2019 Colors of the Year: Nature Meets Technology

The 2019 Color of the Year picks span the spectrum but there are two main themes: encapsulating nature and harnessing high tech.

Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral
Pantone is seeking to do both this year with it’s top color pick called Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral, a playful yet nurturing shade plucked from the coral reefs.

pantone coty 2019 living coral collage blog size
above: tile, Home Depot; shoes and clutch, Sole Divas; natural coral necklace, Betteridge; Wellingtons, The Hunt; Spring 2019 RTW Elisibetta Franchi, Vogue; nail polish, Ulta Beauty; bowls, Anthropologie; Fabric, Kravet; Living Coral, Pantone; gerber daisy, Fifty Flowers; penny round tiles, Wits End Mosaic; ribbon trim, Kravet; Lace Heels, Selfridges; cutting board, Bed Bath & Beyond

A smidgen too vivid to be pastel and a bit too soft to be classified with the brights, Living Coral finds a unique home for itself somewhere between the two just as it does nestled in the watery depths of soft blue waters and bright marine life. Referencing our emersion in social media and our need to find relief from the stress of the same, The Pantone Color Institute says Living Coral is “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge. …Representing the fusion of modern life, Pantone Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.”

This is a perfect shade for pops of color in neutral interiors, mixing particularly well with grays. It’s a bold choice as wall color but brave souls can enjoy a cheerful room with neutral furnishings inside coral walls. We especially love the Kravet fabrics designed around Pantone’s COTY for gorgeous chairs, throw pillows and curtains. Check out our pinterest board for more ways to incorporate Living Coral into your everyday life.

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan AF-690
Benjamin Moore, one of America’s leaders in paint and stains, picked a sophisticated, versatile silvery-gray called Metropolitan AF-690 as their 2019 Color of the Year.

benjamin moore coty 2019 metropolitan collage blog size
above: chair, West Elm; throws, Target; paint, Benjamin Moore; tile, Tile Bar; Michael Kors purse, Rachel Ray cookware, and round pillow, Macy’s; mosaic tile, All Modern; Michael Kors bootie, Macy’s; Fitbit and Uggs, Nordstrom

This shade is comfortable and soothing with just enough pop to look glamorous in contemporary and modern designs. According to an interview with Architectural Digest, the color guru’s at Benjamin Moore take the yearly pulse of the globe to decide on their COTY. This year the theme they discovered time and again was “pause,” reflecting a longing for stepping back from the hurry-scurry to immerse in needed moments of quiet. The slight hint of silver seems to evoke a heartbeat of high-tech just behind calm in this nuanced gray.

Gray has been popular in both interior design and fashion for several years now and is highly adaptable to many color schemes and styles. Check out our pinterest board for ways to use Metropolitan AF-690 in your new year.

The Go-To Blues
If blues are your go-to color choice, several of the top brands are singing your tune.

blues collage2
above: towels, Nordstrom; tile, Tile Bar; pillow sham, JCPenney; dishes, Crate and Barrel; knit throw, Macy’s; high back arm chair, Article; peacock pillow, Pier1; wallpaper, Graham & Brown; round chair, Jonathan Adler;

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, selected a pretty, light blue called Reflecting Pool they describe as a versatile color that is fun and elegant.

Behr, another industry leader, chose a muted, medium blue they named Blueprint S470-5. An “honest, approachable color” inspired by architectural blueprints, Behr says Blueprint “creates a space where you can build your own reimagined life” and is a calls to action. It evokes honest labor and industrial and metropolitan themes. A versatile interior design color choice, muted blues are popular cabinet colors, especially in kitchens. See ways to use Blueprint on our pinterest board.

Diamond Vogel chose a nearly navy shade called DaySpa. Inspired by nature, mind and body, Diamond Vogel calls this a “deep, introspective” blue. This is a fabulous color for exterior doors and shutters. Navy is gaining popularity in home design in recent years. Most cabinet manufacturers have painted cabinets in gorgeous navy shades.

