Color Your World

The 2010 color forecast features many diverse  and versatile palettes, ranging from cool, soft and subdued hues to rich, earthy tones — and this year they’re staying around a while unlike most trends on the runway.

“The 2010 color forecast is about simplifying our complex lives, embracing what is important to us and rediscovering our roots as well as the roots of age-old cultures to look for inspiration to move forward,” explains Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.

The 2010 color forecast features many diverse  and versatile palettes, ranging from cool, soft and subdued hues to rich, earthy tones — and this year they're staying around a while unlike most trends on the runway.

“The 2010 color forecast is about simplifying our complex lives, embracing what is important to us and rediscovering our roots as well as the roots of age-old cultures to look for inspiration to move forward,” explains Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.

There's definitely a lot of talk about energetic, feel-good accent colors like yellow, pink and orange paired with “new” neutrals like green and gray, which emerged on the market last year. Benjamin Moore's 2010 color line, New Beginnings, also represents colors that are versatile, make sense and are good for the environment. “We're thinking optimism,” says Sonu Mathew, senior interior designer for Benjamin Moore & Co. “[Our] Cedar Green has a yellow cast to it, which brings in optimism to brighten up a ‘green' world. It [Cedar Green] symbolizes new growth and is an emblem of new ideas and concepts.” When paired with a subdued red or blue, great spaces literally come out of the woodwork. But no matter which colors you put inside your home, be sure they fit your personality. “People should paint with hues they are most attracted to,” says Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert for The Paint Quality Institute, and that's advice that never goes out of style.

With 2010 underway, push aside the world's chaos and clutter and add a little sunshine to your life, go green — literally — or pair the combination together to create a cheerful atmosphere with minimal effort.

A House of a Different Color

Here are a few colors and combos that experts say are extra ‘hot' this year. Take a chance, if you want, and splash some on your walls or furniture.

“I believe for broad wall areas, a gray hue (like Cathedral Gray from Dutch Boy) is going to really be used,” Debbie says. “It's a fresh take on a neutral, it's new and modern, and it works with a variety of decorating styles.” Sometimes, she says, you just crave color, which is why she recommends pairing gray with yellow for a bright, sunny disposition and green to represent sustainability. Also, you can freshen up your entrance with a cheery yellow or create a cool, calm environment by covering your living or dining room in green.

Dee Schlotter, brand manager for The Voice of Color for PPG Pittsburgh Paints, agrees with combining warm, cool grays and beiges with vibrant accent colors for a refreshing look. Watch for accent colors Salsa Diane and Forsythia Blossom, “a clean, startling yellow,” Dee says. “It's a reaction to everything going on in the world — this color is a total contradiction to that because it's bright and cheery; you can't help but smile.” She also recommends using a dark chocolate brown with a dark pink this year, or throw in an accent color or two with a brown/black combination.

“It's about small changes that are meaningful,” Sonu says. Cedar Green represents Mother Nature, so you're bringing the outside in, as Sonu explains it. It also acts as a balance to all other colors since it sits in the middle of the rainbow, or color spectrum. It pairs nicely with Midnight Navy and Claret Rose.

“Caribbean Coral is a very beautiful dusty coral that brings a softened antiquity to our interiors but is also very versatile and can be paired with rich browns, dusty blues and yellow-infused green,” Jackie says. It looks good in a master bedroom or, better yet, a living room with off-whites, grays and a splash of yellow-green.

“Oceanside is a deep teal blue that has water references but also has a hint of mystery as well,” Jackie says. “This is a fashion color right now, and we are seeing it emerge in commercial interiors and will make its way into residential interiors.” Consider this color in your master bedroom with grays to achieve a subtle, relaxing atmosphere or to “evoke a tribal essence using rich reds, deep ambers and dark browns,” she adds.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of Kansas City Homes & Gardens.