I want to share with you some information that was recently shared with me at a special training by Hunter Douglas in Colorado.

Color–
These are the latest trends that are taking place right now in regard to color. As you read these comments, please take the time to look around you at the things you are seeing in the stores, on the streets, in the commercials you watch and basically anywhere where color can be seen. One thing to keep in mind overall is that color is determined by mood. If you are the type of person who has a fairly negative outlook on the future, the chances are that you will pick “muddier” colors to surround yourself with. On the other hand, if you have a positive outlook, then you will probably pick happier, more cheerful colors. Let’s take a look at a couple of colors that you will see around you soon.
Reds– Ever since the Olympics of 2008 in Beijing China, red has become a hot color. One of the interesting things about red is that it is a stand alone color, meaning that it has the impact to stand on its own and doesn’t need to be combined with other colors to pull it off.
Black– One of things that I learned about blacks is something so simple, that I had never really considered it. That little fact is that black tends to recede as opposed to impose. Think about a clear starry night. Don’t the stars just jump off of the deep deep canvas of the blackness. This can be such a great way to make accessories stand out, or to create a backdrop for that “Statement Piece”.
Purple– This is a color that has been around a long time, but when done in rich and warm tones it really has become a great designer color. The concerns of some people that it is a feminine color has basically been overrun and if you look at current fashion design for men, you will see lots of purple.
Pink– The same can be said for pinks. The old days of pink being strictly a female color are slowly fading. I can say as a man though, that pink needs to be used sparingly especially if you are not living in a huge metropolitan area. The feedback you receive from friends and visitors may not be to your liking. If you like pink, it is well combined with other more base colors like greys, blues, or greens.
Green– One word, chartreuse! Just take a look around your favorite department store and look at the mannequins and how they are dressed. There are plenty of uses for this color, but for most people it will be used as an accent, and not necessarily as the main color. In the near future, it seems as though we will be heading back into “Olive” tones.
Grey– We have seen a lot of grey on the market for quite a while, but the thing to take from the trend in 2010 is that we are moving into grey and away from beige as a base tone. Grey can be mixed with almost any color and can be used by people who are afraid of black in creating a step-down look from black.
Blue– Again, blues have been the hot ticket for quite a while, but the latest trends are leaning toward much deeper colors, and the catchword for blues is “indigo”. Rich, deep color. The tones are true and not blended with other colors like yellows and greens or oranges. As a sub-category to blues though are some more designer tones. Among those are aqua, teal and turquoise. These are highlight colors though and are not designed to be used on their own.

I hope that you enjoyed learning some of the new things that are happening in color. One thing that I am adding to my standard practice is to encourage my clients to add a color consultation on EVERY job that I do. If I am doing a hard window covering or drapery treatment, I want the color of the wall that I place it on to be perfect.