A New Life for Coral?

WE’VE READ ABOUT the dying-off of coral reefs, thanks to, oh, so many things, most of them our fault. Now, in its own way, the Pantone Color Institute has stepped up to the plate, named Living Coral the Color of the Year for 2019.

As an interior paint color, coral, living or otherwise, isn’t the easiest hue to, well, live with. But if the Pantone blessing directs more attention to the twisty, branchy stuff, all the better.

Lovers of coral don’t necessarily rally around the color of the same name. While there are dazzling fashion items in that color family, it’s the shape and the texture of those “marine invertebrates” that make hearts beat faster when depicted on table linens and pillows and other household items. It’s kind of like leopard print: People keep thinking it will fade as a trend, but some “trends” are simply classic. So here’s a small roundup of coral for the home, all without endangering the Great Barrier Reef.

—Nancy McKeon

Left, Roland Nivarois coral floor-length silk gown. The vibrant coral color is a wonderful foil to the dark vintage-chic coat dress from the collection of Parisian Didier Ludot.

Get a head start on spring with a coral-colored “Georgia” bucket bag from Annabel Ingall. on sale at $170, https://annabel-ingall.myshopify.com.

John Derian’s hand-decoupaged decorative items never get old. His vintage and antique images adorn platters, pin trays, wall plates; here the glass “Red Coral” dome paperweight, $60 at John Derian..

From Caspari, “Curiosity of the Sea” paper cocktail napkins are $5 for 20; paper lunch napkins are $6 for $20. To find a local retailer, call 434-817-7880 and press 1. Or go to Caspari online..

From Schweitzer Linen in Manhattan comes dramatic “Coral Reef” bedlinen from Italy, made with 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton. A queen-size set (1 flat sheet, 1 fitted, 2 standard shams) is $513 at Schweitzer Linen..

Also from Schweitzer Linen is this Aubusson-style “Atlantis” silk tapestry pillow, 22 inches square; $330 at Schweitzer Linen..

Coral just keeps coming at us, doesn’t it? No wonder: It looks great. This powder-coated aluminum candelabrum is almost a foot tall and weighs a hefty 12 pounds. Almost gone, it is available only in white, on sale for $159.20 at Frontgate.. The candles are sold separately.

Coral-patterned fabric is always in style. From left, classics from Scalamandre (“Corallina Velvet”), Duralee and Kravet. You can find a nice array of coral-inspired fabrics at DecoratorsBest and Calico (calicocorners.com).

This “Catalina” quilt from Bed Bath and Beyond is $129.99 to $149.99, depending on size. It’s part of the store’s Coastal Collection.

And here it is, Color of the Year for 2019, courtesy of the Pantone Color Institute.

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