Posts Tagged ‘Paint’

The question I am asked most often by clients, friends and in general conversation is “What color is ‘In’?  It’s a simple question with a difficult answer.

The Color Marketing Group (CMG) is an organization that forecasts color trends two to three years in advance for  industry and manufactured goods.  Paint companies will create their annual color palette for the upcoming year and fabric weavers will chose shades and hues based on CMG directions and predictions.

Ever get frustrated when shopping  for bath towels to match those you purchased a few years ago?  Chances are you were disappointed to discover that the current shade is not quite the same as what you already own.  Instead of ‘silky moss’, for example, it’s now ‘pine needle’.  Out with the old and in with the new.

The good news is interior trends and colors don’t change as fast as fashion and paint stores have the ability to reproduce any color under the sun.

In December, Pantone, a company that provides color standards for the design industries, chose turquoise as the hottest color for 2010.  That’s right, turquoise.

Pantone chose turquoise as the 2010 color of the year

My advice is to look at the latest color fads and trends but stick with colors that fit your Signature Style.  Just because someone says turquoise is the color of the year, is no reason to change your own color palette.  Remember fads come and go quickly.  If it’s a color you truly love, by all means, introduce it into your home.  Buy some new throw pillows or bath towels.  You shouldn’t have any trouble finding turquoise  towels this year!

Pittsburgh Paint and Glass Color 2010 Color Trends:

Home Harmony Collection

Canvas Collection: beige, browns, gray

Grace Collection: pale butter to sea-foam green

Zest Collection: bright yellow, pure white, sleek black

Pink City Collection: Indian pink and spicy rusty orange

Sherwin Williams created their own color palette for 2010:

Sherwin Williams Treasured Collection: Aging, layers, artisan

Sherwin Williams Refreshed Collection: Exuberant, fresh, optimistic

Sherwin Williams Simplified Collection: Translucent, structure, sophisticated

Sherwin Williams Rooted Collection: Mystery, enduring, natural

Patrick’s bedroom was finished just in time for his party.  (We were hanging his posters as guests were arriving!  Who doesn’t work best under pressure?)

Pat's new bedroom has more color and personality.

My husband wasn’t sure about the gold paint on the walls, but will admit it was a good choice.  The color is in the bedskirt fabric and makes the red chair and navy bedspread really pop.  Everything doesn’t have to be matchy-matchy.  Get a little daring when picking paint.

The red chair, a quilted throw and another movie poster make this corner very cozy.

But the walls needed something more than posters, so horizontal stripes turned out to be the perfect solution.  I taped off random widths and bought small paint samples in navy, red and green (also found in the fabric).  Painting stripes is a putzy job, but the results are worth it.

Horizontal stripes add dimension and color to the room.

It took me a while to come up with an idea for the valances.  I ordered cellular shades for the windows, so privacy and sunlight weren’t a concern.  They needed to be masculine and simple.  I used the red quilted fabric and added a strip of the paisley at the top.

Masculine window treatments were in order.

Instead of the usual drapery hardware, I went to a big box hardware store and bought two 40” lengths of galvanized pipe.  Instead of the usual drapery rings or a shirred header, I went with grommets for something different.  I poked around the electrical section of the store until I found some fittings that worked as finials.  Pat has a unique drapery treatment and that cost only a few dollars.

Grommets and galvanized pipes are inexpensive and manly!

Who says drapery and hardware has to be the usual poles and balls? The hardware store has all kinds of fun things you can use.

His bed and desk/TV swapped places in the room.  We had to buy a new desk since the old one sort of fell apart as we moved it.  We chose a desk instead of a TV stand because a desk is taller.

We originaly had the TV on the right side of the desk, but Pat preferred it this way (less glare).

A few coordinating throw pillows, his movie posters and closet door handles and the room is complete.

I found rugged industrial handles for the closet doors.

These Indiana Jones posters and the red chair started the whole redecorating project.

Pat bought this poster during a trip to San Francisco with the band.

Pat's Grandma made him this quilt several years ago and it's very special to him.

The quilt was made by his Grandma a few years ago.  The colors are perfect for the new room.

I wouldn’t have put his two DVD shelves next to each other, but it’s Pat’s room and that’s where he wanted them.

Pat wanted both DVD stands next to each other. I would have put one behind the chair, but it's his room...

I think I will  look for a floor lamp and give it to him for Christmas.  Also a bulletin board for his calendars and notes.  A room is never really done, it’s a work in progress and that’s OK.  Rooms should evolve and change as people and seasons do.  But it will be sometime before we make any changes (quite sometime!).

The room turned out just as we wanted and Pat is very happy.

Patrick is really comfortable in his new room.

I just read that Barbra Streisand is writing a book chronicling the 5 year building process of her home along with photos of her previous house projects.  I’m sure she is good at choosing paint and fabrics and buying furniture.  A lot of people are.  That doesn’t make them interior designers.  It amazes me when celebrities turn to fashion or interior design when their careers a on the down swing.  I guess everyone seems to think designing is easy.  It is if a big manufacturer is willing to invest thousands, millions of dollars in name recognition.

WANTED:

INTERIOR/FASHION DESIGNER

No education required!

No experience needed!

Don’t even need any talent!

Only requirement:  NAME RECOGNITION

Garunteed income because people will buy anthing attached to a celebrity name.

As P.T. Barnum said, “there’s a sucker born every minute!”

I bet suckers will be lined up to buy her book!