I was so honored to have been asked to be a judge for the Apartment Therapy Room For Color 2014 contest sponsored in part by Sherwin Williams. There were so many colorful entries. It was also so great when I saw that Janel over at AT put together a post announcing my participation (read it here), it really made me happy. One of the questions that she asked me about color was fun to answer so I thought I'd share that with you now. She basically asked me what my thoughts on color are at the moment - what palette I'm digging. This is the collage I created below followed by my thoughts.

I love these four images and this fun, colorful palette – but the draw to me is that navy has replaced black as a strong accent color. Black and white is such a huge trend at the moment, yet I feel like I’m seeing it too much now and its losing it’s appeal. That’s why a nautical deep navy is a nice replacement and break from black while still keeping things deep and dark and providing a nice contrast amongst all of the light colors and brights that are trending at the moment. Plus navy (not cobalt or any other blue – strictly navy) and crisp white look stunning together, so a deep navy wall with white trim – well, you can’t go wrong!

Here were some of entries in Warm, Cool, Light, Dark, International that I found really interesting. Apartment Therapy readers judged what they liked the most (there were so many entries!) and the judges were sent the 5 most voted for rooms per category and each of us voted for our favorite without knowing what the other judges were voting for. It was done very fair and square which I appreciated. You view all of the homes here. And guess what Germany? One of your own won the International submission!

So much fun!!! And thanks again Apartment Therapy for having me. Here are the winners, but in my eyes everyone won the moment they submitted their entry because that takes major courage.

I think I need to team up with some big company and have a decorating contest for decor8 readers, right!? Wouldn't that be fun???

(Images in the top collage: Johan Rosenmunthe for Bolig Liv magazine, Lys Vintage, Dust Jacket Attic , Smitten Studio Online. Single image: George in Delaware (winner!). Bottom collage: top left: Amanda in Montana (winner!), top right: Jessie in Ohio (winner!), bottom left: Katharina in Germany (winner!), bottom right: Jo in the UK.)