What will the top color trends be in 2011? What’s driving those trends? According to Color Marketing Group, the leading international association of color design professionals, colors—like our thoughts about the future—are slightly more reserved, with an eye turned towards revitalizing the economy. No great changes, but a continuation and strengthening of several trends that have been around or emerging over the last year
So what’s in store – and in stores – for 2011? According to CMG:
Blue is here to stay
From deep, mysterious, and spiritual to bright and crystal clear, blue butts in on purple attempting to take us in a new color direction. A hue for all seasons, the trend for blue ranges with variations from blue-green to blue to blue-violet, light to dark, dull to shiny. The blue-greens add a tad of excitement to an otherwise calming and relaxing monochromatic palette. Slightly toned down, the rich peacock blues bring a touch of luxury to color schemes.Simply white
Current color combinations include white plus any other color trend. Timeless accessories, from picture frames to pillows, with unique forms are embellished in pearl and gloss. These lustrous finishes practically beg you to notice the attention to design and detail, not the color. Layering whites in varied textures and materials within an interior promotes the depth that spans the blanket of the white palette including clean whites, dirty whites, warm and cool whites. Incorporating a sheer transparency in fabrics adds a light, airy, uplifting sense of style.Neutral... ish. Call them "complex neutrals"
There is an attraction to the more complex neutrals (the colors you can’t pin down with a single word- described as bluish, greenish, gray or pinkish beige), which signals a higher level of sophistication and sensitivity to color. This newfound ‘awareness’ isn’t limited to the neutrals. Collectively (whether recognized or not) color is being used more confidently. As a ground for unexpected combinations the new neutrals are subdued, intriguing, and complex.Revisited Roots
Sturdy, sustainable materials both raw and refined fill our desire to be eco‐conscience consumers. Wood, rock, flax, and cotton, among other resources in our environment, provide design direction for furniture, fabrics, finishes, and even surfaces while keeping the main focus on the natural splendor. From eat to sleep, natural products of all kinds are offered in the market place for any space in a home, in practically any color.
Color Marketing Group forecasts color trends up to three years into the future for its members, many of whom must plan ahead for product, space and materials introductions. For more information: www.colormarketing.org.
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