HOTTEST COLORS of 2019

We’ve been reading up on recent design trends, namely interior paint, and thought you might want to know what’s in store for 2019!

Color Choice - It’s a Big Deal

It’s not an easy task to select a color of the year for many major interior paint manufacturers. Teams of designers and color stylists mull over the decision, and hours of research regarding consumer trends, lifestyles, and recurring themes in history are considered. Even the title given to color of the year can have serious marketing implications.

The ladies understand this 'color conundrum' when deciding between two shades of red at the nail salon...and making the final decision based solely on the name.  (Personally, we love “I’m Not Really a Waitress!”)  

Color is a psychological powerhouse in the fields of advertising, marketing, and design. It creates a mood, emphasizes a connection, and manifests intimacy in our living spaces.

According to the color experts, here’s what’s hot right now:

Pantone Color of the Year 2019 — Living Coral

PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral — Read the Color Intelligence

Described as “An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.”

Pantone, a company that proclaims itself “the global authority on color,” has been around since 1963 and employs a 20-person team called the Pantone Color Institute to help with the Color of the Year selection. The process of selecting a color takes 9 months!

Image: Furniture Choice

Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2019 — Cavern Clay

SHERWIN WILLIAMS Cavern Clay SW 7701 — Read the Color Intelligence

Image: Sherwin Williams

Sherwin Williams describes Cavern Clay as a "warm terracotta color with ancient, elemental roots," and explains that it's a "nod to midcentury modern style, but with the soul of the American Southwest, which together create the desert modern aesthetic."

Behr’s Color of the Year 2019 — Blueprint

Blueprint S470-5— Read the Color Intelligence

Image: Behr

Blueprint, available exclusively at The Home Depot, is a mid-tone blue that Behr's in-house color expert, Erika Woelfel, believes is universally appealing, as it's "warmer than denim and softer than navy." 

Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2019 — Metropolitan

METROPOLITAN AF-690

Image: Benjamin Moore

“Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Director of Strategic Design Intelligence. “It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design. Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous gray creates a soothing, impactful common ground.

What do you think?

So, there you have it! We’d love to know your thoughts. Please comment below and let us know what influences your choice for interior paint color!

COLOR CONSCIOUSNESS- Part Two

Green

Lighter greens establish a cheery and playful atmosphere. Deeper greens induce warmth and den-like elegance. Eco-consciousness color forecasters tag green as the new “it” color. But be sure to temper your green. A shade too dark and it becomes murky, too light and it ends up looking yellow. Strike the right balance and you’ll evoke a healthy homestead feeling ideal for a country home or forward-thinking urban setting.

Gray

We love gray because it’s dependable, sophisticated and soothing. Gray is also very versatile. It pairs well with white for a fresh look and black for a more modern one. Use dark gray shades like slate or cobalt for trim and an über-modern look. We love utilizing gray when highlighting architectural exteriors. Gray and crème is an elegant and classic color combination. Like blue, gray evokes inherent calmness and serenity. Gray is a wonderful backdrop for earth tones and wood. Gray does have a duplicitous nature though. Depending on how it’s used—it can warm you up or cool you down.

White

White is your get-out-of-jail-free card. You simply can’t go wrong with white. White is the color of purity, clarity, and rebirth. Of course, an overabundance of white can feel hospital-like. So treat your blank white canvas walls to paintings and framed pictures that best reflect your character. Create a “living gallery” of original artwork and photographs. White is the most popular color choice for home exteriors and can augment any interior space as well. Remember white comes in a multitude of hues—from Cottage White to Navajo Sand. Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Brown

Brown creates feelings of warmth and security. Down-to-earth brown and its first cousins coffee and espresso are excellent accents for woods, rattans, and wicker. Window sashes of Victorian homes were often painted darker brown. As well, brown was a frequent flyer house color for Sears and Roebuck bungalow homes of the early 20th century. Use brown cautiously with interiors, too much brown can create a claustrophobic, cave-like feeling.

Thanks for reading!

COLOR CONSCIOUSNESS - Part One

COLOR CONSCIOUSNESS

The effects of color are often underestimated. We respond to color in both a conscious and an unconscious way. Color holds power. When there’s a house or architectural product that calls to us but we can’t put a finger on why—it’s likely the color. In fact, psychologists say over 50 percent of our initial reactions involve color. Now we even know which colors evoke which mood. Here’s a short primer for you to explore colors and the moods that they inspire:

Yellow

Yellow produces two opposing moods—happiness and anxiety. Initially, yellow produces joy and hope but if you’re surrounded by yellow for too long it may increase irritability. Because of this yellow may not be the color choice you room in which you spend enormous amount of time. Anxious yellow can be hushed by harmonizing it with other colors.

Purple

Like yellow, purple evokes bipolar moods of relaxation and stimulation. Purple is favored by creative-types because it stimulates the imagination and creativity. Purple works well in many space types. Day-dreamy purple is an excellent choice for an artist’s studio. Lavender has been a longstanding favorite color for little girls’ rooms and Tweeners. Elegant, regal purple is also a perfect choice for adult spaces. Purple hues like lilac and deep eggplant are becoming more and more popular city apartments and country homes with sophisticated interiors.

Red

Most of us know that the color red raises strong emotions. Though red is associated with feelings of love, comfort, and sometimes anger (“seeing red”)—overall it creates feelings of strong excitement and intensity. Red is the most dynamic color on the spectrum.   Red’s intensity can be overwhelming at times so it may be best reserved as an accent color.

Blue

“Cool blue” has a reputation as a chill-out color for good reason. Above all colors, scientists have found that blue actually produces a calming physiological effect in humans. So, if you have a room reserved for lounging and relaxation consider a soft sky or Cloisonne Blue. Blue also works really well in small spaces, bedrooms, and hallways. Though it seems to be a psychological contrast, studies show that not only are people more relaxed in blue rooms they are also more productive. So blue may also be an ideal color choice for an office space.

More on colors and the feelings they evoke next week…