is a beautiful example of how hot pink accents can change a room’s vibe. If the pink accents had been navy or beige, just think about how different this room would look and feel.