Introducing The Color Of The Year: Ultra Violet

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By Elizabeth Wulfhorst |
Despite recent nor’easters trying to tell otherwise, spring is officially here, which means it’s time to open the windows and refresh your home and garden with a little splash of color. Now is not the time to be a wallflower, but to embrace the bold. There’s no better way to do that than with Pantone’s 2018 Color of the Year, Ultra Violet, a gorgeous deep purple reminiscent of garden blooms and sunsets on the Jersey Shore. According to Pantone, “Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future,” a perfect sentiment for the season that means rebirth.
We’ve found some wonderful items around the Two River area that express the emotion and attitude of the color, as well as the brightness of spring.
GO BOLD OR GO HOME
British Cottage in Red Bank can customize any piece of furniture for you with beautiful fabrics from Century Furniture, a third-generation American company based in North Carolina. Choose a bold pattern and a fun texture in shades of violet for a coordinating look, like these in “Grape.” Cover a pillow or entire sofa, if you dare. Custom-upholstered furniture pieces start around $900.
126 Shrewsbury Ave., Red Bank, 732-530-0685, britishcottage.com
KITCHEN COUTURE
The kitchen can be a messy place. Here’s an apron that will brighten your home and your day. Beautiful landscapes in shades of purple inspired by the Italian countryside adorn the front of this 100 percent cotton smock, which ties at the waist with a coordinating sash. Convenient metal D-rings make the neck adjustable for a perfect fit. By Michel Design Works, available at Le Papillon, $25.
7 West River Road, Rumson, 732-842-6490, lepapilloninc.com


PURPLE POPS IN THE GARDEN
Pansies come in many colors but none quite as vibrant as the Grandio Clear Purple available right now at Sickles Market in Little Silver. Keep the flowers indoors until the weather warms a little, then plant them outside for a brilliant pop of color in the garden beds around your house. Pansy Bowls, $14.99.
1 Harrison Ave., Little Silver, 732-741-9563, sicklesmarket.com

WALLS OF WONDER

Get the folks at Monmouth Building Center to mix up a gallon of Benjamin Moore Ultra Violet 1372 and start painting. This color can give impact to an accent wall or brighten up a small space. Benjamin Moore says, “this deep violet has an unmistakable quiet energy, striking a perfect balance between super-charged energy and quietly focused relaxation.” Sounds like the perfect color for a home office or she-shed. Gallons start around $40.
777 Shrewsbury Ave., Shrewsbury, 732-747-5220, monmouthbuildingcenter.com


COOKING IN STYLE
Serve your soups with a side of sass in this oval Dutch oven by Le Creuset in Cassis. The enameled cast iron cookware, first introduced in 1925, not only cooks food really well, but brightens the kitchen and adds an air of class to any meal. This color is available at the Le Creuset store at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls. Other shades of purple are available through Le Creuset on line. Dutch ovens start at $145.
1 Premium Outlets Blvd., 732-493-8390, lecreuset.com
SET IN STONE
Don’t be a shrinking violet: Brighten up your backsplash and bring spring into your bath- room or kitchen with Grape Sparkle and Lilac Dew, two lovely purples from the Glass Blox Collection at Nemo Tile + Stone. Or be bold and tile an entire accent wall for a modern look. Assorted sizes and prices.
21 White St., Red Bank, 732-677-1044, nemotile.com
SPRING SMELLS SWEET
This beautifully scalloped glass vessel in a deep purple from Voluspa’s Japonica collection holds an equally lovely candle. The coconut wax blend candle in Santiago Huckleberry, available at Sickles Market, has notes of ripe huckleberry, vanilla and crushed sugar cane to make your home smell as lovely as a spring day. Voluspa Santiago Huckleberry Candle, 6.2 oz., $25.
1 Harrison Ave., Little Silver, 732-741-9563, sicklesmarket.com

This article was first published in the Home and Garden section of the March 22-29, 2018 print edition of The Two River Times.