Color
Trends: Defining the 2003 Trends
 According
to color experts, consumers will focus on colors that add
comfort to their home decor in 2003. Closely associated with
the trend toward “cocooning”, this year homeowners
are striving to transform their living spaces into soothing
havens and getaways. Consumer color preference studies have
recently demonstrated that blue continues to be the nations
most popular color choice, followed by green. Although various
shades and intensities of blues and greens are favored by
men and women, both colors portray a cool atmosphere that
appears indicative of today’s uncertain economic and
political times.
Regardless of whether you prefer bright shades that generate
excitement, calming colors that depict a restful ambience
or neutrals that lend balance to a space, the 2003 palette
highlights more complex hues containing shades that are often
mixed together to produce exciting colors. Special effect
finishes and hand painted techniques continue to create unique
and innovative achievable looks that can be incorporated by
do-it-yourselfers within their own homes.
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Use Fall's 2002 Color
Palette to Highlight Surfaces with Paint!
The
popularity of do-it-yourself decorating has made information
on color trends and decorating techniques — once available
only to professional interior designers — accessible
to everyone. Just turn on the television, or pick up a magazine
or newspaper, and you’re bound to find tips on choosing
and using color to turn a bland house into a personality-filled
home.
This autumn’s color palette is all about natural, organic
tones that can stand on their own. Or, as many are classified
as “updated neutrals”, these hues can be incorporated
into existing color groupings in a harmonious manner. There
are endless ways to weave the fashionable colors of this fall
season into the home space.
Taking center stage, up to the minute tones include earthy
favorites such as sand, wheat, brick red. Spicy cinnamon,
rich chocolate, mustard yellow, burnt orange and deep burgundy
all evoke a bolder version of classic fall favorites. Also
in the limelight, metallics are no longer reserved for the
holidays and are making a splash in colorations such as burnished
copper, shimmering pewter and antique bronze.
Consider adding touches of fall’s most exciting hues
to various surfaces throughout the home. Wall coverings, ceilings,
flooring, furnishings and trims can all benefit from a small
slice of the unexpected! Interesting hand painted patterns
and special effect designs can emphasize welcoming seasonal
themes with the creative use of paint!
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Defining the 2002 Trends
Every year, certain colors are said to be “in” and
others “out.” Through at least 2002, colors are
predicted to remain lively, happy and fun. Color experts are
celebrating the return to more vibrant color after years of
predominance by beiges, grays and muddy greens. Today, it’s
rare to see drab tones used in home decorating. Instead, much
cleaner tones are popular — colors like fiery orange-red;
watery ice blue, and crisp, grassy green.
 Got
the Blues
Forecasts indicate that the most prevalent color for decorating
in the coming year will be blue...blue in every imaginable
tint, tone and shade, from deep cobalt to very pale baby blue.
These colors will be seen on appliances, carpeting, furniture
and accessories, as well as in the newest paint palettes.
Blue has taken the place of green as the king of colors, for
both sociological and environmental reasons. The psychology
behind the two colors is similar — they both invoke a
sense of calm. But blue (which, according to one recent study,
was identified by 35 percent of respondents as their favorite
color), conveys more of a sense of purity. Thus, water-inspired
blues, like aqua and sea-foam, are getting a lot of attention.
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 Red
All Over
Another color making its way to the forefront is red. Not
fire engine red, but the dramatic crimson of a juicy pomegranate.
These reds can be used as a wall color to dominate a room
and lend a sense of intimacy, or as an accent to give lively
punch to an otherwise plain space.
 The
Neutral Zone
When most people hear the term “neutral color,”
they think “off-white.” But today, there is a new
type of “neutral” color that doesn’t fit the
traditional definition, yet serves the same purpose. The hot
color that is replacing traditional neutrals is very pale...yellow!
Light tints of yellow harmonize well with the other colors
on the 2002 palette — and also bring in a fresh, pure
look that is much more visually interesting than off-white.
Pure bright white is also back in vogue. It’s crisp and
clean, and works well with most of the current popular colors.
Jet black is popping up as an accent color.
The
Last Word
When deciding on a color scheme, keep in mind that color trends
can vary from region to region, and may change from year to
year. So while it’s helpful to use the trends as guidelines,
remember to select colors that you find attractive.
Of course, the choice of color is not the end of the story.
Once settled on a color scheme, a very important decision
remains: purchasing the right paint for the job. In this case,
however, the choice is rather simple. Since you’ve put
so much time and effort into choosing a color, you will want
your paint job to continue to look freshly painted, and last
a long time. That important balancing act is best achieved
by applying a top quality acrylic latex paint, the
smart interior paint choice that will generally provide the
most durable and best-looking paint job possible. •
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