I recently found this interior design feature on the HGTV website:
HGTV, The Green Scene

I was intrigued by the designer's combination of greens in this room. The colors are so natural - reminicent of mature leaves, new bright green springtime stems, and the turquoise sea. Yet, the room has a very techno modern feel. I wanted to re-create this look on a card.

I played with punched out pieces of Stampin' Up's green cardstocks. The combination I chose to re-create the look is Always Artichoke, Tempting Turquoise, Gable Green, and Certainly Celery.

Here is my version



Then I explored this look a bit further. What color combining makes this look work? and why are some color combinations inappropriate for the look?

I may have figured it out. I used a formula of 2 Bold Brights and 2 muted tones. The card above, which is mono-chromatic with its greens, features Tempting Turquoise and Gable Green as the 2 Bold Brights. Turquoise is a "Cameleon color". It can be used as a "green" or a "blue" depending on what it is paired with. The Always Artichoke and Certainly Celery are the 2 muted tones. To make the card techno, lines must be straight, circles strategically placed, and a bit of metallic should be used. Geometrics work well too, if they are paired with natural images. Edges rounded with a corner rounder can give a techno feel too.

In this card, I paired the Stampin' Up! stamp set Simply Said along with the Crosshatch background and Simple Shapes. Again, I used 2 Bold Brights: Brilliant Blue and Tempting Turquoise along with Regal Rose and Certainly Celery, which are 2 muted tones.

I made the Crosshatch image into a geometric image by "connecting" some of the lines to make random shapes. I colored them in and added glitter. I used a silver office clip and kept the layout simple and "boxy" to achieve the techno look. Yet, the look is also organic with its sweet little flower image and lovely earthy spring celery and rose colors.

A white crystal jewel sits in the center of the two flowers. A similar version of this card was uploaded to the January Dirty Dozen Gallery here. (You must be a member of the SCS DD fan club to view it)

This style totally intrigues me. I've been motivated to play some more.

Here are some less techno-looking cards that use the 2 Bold Brights/2 muted tones color combinations:

Tied Squares card uses Pink Passion and Brilliant Blue as the Bold Brights and Apricot Appeal and Always Artichoke as the muted tones.

More Set Combining card uses Real Red and Gable Green as the 2 Bold Brights and Regal Rose and So Saffron as the 2 muted tones.