Well, dear readers I hope you have all enjoyed the holiday weekend! The fourth of July is always a great holiday. Not only as a way of celebrating our country’s birth, but also in celebrating the summer. And who doesn’t love pulling out the red, white and blue to decorate everything from cupcakes to twinkling patio lights? It’s just not the 4th of July without those colors!
So, what are the “in” colors? As a designer it’s really a question I hate because there isn’t a simple answer. I usually respond- “what colors do you like?” Generally, there will be some representation of those colors in the current “in” colors. Color forecast companies research color trends and report on the multitude of colors that will be popular for a particular year. Here’s a quick synopsis of Benjamin Moore’s (one of my favorite paint companies) 2011 Color Forecast: They classify 4 color trends for 2011-
- Farm- the “nature and nurture” category with black & white cow prints, milky whites, buttery yellows, neutral cheese colors ( I didn’t make that up), warm naturals, food colors- like oranges, organic greens, chocolates with butter and orange, and chocolate with acidic yellow and greens.
- Order- the back to color basics category with primary
Charcoal greys colors mixed with black, whites and grey tones, a spectrum of reds (meaning from blue-reds like burgundy to yellow-reds like tomato) color combinations of grey with yellow and pink, greys with white and blue
- Escape- the “fantasy” category with
Pale pinks elegant, feminine colors like dusty pink, water colors, cloud whites, rosy natural hues, darkened camels, jades, black with lavender and iced greens, pearlized finishes and powdery, surreal and translucent tones.
- Tribe- the “community” category with colors pulled from
Water colors ethnic sources. Rich saffron and cinnamon, tangerine, fuschia, browned and blackened berry colors and the colors of fire and water.
So again, I ask you: What are your favorite colors? Do you see any in these categories that speak to you, excite you, or intrigue you? If you can’t put your finger on your favorite colors- look at your wardrobe. What colors of clothes always get compliments when you wear them? Which colors do you feel best wearing? Chances are pretty good that you’ll find some that will be fabulous in your home as well!
Here’s my design challenge to you: Tell me what your favorite colors are and why- do they remind you of great summer holidays, the sand and water colors of your favorite retreat on St. Barth’s, the pastel colors of homes in Lake Como? Let’s make our own color forecast for 2011 based on the most popular colors! Oh, and feel free to come up with your own descriptive names for them!