It’s that time of year again and we’re revisiting our favorite contest! Each year we receive an outpouring of responses and we can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and post your Colorful Living New Year’s Resolution!

Maybe your’re thinking about taking a photography class, running a marathon or simply adding some more colorful decor to your home.

Here’s the entry from our 2011 winner, Julie:

“My resolution started earlier than the New Year (December 27th), because I want it to be a lifestyle change! I set up a “Success Corner” in my bedroom that has inspirational quotes, photos of me from happy periods of my life, pictures of my baby boy and Joe Manganiello (LOL), owls because I love them, and other things to help motivate me to eat healthier, be more generous and kind, put other before myself, and try to make a difference in the world. “Some succeed because they are destined to; most succeed because they are determined to.” My motto for the year.”

What ever your resolution, let us know on Facebook or Twitter and you’ll be entered to win a 4’6 x 6’6 rug of your choice. You just never know, there may even be a runner prize (or two)!

Contest runs from Monday, December 26, 2011 to Sunday, January 15, 2012. So don’t delay, share your colorful resolution with us today!

One entry per person. Winner will be notified by Facebook message on Friday, January 20, 2012. Also check our blog for the winner announcement.

To get the colorful resolutions started, here are some of our other favorites from 2011!

“My resolution is to stay present to the moment and the day with which I’ve been blessed. I’m always planning way too far into the future. By paying attention to the here and now it will hopefully enhance my senses to all of the color in my world. My mantra: Be present today!”

“My New Year’s resolution is not to have to make New Year’s Resolutions any longer and to live a life without criticism, judgement and guilt. Live a and let live and accept people with their “imperfections” and they hopefully accept mine. To give without expecting back, to help by being supportive, and to accept that I can’t change others, but I can only change myself.”

“To take the advice of my 3-year-old, “Stop and look at the beautiful rainbow mommy.” I will be trying to live more in the moment in 2011!”

“In 2011 I will face my fears, work on my weaknesses, let my anxiety go, appreciate the things I have and work toward the things I want.”

“I resolve to try and live each day in purpose and joy.”

We can’t wait to hear what your colorful resolutions are for 2012!

Brimfield is the largest antique fair in the world and one of our favorite places to scour for timeless, amazing finds. We’ll be exploring the fields for our next rug, bedding and furniture design inspirations! Then we’ll be Tweeting our findings from the VIP tent.

Thanks to the great efforts of Gretchen Aubuchon of @gaubuchondesign and Cynthia Bogart of @thedailybasics for launching this fabulous event last May and continuing again this September. Gretchen even delivered her third child in the midst of the planning…an example of her endless passion for family, design and social media!

Tweeting with us will be Benjamin Moore, Traditional Home, Better Homes & Gardens, Brian Kelsey of Martha Stewart Radio and Kelley Moore–Lifestyle Expert and frequent contributor of The Today Show and The Nate Berkus Show. Along with over 150 fabulous design professionals and social media experts.

We’re thrilled to sponsor this fun Social Media extravaganza along with @benjamin_moore, @aubuchonhrdware and @pan_debalthazar and hope you come by to explore the fields for your own design inspiration. Join our Tweet Chat, you’ll find us @companyc and #brimfield!

Our antique find in Benjamin Moore’s Fashion Rose and Company C’s Gridlock & Gingko fabrics.

To learn more about #brimfield click here.

Walter just came home with a bag of Meyer Lemons and I couldn’t resist taking a photo with our Prima hand-painted napkins.

The shape really is of a typical lemon, but the color is more of an orange. The fragrance though is amazingly different–almost a flowery perfume!

Hmm what to make with these colorful treats? Any ideas?

Needless to say, having fun doing what we love is what life is all about…and that’s what we did with our Color Play collection for Fall 2011.

Our Paper Chain rug and pillow are examples of how we like to mis up color and texture, fun and whimsy — to really let our child-like creativity come out to play. Don’t you remember making paper chains when you were a kid? Weren’t they loads of fun?

Now throw in a few fashionable cut outs like our Weekend Stroll and Downtown and sketchy Bike Lane pillows and you can see where our inspiration for Color Play came….right back to our childhood days.

These whimsical designs are perfect for today’s modern lifestyles–for those who love to mix up their interiors with fun. Go ahead and have some fun with us!

Whether you’re building a room from scratch or re-invigorating an existing room in your home our recommendation is always to start with the rug!

The first step is to identify the rug that you LOVE! For many, an area rug is an afterthought, an add-on once the real decisions like furniture have been made. But by beginning with the rug, the focus is on making selections that build upon the color, style and feeling of the rug. Now, the furniture and accessory buying process is streamlined and the subsequent choices to be made are dramatically reduced.

If you’re building the room from scratch and have already selected the rug you just can’t live without, get a 1×1 sample for color reference and carry it everywhere! You just never know when you’ll find that perfect piece of furniture or accessory that speaks to you and a sample can also assist you when shopping for furniture.

Rug samples can also assist you when re-invigorating a room! You may already have the perfect sofa, neutral, worn in and so comfortable, but you want to make sure that the rug color is just right. Order a sample or two during the decision making process to color match and confirm your choice before ordering the full size rug.

