Color '09
Trends You Can Spot
Last week I attended Design San Francisco at SFO Design Center. It is an annual trade show featuring industry leader keynote speakers, seminars and new design collections. One of the seminars I attended was the 2009 Color Trends sponsored by Benjamin Moore Paints. It was infomative and timely as Pantone had just announced their 2009 Color of the Year.

Most of the major paint companies do color forecasts and Pantone's choice of Mimosa (pictured above) is a comment on the economic uncertainty and anxiety that our nation is feeling. It could not be a brighter, happier, sunnier shade of yellow optimism. Yellow in general is a warm and nurturing color but this one takes it over the top.

Mimosa is bright but most other colors forecasted are going in a less intense direction. Gray is going to play a major role in all industries. Mary Hoffman, of Benjamin Moore, attended the auto trade show in Detroit, and said the auto industry is showing matte gray paint colors as one of their strong new colors. Is it me or is that a commentary on the auto industry right now? I love gray for interiors. It is the perfect neutral and can be warmed up or cooled down. The new smoky purples will look fresh with gray along with neon greens, pinks and black.

Better Homes & Gardens

The internet has made our world so much smaller and global influence will continue to be a trend. We were intoruduced to the red and gold of China during the Summer Olympics and will continue to be influenced as people travel around the world. Dunn-Edwards, a paint company, has said that "emerging markets and global influencers in this theme include Dubai, with its ornate, luxurious styles; Africa, with its darkened shades and exotic textures; and India, showcasing its native beautiful colors." Think about the recent influence of "Bollywood" and Slumdog Millionaire" (fabulous movie) and notice as colors like rose, Dijon yellow, deep taupe and Mediterranean blue start appearing. Reds will have a hint of orange with a Latin American accent.

Sherwin Williams

Another trend is for something Benjamin Moore calls "personal imprint" and Dunn-Edwards calls "graffiti n goth". It is a younger, edgier mix of colors that you wouldn't expect together that expresses individuality. It is meant to be something very personal and diverse, like tattoos. It's an update of the 60's psychedelic colors (it reminds me of the Partridge Family bus...i hope i'm not dating myself) and is influenced by the Japanese anime art style.

Sherwin Williams Techno Color

One trend that is no longer a trend but a mainstream influence is eco-friendly style. The trend to stay "local" and conserve our resources will only increase as issues like water become even more important. Handmade items, raw textures and natural fibers will continue to be popular. The colors reflecting this trend are khaki greens, grays, deep and icy blues, organic greens, white and off-whites.

Better Homes & Gardens

Color has such an effect on our bodies, both physically and psychologically. We are attracted to certain colors by personal experience or cultural influence. We know that color can stimulate, excite, depress, calm, increase appetite and create a feeling of warmth or coolness. Pantones' Psychology of Color says that people gamble more and make riskier bets when seated under a red light as opposed to a blue light. Think about that the next time you're in a casino and pay attention to how your mood is influenced or when you are driving by a yard full of yellow daffodils and you can't help but smile.

So whether you're thinking about painting a room or just changing your room accents, the color trends will be influencing our world of fashion, interiors and the cars you drive in 2009 and beyond. If you're a blue lover, hang in there because 2010 will see much more blue in our color palettes.

Happy coloring...

Michele