Ombre, a French word that literally means gradation, is a trend that I’m seeing in fashion and in the home for Spring & Summer that carried over into 2012. Have you noticed? In Paris, I spotted the French playing with various shades and felt inspired by how colors were used, on what, and which colors were selected in the first place. I noticed mostly watercolor citrus hues and ocean tones in fashion, flooring and even wallpaper and tiles. Here are a few inspirational photos that spotlight this trend – pretty, right?!

Beautiful ombre in pinks from fellow fellow.

Shown above: Windsor Love Seat, curtains, ceramics, pillows, glass pendant light, illustration. Not shown: scarf DIY and lots of pretty dresses.

Do you like the ombre trend? Do you own anything for home or in your closet like this? I like it, but more on pillows and rugs and for ceramics and glassware then anywhere else. Do you have a preference too?

(images linked above.)

55 Responses to “Ombre Trend”

1 anh commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 4:50 pm

love the ombre trend!!!! def with the purple and blue hues.
anh´s last [type] ..Winter isn’t over yet!
2 Giulia commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 5:08 pm

I like the ombre trend as an opposite to colour blocking. I find it soothing and pleasant. It’s been holding on for quite some time – I remember seeing a feature in Martha Stewart Living early 2011 or even 2010.
My favourite are linens and cushions and I own a pretty blue ombre skirt made of linen and perfect on a hot summer day.
Giulia´s last [type] ..Friday Food Files
3 Starlet commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 5:16 pm

I enjoy looking at ombre products. But I don’t own one (yet). I’d LOVE to be able to grow peonies like aboveeee. So dreamy!!!
Starlet´s last [type] ..The Red in the Winterberries
4 Alex commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Hi… just to be specific in terms of traduction: “ombre” means shadow, and gradation is “dégradé” in french. sorry about my english ;)
5 tinajo commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 5:44 pm

I do really love these colors, so pleasing to the eye! :-)
tinajo´s last [type] ..Friday at last!
6 Mary commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 6:14 pm

I have several large ombre scarves/shawls but since they were purchased more than a decade ago, I guess you could say I was trendy before my time (not).
7 Debbie G commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 6:15 pm

Beautiful pictures. I love the transition in the shades.
Debbie G´s last [type] ..Decorating with Ikat Rugs
8 Syl commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Very very pretty, Thanks for sharing Holly:-)))
Have a wonderful weekend!

Syl
Syl´s last [type] ..Vintage Treasures Part…?
9 Beth commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 6:28 pm

I love Ombre- I have a whole pinterest board of Ombre: http://pinterest.com/bethy_rodgers/ombre-hombre/ – check it out!

I don’t think of it as a trend, though it has been very popular on the runways and in home decor lately :)
10 Summer // House&Hold commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:42 pm

Lovely post! I have been thinking about the same thing this week & have started to make an OMBRE pinboard on Pinterest!
http://pinterest.com/houseandhold/ideas-ombre-such/

But am loving what you found — esp. the lampshade! <3
11 Jessica @shimmerkai commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:43 pm

Love ombre! It’s so natural and calming. This is a beautiful round up- those curtains add a ton of color to a room, but in a soothing way. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica @shimmerkai´s last [type] ..Beach Birdhouse
12 Seventeendoors commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:46 pm

I like a lot!!
Have a nice weekend!
Ulrika
Seventeendoors´s last [type] ..a dress for a princess
13 Emily @ Peck Life commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:46 pm

I’m loving the ombre trend! I don’t have too much of it in clothing either but I love it in homewares and ESPECIALLY paper products. I dip dyed my son’s birthday invitations to add this effect and they were great! I’ve also seen some great wedding invitations in this style. :)
Emily @ Peck Life´s last [type] ..Friday Randoms
14 Emily commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 8:43 pm

I’ve been watching the ombre thing—I love dyeing things and have been at it again lately. I like it best when it’s very subtle, like that dress with the pink at the bottom. It’s just a hint that the object was hand-dyed/ hand-colored, that extra second look that it asks for. Also reminds me of the trend I think you covered awhile back of things dip-dyed or dipped in paint. Burda Style had a fun spread on that idea sometime last year. More projects to dream about….
15 Sandra Nachtsheim commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 8:53 pm

I love the Ombre Trend! I am really happy about this trend, especially with the apricot colors… Can’t wait for summer in Germany!!
16 Maggie commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 9:16 pm