If you prefer a more dramatic blue, Kelly-Moore Paints named the vibrant Peacock Blue as their top pick. Graham & Brown chose a knockout teal called Tiru taken from the backdrop of the Tori wallpaper and inspired by the Kabuki trend, a classical Japanese drama-dance with a bold color palette.

Going Green
The color of nature and balance, green will always resonate as a soothing, restorative color. A few of the paint brands are going green in 2019.

Greens collage blog size2
above: dark green tile, Tile Bar; chair, Anthropologie; dishes, Pottery Barn; green penny round tile, Tile Bar; blanket, Hayneedle; geometric pillow, Society6

PPG Paints chose a dark, nearly black green called Nightwatch PPG1145-7 that they describe as lush and luxurious inspired by the healing power of nature. Just a couple shades lighter, Annie Sloan Paint selected a deep green called Amsterdam Green inspired by the painted shutters and doors of Amsterdam. Both of these deep greens work well as accent colors. Check out more ways to use PPG Nightwatch on our pinterest board.

Dutch Boy Paints selected a botanical green called Garden Patch 326-5DB to offer “rejuvenation and peace” in our homes. We’ve found lots of ways for you to use Garden Patch on our pinterest board.

Saddle Up with the Naturals
Several of the paint brands selected top picks that evoke the desert, terracotta and clay, natural caverns, rich spices and sunsets. Saddle up for a trail ride to the more rugged side of nature.

Naturals collage blog size3
above: throw, West Elm; tile, Pratt and Larson; multi pillow, Pottery Barn; copper pillow, West Elm; terracotta bowl, One Kings Lane; pink waffle throw, West Elm; round pillow and faux fur throw, Macy’s; natural fiber pillow and pink pillow, Pottery Barn; hexagon tile, Fire Clay Tile

Dunn-Edwards top pick, Spice of Life DET439, was inspired by the adventurous, exciting, flavorful aspects of an authentic life. Things like spice-markets, the American West, and even exploring the red planet, Mars. It’s exotic, yet folksy. It’s a desire to be rooted deep in the earth instead of lost in technology. Check out ways to use Spice of Life on our pinterest board.

Sherwin-Williams chose a warm terracotta called Cavern Clay SW 7701 they describe as midcentury modern meets the American Southwest. This earthy color, inspired by beaches, canyons and deserts, can be refined or casual. See ways to incorporated this color into your life on our pinterest board.

Pratt & Lambert chose a soft pinky terracotta called Earthen Trail 4-26 from their Preserve palette inspired by the softer side of plains, deserts, and sunsets.

The color experts at Dulux wanted a color to “reflect the new positive mood of the moment” that was versatile enough to be either soothing or vibrant. They chose Spiced Honey based on the color of natural honey for a cozy yet sophisticated neutral. It also blends beautifully with our desert naturals.

Ace Hardware did something fun with it’s Clark + Kensington paint line – they held a contest for customers to mix their own shades and submit them for 2019 Color of the Year. The winning color, Pineapple Cream Granita, was created by a New Jersey native Francine C. at her local Ace Hardware store. It’s a creamy neutral that pairs well with our naturals. Good job Francine!

Fashion Week 2014: Fashion Trends in Home Decor

It’s Fashion Week in New York City! Models are strutting down the runways showing off the 2014 spring lines of the best designers in the world. Besides showing up on clothing racks everywhere, you can already see these hot new trends in home décor.

Sleek black set against crisp white is cropping up everywhere, especially in the hip new line by designer Ralph Lauren (click here to see more of his spring line). Black and white room décor is just as popular! You can see this trendy porch and other black and white rooms here.

