Color Forecast 2009: All Things Bright and Beautiful
By Renee Houston Zemanski
Don your sunglasses. The forecast for this year is bright and sunny. Nature-inspired colors such as soft grays, greens, beiges, and browns unite with intense colors reflecting international cultures---deep teal blues and rich purples, citrus shades, vibrant reds, and fuchsias. Also in vogue this year are “happy” primal colors that reflect optimism, a desire for change, and new beginnings.
Enticing Red, Tigereye and Global Tapestry Lifestyle collection, colors offered by one major paint manufacturer, are just a few examples of this year's spirited tones.
“Its [Global Tapestry’s] exotic hues weave together a brilliant patchwork of colors inspired by many regions, including Russia, East Asia, and Latin America,” says a company design specialist. “This collection dances a festive tango with bold shades of orange, red, gold and green; and also waltzes with balancing browns in roasted and sandy tones.”
Another leading paint firm, renowned for its historical shades, is introducing a paint color palette that is far from bashful. It's newest collection features St. Elmos Fire, a bright canary yellow that leaves nothing to the imagination. This color is paired with other sun-kissed hues such as a fuchsia they call Peony and a softer, yet still intense Wales Green.
“We just want to bring fun back into the home and that’s a big part of what we were looking at when we introduced the bright colors of 2009,” says the firm's senior manager of color and design. “It’s about a new optimism for 2009 – there are a lot of new beginnings – political changes, cultural changes – and we want to embrace those changes and express this through our color choices.”
The company has a group of creative people on staff who conducts national and international research, traveling constantly to trend and fashion shows around the world. Then, they discuss and compare what they’ve learned to come to a consensus about future color trends.
“It’s ongoing research,” says the senior manager. “Everyone in our group needs to feel connected about the colors we choose. When we introduce some of the brighter colors such as Peony and St. Elmos Fire, we know that some people will embrace those colors right away, while others won’t quite be ready. For these people, we know that we have to offer something like the Wales Green, still a bright color that’s full of energy and optimism, but toned down a bit to make it easier for them to embrace. We try to create a range for everyone.
“...we have a unique approach for examining color trends,” she continues. “We are trying to look further out so people can plan and think about how to bring color into their homes. We look beyond what’s happening in the home accessories market; we also look at economic movements, fashion, technology and political climates. How do these all come together to create a cultural association for society?”
The interconnection between haute couture fashion and home furnishings, which trail about a year behind, is another way to predict color trends. However, what looks good on the runway may not look good in your hallway. It is wise to consider the longevity of a color before accessorizing and painting your homes. No matter what colors you decide to incorporate, know that color trends, like fashion trends, are cyclical. This year’s bright fuchsia may surface again next year in a slightly different shade.
“In these trying economic times, most people aren’t looking to re-invent their entire home, but are looking for some way to refresh it,” she notes. “Bringing color into the home is one of the easiest ways to do that.
“Choosing a color is a very personal journey,” she adds. “We try to help people navigate that journey by highlighting colors that we believe are representative of the time.”
Another huge color influence this year is our desire to keep the earth “green.” The colors in nature have been inspiring people for thousands of years. The sky, earth, grass, leaves, and trees offer a span of pure, simple colors that are pleasing to the eye. For example, green – the actual color – is now acting as a neutral backdrop to some of this year’s more dramatic colors.
Many companies offer products that reflect the nation's current eco-friendly trend. The color green is "in" not just because it is synonymous with a desire to preserve the planet, but also because it's a very easy color for the eye to process because of where it sits in the color spectrum. Because it evokes a feeling of relaxation and calm, it makes us feel good and has become more and more popular in all variations.
Gray Matters
Another neutral that seems to be anchoring every color collection this year is gray. Designers say that gray is a very easy color to work with – it provides a neutral base that can mix with any color from the hard lines of white and black to vibrant reds and yellows so popular this year. The gray palette includes steel and stone grays, muted grays and dark, earthy grays.
“Gray is newer to the home palette, and it can be viewed as a more intense neutral color,” notes one professional adept at the art of color combination. “Gray makes it easier to see other colors if that makes sense. Some of the brighter colors are hard to process and gray makes a great background – it shows a truer rendition of the color you are looking at.”
David Bromstad, artist, designer and host of HGTV’s ColorSplash, frequently uses gray when designing because it blends with every single color.
“Gray is the new brown,” says Bromstad who designed his entire previous apartment in shades of gray. “I use gray a lot because it’s a neutral. Actually gray is the easiest color for the eye to look at because it’s calming and sometimes seems as if it isn’t even there.”
The danger in using gray is not selecting the right tone for the lighting in the room – sometimes you can end up getting a cold, industrial look. To avoid this look, (unless, of course, you want it) Bromstad, suggests pairing gray with something warm – either yellow or red.
Speaking of Yellow and Red…
Think Spanish, Mexican, Latino, and Dubai, think bright. While nature is the influence on this year’s neutrals, culture is the influence for a vivid, contrasting palette. These are dramatic colors that shout “look at me!” While no one is saying to paint your entire house a fire engine red, designers suggest incorporating these colors into your home through accent walls and accessories.
Another color that begs to be noticed is this year’s newest blue –teal. Its rich, jeweled undertones when paired with gray or even purple can provide an opulent feeling to any room. Don’t forget you can pair these colors with other bright colors for a trendy look or tone them down with neutrals to offer a pop of color.
Color can work wonders not only on your décor, but also on your mood as well. So this year, think change – think optimism.
Author Renee Houston Zemanski is not afraid of color and her walls show it. She often adds seasonal color to her home by changing out accessories.
Integrating the Rainbow
How to Select and Incorporate the “Right” Color into Your Space
Both of HGTV’s color experts – Constance Ramos and David Bromstad – agree that the color you surround yourself with should come from something that inspires you, whether that something be a vase, piece of sea glass, or a flower. The color of the inspiration piece should generate feelings that you want to live with day after day, whether they are feelings of peacefulness, restfulness, creativity, or energy.
Ramos, designer and host of HGTV’s Color Corrections, advises her clients to make note of the color surrounding them by noticing their environment, looking through magazines, looking at their closets and choosing what makes them feel good.
“Your color inspiration can come from anywhere,” she says. “It can come from your clothes, a great pair of shoes, a scarf, or a rock. When you enter a room or place that gives you the feeling you want, make a mental note of it and once you find it, integrate that color into your home, one room at a time. Don’t be afraid of color.”
Ramos says that while her clients aren’t necessarily afraid of color, they are usually fearful of exploring the new feeling that they may experience from adding a new color.
She explains: “I strongly believe that our response to color is an emotional one and it comes from our background, experiences and our culture. I think people’s biggest fear is knowing that they are going to feel something when they see a different color scheme. They are afraid to make a color commitment because they know it’s going to change the feeling of the room.”
For those reasons, Ramos suggests that people make a slow transition when adding color to their décor. Her advice: make a color impact by adding accessories such as art or throw pillows and place them at eye level.
“Your eye will generally rest in an area that is about 15 inches to five feet above the floor,” she explains. “The things you change in that level of space – throw pillows, art or other accessories – may have the greatest color impact for you.
So if you want to try a different feeling, gather some different colored accessories and place them in that space.”
Artist, designer and HGTV’s host of ColorSplash Bromstad agrees and adds, “You can also incorporate a new or trendy color into your home by painting an accent or feature wall. This way you can add a lot of impact with very little effort and money. Just have fun with it.”
www.carmichaellynchspong.com
lisa@veederperman.com
rzemanski@comcast.net
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interior design
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