I love these! I am loving the tye-dyed fabric. I am wanting to do a white linen with a color on the bottom for my living room. Great ideas! I hope its okay but I’m adding you to my blog roll. I just love coming here!

xoxo,
maggie
17 Claire T commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 10:08 pm

I love that cake idea! May try it out as I got two 60th Birthdays this year and need a excuse to bake cakes you know as a practice! LOL
18 Ingrid Jansen commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 10:11 pm

hej Holly, Ombre is cool right!
For furnature, fashion and even hair. (just not too ombre hairdo, my hair needs some sun bleeching ;)
Happy weekend and Paris is great, toujours
Ingrid Jansen´s last [type] ..mucket bra
19 Lisa commented:
February 24th, 2012 at 10:33 pm

I like the softness of the ombre trend especially when used with citrus hues and white. It is a more subtle way to use color and I find that refreshing when brights like Tangerine Tango are central to the year’s palette. The watercolor-inspired look of ombre adds a delicate touch.
Lisa´s last [type] ..Cascading Camellias
20 Glenda Childers commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 12:02 am

Ok, that cake is beautiful, and I don’t even like cake. (I will take the ice cream, though.)

Fondly,
Glenda
Glenda Childers´s last [type] ..Three Weeks Off-line (part three) ~ What I Did
21 Tracy A. commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 2:04 am

Love this! I recently snapped some photos of Spanish Moss hanging from trees – there is such a lovely gradation of hues – very soft and buttery. Lovely trend.
22 carrie commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 2:17 am

GORGEOUS!!!! I never knew that is what “Ombre” was… duh. I was calling it “gradient”. I’m going to feel more in the know than EVER now because I finally know the real term for this ;) Thanks so much for sharing… every single picture is so so beautiful.
carrie´s last [type] ..Art Journal – Bouquets of Watercolor Flowers
23 kristin commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 5:04 am

i love ombre! i had been wanting to try dying something like that forever, and i finally did it recently on a maxidress for my preschool-aged daughter. it turned out so well i want to make myself an ombre summer skirt, too! here’s my post:
http://skirtastop.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/prp-week-6-old-new-borrowed-purple/
kristin´s last [type] ..a springtime ayashe
24 Gosia commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 12:03 pm

I like ombre hair- I know Drew Barrymore is a big fan of it. I’ve had- quite fasionable now- ombre lilac flats for 8 years !
25 Nancy commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 2:52 pm

I love the look of ombre especially when I dye with all natural plant extracts.
Nancy´s last [type] ..Indigo Me.
26 Ivy commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 6:35 pm

Last year I bought the most beautiful dip dyed dress from Anthropologie. It is much like the gradient theme in this post, the hem is deep navy fading to ivory with a bit of navy design. I can’t wait for nice weather again so I can twirl in it!
Lovely gathering of inspiration Holly.
Cheers~Ivy
27 Holly Marder commented:
February 25th, 2012 at 7:36 pm

So, so pretty! I adore that dress, but I mostly love ombre used in peach and turquoise tones for crockery. Thanks for sharing, Holly.
28 Kate @ Songs Kate Sang commented:
February 26th, 2012 at 3:30 am

Holly, I am so glad you wrote this post! I have been wondering what exactly Ombre meant for a while now!
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang´s last [type] ..I will follow…
29 Viv commented:
February 26th, 2012 at 5:28 am

Much love for ombre. Hope you have been well, lovely Holly. I dyed the ends of my hair a few months ago and when the colour fades it fades to a lovely ombre – brown -> pale pink -> blonde.

Lots of fun!
30 MissRouge commented:
February 26th, 2012 at 9:32 am

Wunderschöne Bilder und eine menge Inspiration!
TOLL!
MissRouge
MissRouge´s last [type] ..Shopping-Tag in Hannover
31 Jutta commented:
February 26th, 2012 at 11:35 am

I have to try to make a cake like this! Looks great!
Jutta´s last [type] ..Schoko-Orangentorte mit Mascaponecreme
32 Brooke H commented:
February 26th, 2012 at 11:48 am

Ahh the pillows of ABC, be still my heart. . .I’m a huge fan of ombre in fashion and home.
Brooke H´s last [type] ..New Print: Zoey
33 SALLI @ TIIPII commented:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:24 am

I’m a big fan of the ombre trend. Those pink colours at the top are stunning.
34 Decorator's Notebook commented:
February 27th, 2012 at 11:47 am

