More about color.....

I recently took part in a Pantone webinar and learned about the spring/summer 2011 color forecast.  The palettes are very similar to the Leatrice Eiseman presentation I attended a few weeks ago.  For me, and maybe for you, it's important to reiterate the many and varied influences on the palettes for the upcoming seasons:

• Environmental Preservation - 70% of consumers support companies dedicated to preservation of the environment
• Plastics - reuses of it in new, unusual ways  - see some of Anthropologie's window displays fashioned from recycled plastic
• Sustainability
• "Re" words - Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse
• Wellness and de-stressing
• Food, in particular the fresh, wonderful items found in local farmer's markets
• Africa - its colors and textures will be more and more evident
• Anime - the super vivid colors will translate to products

So, what I'm taking from all of this is that greens will become a staple for a neutral palette; brights are here to stay for a while;  calm, muted tones will be important, too; warm tones and interesting textures will be strong; and metallics in paint and fabric will be huge!

Color Trends 2010/11

Many factors are influencing color trends now: our kitchen-centric lives, ecology, sustainability, global perspectives, and – high def TV!  We are so used to seeing the clear, crisp, saturated colors on our TV sets that it’s translating to more intense hues being found on our products.  
I just attended two different color forecasting seminars, one presented by Leatrice Eisemann of the Pantone Color Institute and the other by Parker Paint/Comex.

Pantone’s forecast was much broader (9 different palettes!) and, admittedly, intended for cross purposes: fashion, industrial products, even cars; Parker’s had 4 different palettes, and, being paint, is more geared toward shelter and furniture.  A common thread of both is the dichotomy between the organic world and the high tech world.  Both of them feature brighter palettes and lots of metallic, purple, greys, and green (even avocado) – where they diverge is Pantone’s generous use of Mauve.  Not the pale, greyed-out mauve we remember from the 80’s (ugh) but a more vibrant, intense tone.  Here’s the lowdown for 2010/11:

Pantone View Home 2010 Palettes

-         Greenmarket:  Think organic  – eggplant, avocado, heirloom tomatoes, wine, spices 

-         Resourceful: Natural world – aqua sky, ochre earth, deep rust – all mixed with orange and orchid

-         Transformations: Romantic – pink, beige, mauve, clear minty green, grays, gold

-         Ambiance:  Understated – pastels mixed with grey, deep black/brown, clear sky blue

-         Gatherings: African-inspired – warm, natural colors with a pop of mauve

-         Galaxy:  Night sky – deep blues and greens with gold and silver metallic

-         High Definition: Clear, saturated color – black, white & grey with purple, fuchsia, gold, and silver

-         Pastiche: Japanese anime-inspired – bright gold, pink, blue, Mimosa yellow (Pantone’s color of the year for 2009), with brown and grey added to the mix

-         Tinged Neutrals: Always a good bet – these, however, have a little twist with the addition of champagne iridescence, sage, and grey

Parker Paint/Comex 2010/11 Palettes

-         Fresh Revolution:  Neutral – very similar to Pantone’s Tinged Neutrals with greys, silver sage, and celery/kiwi green

-         Organic Imitation: Green, purple, metallic gold & silver with a jolt of deep teal and fuchsia

-         Reinvented Bloom: Brights with black, putty, sand, and a little sky blue thrown in for quirkiness

-         Glocal Mix: Ice cream shades - warm weather inspirations - along with faded out red/white/blue, with milk chocolate

These palettes are simply guidelines, not hard and fast “rules”.  Some of the most interesting and fresh color combinations I saw were purple/avocado and burnt orange/turquoise (Pantone color of the year for 2010!).

The most important thing is to use color that inspires and that you love!

Color

Note:  This post was first published September, 2009 in the blog: Piacenza Design........


The September issue of House Beautiful is devoted to color.  In addition to some absolutely fabulous homes (!) that are amazingly bold and very beautiful, there’s a fun, interactive section called “What’s your COLOR personality?” 

In it, you’ll find a reading list, a color numerology quiz, (I’m Yellow – who knew?  “Cheerful, charming, magnetic, intelligent, confident, creative.  Somewhat psychic, and enigmatic.  A good leader and negotiator”  hmmmmm… )  and loads of other fun, informative, and interactive mini articles.

For those of you with iPhones, you’ll find a list of really cool color applications to download. For the spiritually-guided, there's a link to a website about angels and their particular color affinities......

It’s well worth it to pick up a copy of the magazine and/or browse it online ... House Beautiful

Color is an interesting thing:  intensely personal, emotional, and transformative.  How many times have you picked up a paint brush to update the color of a room, and then - stood back in awe at the change?  It's a great feeling.

As a designer, color is a passion.  It’s an inspirational moment when a color palette is decided upon with a client - and then the fun begins!