Sneak Peek – 2011 Color Trends

By Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions and Buttoned Up’s Home Expert

A sneak peek at color trends for 2011, courtesy of Sherwin Williams. Take a look at these offerings, some of which still look familiar, and see which is your favorite.

GENTLE MEDLEY ~ FRESH. AIRY. INNOCENT.

Hard times call for soft colors: the hint of green in a spring leaf bud; the chalky blush of a seashell; the time-etched beauty of a vintage fabric or photograph. Fashion has turned a romantic, nostalgic corner, bringing pastels and parchment-pale neutrals back into the palette. The hues are innocent without being sweet — flirty, yet not feminine. They reflect not just a yearning for youthful innocence and gentler times, but also a refreshing honesty and lack of pretension that are thoroughly modern.

RESTLESS NOMAD ~ SULTRY. EXOTIC. PRIMAL.

Thanks to the Internet, everyone now has a passport to wander the world, soaking up its flavors, images and colors, and stirring them into an eclectic global design stew. Morocco and Turkey are making their presence felt, but there’s no need to stop there. Today’s adventurers feel free to sample from anywhere and everywhere, pairing Persian paisleys with exotic animal skins and Indonesian batiks. Colors, too, wander all over the palette: from dusky darks, to hot vibrant pinks and reds, to earthy food-influenced hues that evoke eggplants and cabbages.

PURELY REFINED ~ ELEGANT. TAILORED. UNDERSTATED.

True luxury doesn’t shout its presence with glitz, glamour and bling. It whispers, revealing its pedigree through clean, classic lines, exquisite tailoring and handcrafted heirloom quality. Pared down is the new upscale, and its color palette demonstrates similar restraint, filled with understated neutrals, yet with nuances and undertones that interact in intriguing ways. Layering, organic textures and subtle detailing add to the natural elegance of this timeless look.

BOLD INVENTION ~ EXPERIMENTAL. ARTSY. EXPRESSIVE.

The city never sleeps. Neither do its colors.These high-energy hues vibrate with spontaneity and rebellion. Neon bright, graffiti bold and digitally enhanced to 3-D luminosity, they’re the colors of technology, of avant-garde art and of the entrepreneurial spirit that celebrates shaking off dull routine to do what you love. The eclectic global influences range from the Cynical Realism art movement of urban China to the carnival spirit of Rio de Janeiro, host of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Anything goes, and self-expression is the new metropolitan mantra.

I am drawn to both the Gentle Medley and Restless Nomad colors. How about you?

Pictures and descriptions are from Sherwin Williams.

Do you have a decorating question? Send your questions to Kathy Passarette at kathyp@creativehomeexpressions.com and put “Buttoned Up” in the subject line. Kathy will answer your questions right here on Buttoned Up.

Kathy Passarette is an Interior Decorator based on Long Island, New York. For more information please visit www.creativehomeexpressions.com.