Black and White

50 shades of gray? At least! Gray is a sophisticated staple of many of the spring lines, like this shiny, body-skimming ensemble by designer Sonia Rykiel. Designing entire rooms in various shades of gray is a growing trend too, like this elegant living room.

grays

You will be seeing lots of sharp, geometric patterns as well as bold color combinations, like this bright orange and navy combo by designer Stella Jean and these chevron embroidered zigzag pillow covers from Pottery Barn.

orange and navy

These sassy, 80s inspired heels with geometric cutouts are one of many such designs in the Balmain spring line by Olivier Rousteing. Furniture and lighting designer David Trubridge a similar theme in his line of cutout pendant lights, like this one.

cutouts2

Written words were are a common site in many of the spring lines, designer Raf Simons’ use of cryptic word art in the Christian Dior line. Written words continue to be in-vogue accent items in home décor too, like this pillow cover from Pottery Barn.

written words

That’s just a peek at the newest trends – check out more of the latest in fashion and home décor on my pinterest page.

Deep Purple

Purple was once so expensive it was available only to the very wealthy. Do you love rich purple hues but don’t know how to use them in your home? What goes with purple anyway? Nature has some brilliant ideas!

OK, you’re thinking, but I have to actually live with this color – you know, INSIDE the house.

Here are some surprisingly livable uses of the boldest purples.

  • Elegant Sitting Room

    • Dark violet chairs in crushed velvet make a statement in this elegant sitting room. White accessories in soft textures with silver accents make this a room where you could comfortably relax with your best friends and still feel like royality.

  • Cozy Living Room

    • Can you really mix purple with orange anywhere besides sport’s uniforms? This room pulls it off with a cozy charm. Warm, muted shades of orange and gold are offset by dark plum and pulled together by white trim.

  • Exquisite Dining Room

    • Here intense red, chocolate, eggplant and berry blend together smoothly against a patterned wallpaper of dark and light purples to create a chic dining experience.

  • Splendid Steam Shower

    • The violet-tiled arched ceiling is the crowning touch to this luxurious steam shower that blends purples, blues and white.

Is it time to move purple to the top of your color palette?

Color in Religion

Color is significant in many aspects of our lives, including the religious ones.

Here are some interesting facts about what color signifies in various religions:

Buddhists strive to reach the state of Nirvana which is also called “rainbow body” and Hindus celebrate Holi, their spring festival of colors.

Holi - Hindu Fesitval of Colors (NBCNews.com)

  • Red symbolizes blood, fire and life force in Buddhism. In Christianity and Judaism it represents sin as well as blood and fire. In Hinduism, red signifies both sensuality and purity and is the common color of bridal saris and the clothing of brave dieties.
  • Saffron, the burnt-orange color worn by Hindu holy men, represents fire and burning away of impurities in Hinduism. Saffron is also worn by Buddhist monks in India (though in other Asian regions Buddhist monks wear a variety of colors including yellow, brown, dark red, purple, grey and black).

  • Yellow is an auspicious color signifying knowledge, learning, happiness, peace, victory and chastity in Hinduism. Unmarried Hindu girls often wear yellow clothes.
  • Green is the primary color of Islam. Some believe it symbolizes life while others say it was Muhammad’s favorite color. The Qur’an states that green is the color of garments in paradise. In Christianity, green is used to represent rebirth and Christ’s triumph of life over death.
  • Blue is the most common color associated with Judaism, most notably in the decorations of Hanukkah. It represents the sapphire stone of the tablets of the 10 Commandments, as well as water, the sky and kindness. Tekhelet, a dark indigo blue, is always included in the threads of the prayer shawl.

  • Purple is the color of wealth and royalty in Judaism and Christianity. It is also the traditional color of Advent and Lent for many Christians. It is associated with penitence and mourning over Christ’s death on the cross. In Hinduism, purple is the color of the crown chakra.
  • White represents purity, innocence and holiness in Christianity. Judaism also uses white to represent purity as well as air and mercy. In Hinduism white symbolizes purity, cleanliness, peace, knowledge, energy and mourning. Queen Maya, mother of Buddha, is said to have dreamt of a white elephant that is believed to have been Buddha descending from heaven to be born.