Colour – 2011 Review

Since 2010 is almost over, sorry, I thought it would be good idea to review the colour trends for next year.   This is a perfect time to review your colours, change things up and add some fresh colour into your decor.

Remember that the overall theme that dominates next year is Harmony and Balance.

Here are the 4 colour stories:

1. The Farm – Being rooted.  Nurture and going back to nature.  Recycling. Thrifty cuisine. Healthy, no preservative food.  Home on the range.  Rooftop cocktail parties. Hay. Burlap. Milk. Bovine. Chicken. Eggs. Yarn and Rope. Patchwork.  Gingham. Unfinished weaves. Terra firma.  Beautiful produce.  Soil.  Oak.  Country. Organic.  And yes, macramé is back!  I’ve seen this everywhere from fashion to home décor this year.  See more here.

2. Order – Whether it’s the unpredictability of the weather, to the many wars in different parts of the world; we are forced to prioritize and bring order to our lives. We are seeing, geometrics, dots and circles in arrays, stacking and outlining. Shelving; Patchwork; Structure; Form; Shelving; Stripes; Pixels; Polka-dots; Circles; Geometrics; Fractals; Cubes; Anti-throwawayism; Less is more; Definition. See more here.

3. Escape –  Unlike ORDER, where the lines, spaces and colours were defined and contained in distinct forms and shapes, ESCAPE is the opposite; forms flow freely and organically.  Colours are pale, soft, frosted and opalescent.  Fantasy; Surreal; Dreamlike; Meditation; Blurred; Humour and Whimsy; Perceived Perfection; It’s Not What It Seems; 1950’s Perfect Perception. See more here.

4. Tribe – Creating new balance; relationships; female influence – the axis of change; connections and nurturing; social consciousness; rebirth of creativity; art & science; communal; cooperatives; cultural fusion; ethnic glam. Pattern on pattern; handwork; patchwork; abstract animal-skin patterning; maps; African textures and prints.  See more here.

Be a trend setter. Pick the colour story that suits you and shake things up in your decor.

It can be as simple as changing your drapery, pillows and throws or as involved as repainting your room or renovating your kitchen.  Whatever you decide, just do something.  It will not only make you happy but will keep you healthy.

Cheers!

Read Full Post »

Eye Spy…COLOUR FORECAST 2011

Good morning everyone.

This is the introduction to a 4 part series, highlighting what color forecasters are predicting for 2011.  Color forecasters play an incredibly important part in driving our style from year to year.  All industries, from the auto industry to fabric, fashion, paint, furniture and basically any product; rely on color forecasting to predict what consumers will be looking for in the products that they will buy.  And everyone pays attention when Benjamin Moore announces their Color Pulse predictions.  So, fresh off the presses and before most other designers are aware…. I present the color themes for 2011.

Next year, the overall theme that permeates all color stories is BALANCE and HARMONY.   Being a Libra, I couldn’t be more thrilled by this.   Balance is what I strive for in every aspect of my life and I try to instill this in my design work with clients. We will be reassessing our lifestyles and taking long-term viewpoints.  We will be reverting to basic values of family and home.  And we will be looking to embrace the joys and appreciating the simple things in life.

As the experts describe: “Sorting the real from the surreal defines priorities that drive the direction for 2011, as it gives us a chance to dream of the future.”  From the rural influences to urban application, BALANCE is supported by 4 themes.

The first of which is The Farm.

Being rooted.  Nurture and going back to nature.  Recycling. Thrifty cuisine. Healthy, no preservative food.  Home on the range.  Rooftop cocktail parties. Hay. Burlap. Milk. Bovine. Chicken. Eggs. Yarn and Rope. Patchwork.  Gingham. Unfinished weaves. Terra firma.  Beautiful produce.  Soil.  Oak.  Country. Organic.  And yes, macramé is back!

These are the words that describe the color direction of the Farm theme.   Have you noticed these trends already showing up in décor, coloring and lifestyles?

I have.  And I’ll reveal the color palette that goes with it on Friday!

Cheers!

Read Full Post »