Even if school just started, designers and trendsetters are busy putting out new ideas for 2008. Colors are one of the first trends to make an appearance and the colors are soft takes on last year’s palette of striking and bold statements, such as black and white and the soothing colors of nature. According to Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute paint expert, Deborah Zimmer, the color dictum could be “anything goes.”
“Consumers’ increasing color confidence and personal style makes any color fashionable for 2008,” Zimmer says. “From glass-like blues, botanical greens, dramatic black and white and whisper soft pink, color directions will drive towards individual self-expression, glamorous living experiences or an increasing awareness of important environmental causes.” Zimmer does have three particular favorites, though, and they are green, metallic, and crewel colors.
Go green
Like the environmental movement, green color keeps building momentum. Mixtures of green shades together will create a fresh environment. Zimmer even go so far as to call green the new neutral. Greens are especially good in kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas according to Zimmer. Greens reflect the continued move in the environment toward greater awareness and incorporating indoor and outdoor living spaces. To freshen up your green room, incorporate deeper and lighter shades of green together. If all that green is overwhelming, soften the tone with shades of brown, tan, and clear blue or aqua.
Try metallic
The stark contrast of last year’s black and white pairings are being toned down this year with the addition of metallic colors. To create contrast and interest in the black and white room, add color punches with animal prints, bright red, mirrors, and crystal. Key to the relief of the stark contrast in a black and white room is the shine and sheen that metallic colors bring. Paint a ceiling gold or silver for an interesting twist. Another key to high contrast? High texture. Texture is a decorator’s secret. A nubby pillow, a cut pile carpet, and other highly textural finishes bring tactile and visual interest to the room.
Zimmer recommends these colors for the master bedroom and living room because these rooms do best with the formality and sophistication of metallic colors. A coat of white paint on the walls, some black shades on crystal lamps and silver rimmed mirrors could create a cool, elegant bedroom with high style.
Get cozy
The coming year will also see more vibrancy in colors that Zimmer defines as crewel colors. These colors are the deep cranberry and gold found in your grandmother’s afghan. It could be called “cruel” colors because getting that color of cranberry just right might test your paint mixer’s professional abilities. The crewel colors are the warm colors of fall, such as orange, coffee brown, cranberry red, and rich ochre.
The colors Zimmer says are a reflection of home and home crafts. Bring these into the kitchen and family room with throws, woven textured throw pillows, and perhaps a rug. In the kitchen, add towels, napkins and placemats in these colors to spice up the look. Because these colors are intense, they should be used sparingly. They’re good options for accent walls, accessories, and powder rooms where time spent in these colors is limited.
The beauty of any new color is that it can create an instant update to a home. A quick splash of paint on the wall can lift a room and make it more current. Most likely, one of the colors for the coming year might even be in one of the shades of your curtains or furnishings already. Try a splash of something new – it might lift you, too.
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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Real Home E-Zine, the Internet newsletter with real home advice, tips, and ideas for cooking, gardening, cleaning, and decorating for real families. Subscribers receive this FREE report, The 10 Habits that Help You Keep Your House Cleaner. For more information log on to www.kathryn-weber.com.
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