The second step in building a room from scratch is to select the furniture. If you have chosen an area rug with a modern, oversized geometric design for the living room, it is safe to skip the checkered and floral designs when selecting your furniture fabrics. While you may have difficulty describing your personal style, the rug choice points in the modern direction. Likewise, if a pastel hooked rug pulls at your heart strings, chances are the sleek little loveseat covered in solid micro-fiber is not an option. Bring your rug sample or picture of your rug and allow the furniture sales associates to guide you through the process. Selecting a fabric that compliments, not competes, the rug is so important to the overall feeling of a room.

By effectively narrowing your options to only those that build on the rug you love, the process of building your room is given direction and ends with a complete and cohesive look. Don’t make the rug an afterthought, allow it to be your foundation and you’ll be thrilled with how the remaining pieces fall into place!

Lush velvets and sleek ribbon-cotton pillows provide the perfect punctuation marks for furniture while silks, satins and intricate embroidery add a touch of elegance to the master bedroom. Our rich colors and attention to every detail add spark to a sofa, provide visual relief on a patterned chair or plump up a pampering bed.

The key to a head-turning room is the perfect assemblage of sizes and patterns. Dress your sofa in 18” and 22” squares to add variety and texture. On the bed: start at the headboard and work your way from large European squares (26” x 26”) to the perfect boudoir (14” x 20”). There is no exact way to mix your favorite patterns or sizes. Lucky for you, Company C has you covered no matter what your style: geometric, floral, abstract or solid!

We challenged our Retail Associates to combine our decorative pillows in ways that we have not seen them before. Their challenge included creating two looks for each of our best-selling solid pillows: Larissa, Gabriella and Colonnade. Here are some of the combinations they came up with:

Pillows shown: Larissa Pewter, Deco Copper, Gabriella Azalea, Plume Copper, Larissa Caramel and Larissa Berry.

Pillows shown: Colonnade Pecan, Spiral, Colonnade Green, Squiggle and Windowpane Periwinkle.

Pillows shown: Addison, Gabriella Azalea, Waves Tangerine and Flutter.

Pillows shown: Windowpane Sun, Larissa Prussia, Giverny, Windowpane Periwinkle and Toucan Lemondrop.

Pillows shown: Gabriella Sky, Giverny, Gabriella Kiwi, Gabriella Azalea, Addison and Gabriella Tangerine.

Pillows shown: Colonnade Aqua, Arcs & Squares Aqua, Deco Peacock, Copy Stripe Aqua and Colonnade Green.

Pillows shown: Raffia Lake, Colonnade Pecan, Dandelion Green, Thicket, Twig, Larissa Grass and Raffia Chile.

In the month of May, buy one decorative pillow and get one 50% off. There is no better time to re-color your home for the spring and summer seasons!

This year we did a few in-house fundraisers to raise money for our team. The most successful was the Bake Sale hosted last Friday, May 13. Our table full of goodies raised $260.00 and the treats were so good that we couldn’t help but share a few recipes with you!

Amanda’s Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Beth’s Chocolate Cake Filled Bon Bons
Erin’s Vanilla Cupcakes
Kristi’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Beth's Bon Bons

Sour Cream Coffee Cake & Vanilla Cupcakes

To learn more about the Rock N’ Race or to donate to our team page please visit: www.rocknrace.org

A selection of delicious treats!

Kendra, we all smiled at the way you described Colorful Living (especially the part about the mermaid stickers!): “Colorful living is how we come into the world, outfitted in brights and pastels, how we spend our young years, scrawling with crayons on papers and walls (oops). Somehow we get away from colorful living as we become older; our environment and our affects become muted. We learn to deal in neutrals. But it is not who we are. As a mother of two — I am only now learning to get back to the sweetness of colorful living through my children, smiling through popsicle-drippy mouths or falling asleep with several mermaid stickers still stuck to my hand.”

Congratulations! Please email acolby@companyc.com to claim your 6′ x 9′ rug of choice.

Our 2011 Colorful Living Campaign may be over, but we would love to continue hearing from you. Share your colorful adventures or pictures with us on Facebook or our Colorful Conversations blog.

Pantone refers to Honeysuckle as “A color for all seasons. Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.”

Here are some snapshots of our employees draped in Honeysuckle!

Beth was right on with her clothing selection!

Clockwise from top left: Kierstin, Maggie, Petra, Beth, Lou-Ann, Erin, Amanda & Jodie

All about color...Walter supported our Honeysuckle Day!

We are in love with Julie's Honeysuckle shoes!

Share your Honeysuckle pictures with us! We would love to see how you are wearing (or decorating) with Pantone’s 2011 Color of the Year.

Over the years our customers have found many creative uses for these rug samples but the most popular use has been in schools and daycares. Whether used for a reading circle, a game or pieced together to cover the floor the children love the color, patterns and individuality of each square.

This year we have excess of rug squares so we would like to spread the word across the country about the opportunity to grab some for your school, daycare or local family support center.

To submit your request; simply email Erin Dorrian at edorrian@companyc.com with the following information:

• Organization name
• Contact name
• Address
• Federal Tax ID number (Organization should have a 501(c)(2) tax exempt status)
• Desired quantity of rug squares

The rug squares are available for pick up at our Concord, NH location or may be shipped to your location. If you would like us to ship the squares we do ask that you include a Fed Ex or UPS account number with your request.

We look forward to school, daycares and family support centers across the county enjoying a little Company C color!