I’m really loving this trend… whatever the colour it has a softening, feminine effect I love. Though saying that, the peachy pinks are my favourite.
Decorator’s Notebook´s last [type] ..Explore a stripped-back vintage home
35 Cyn commented:
February 27th, 2012 at 3:07 pm

It’s true as Alex says, ombre means shadow in french. But maybe in design terms, it is different! I like those cakes, they are so beautiful. I wish I could make food so beautiful as that ^.^,
36 Hilary commented:
February 27th, 2012 at 6:02 pm

That pink scarf is just amazing!…and I’ve thought about doing a DIY of the bench from Anthropologie, that way it could be any color I want.
Hilary´s last [type] ..Mary Anna’s Front Porch
37 Sari / A Little Hummingbird commented:
February 27th, 2012 at 10:12 pm

Lovely post! The dress in the second photo is gorgeous!
Thanks for sharing :)

xx Sari
38 Bonnie McCarthy commented:
February 28th, 2012 at 12:22 am

Gorgeous photos! The colors are just amazing and I really love the way you have softly interpreted the ombre trend! Just beautiful!
Bonnie McCarthy´s last [type] ..Shop: Anthropologie
39 Alex Royal commented:
February 28th, 2012 at 2:39 pm

I love your blog! It inspires me daily!! I hope you don’t mind me pinning some of your pics on pinterest?
40 viv commented:
February 29th, 2012 at 7:52 pm

Love this trend, the curtains from anthropology are just adorable!
41 Sara commented:
February 29th, 2012 at 9:06 pm

I really like the ombre trend and its more subtle way of adding color. All of your picks are so pretty!
Sara´s last [type] ..Style in unexpected places
42 Carmen commented:
March 1st, 2012 at 6:55 pm

Excellents Ideas, and the most important, simple !
43 Kelly commented:
March 1st, 2012 at 9:15 pm

I love the Ombre trend-especially in hair! It’s so subtle and unexpected. I’m even considering it myself…I love the curtains you featured – great find!!
44 Sitt commented:
March 2nd, 2012 at 7:00 am

I must admit, I’m bored with ombre trending.
45 Rosa commented:
March 4th, 2012 at 1:36 am

I don’t but I now may have to!
Rosa´s last [type] ..Weathered the Storm
46 Becky! commented:
March 5th, 2012 at 3:07 pm

Got my hair ombred and I love it. It seems like it’s popping up everywhere now. I want to ombre my curtains now!
47 Marta commented:
March 6th, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Lately I thought of ombre-painted walls, the desired effect must be difficult to obtain though.
Marta´s last [type] ..Let me tell you the story of a little princess.
48 Damien commented:
March 7th, 2012 at 11:51 am

I love the colors. Your post gave me some decorating ideas. I am planning to redecorate my room. These are very creative designs.
Damien´s last [type] ..Construction White Card
49 esther commented:
March 8th, 2012 at 6:55 pm

I just did an ombre roundup too. Wish I had seen your posting so that I could use some of it as inspiration/reference!
50 Erika commented:
March 14th, 2012 at 11:58 am

I agree, this trend is really pretty and the colours are calming and fresh. It is very summery too!
51 Lisa commented:
March 14th, 2012 at 1:28 pm

where is the dress in the top right pic from?
52 minouette commented:
March 14th, 2012 at 10:53 pm

I really like the ombre trend, particularly in textiles… though the work is weird. In French, ‘ombre’ means shadow, not gradation. Also, it doesn’t have an accent on the end, like we pronounce it in English. It’s one of those funny borrowed terms which does not really mean the same thing in the new language.
53 minouette commented:
March 14th, 2012 at 10:53 pm

I really like the ombre trend, particularly in textiles… though the word is weird. In French, ‘ombre’ means shadow, not gradation. Also, it doesn’t have an accent on the end, like we pronounce it in English. It’s one of those funny borrowed terms which does not really mean the same thing in the new language.
54 oli commented:
March 23rd, 2012 at 7:10 pm

hi there, just wondering if you could tell me where you found the first dress on the right hand side there.. i would really to purchase it for my wedding dress, i’ve seen it on a few blogs and haven’t been able to trace the maker, any information would be helpful! beautiful collection- thanks for sharing!

olive
55 Comp commented:
March 28th, 2012 at 1:53 pm

i love the shaded bench!
Just wonderful
thanks for sharing

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