Color Trends

Say hello to warmer colors, and goodbye to minimalism. It appears that several interior designers and industry insiders are saying you should be ready to introduce color into your decor.

Susan Gutfreund, who designs for some of the most upscale apartments in the US and Europe, says minimalist white and beige are being pushed out in favor of color, textures and layers. She says there is a move toward warmer colors and away from the shininess and flatness of interiors over the last few years.

At IKEA, Janice Simonsen is seeing the same move toward bright colors. Black and white are allowed to stay, but only if they share the room with some surprise and offbeat combinations.

Sherwin Williams reveals these changes in color trends:

• Gray will act as an important neutral in both residential and commercial spaces
• Intense colors will tone down to more restrained and elegant shades
• Reds and Oranges will have a yellow undertone (the undertone is really important when choosing paint colors!)
• Blues will have a slight undertone of violet (in other words, they will lean more purple)
• Yellows and greens will be more yellow-based (think avocado), and some will have a touch of blue, too (think green gemstone shades).
• Neutrals will be inspired by nature such as stone, wood, and natural textiles like linen.
• Grays will range from light to dark and be utilized as a main neutral, with a touch of brown, that ever popular “natural neutral”. To picture gray-brown, think about a set of French Gray markers. In French Gray, brown is used to warm up the color (as opposed to a Cool Gray, which is blue based).