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Develop Your Palette
See what colors will be the next hot hues in interior design
By Ellen Sturm Niz
November 19, 2008
 Like a mood ring supposedly reflects a person's feelings, the hues in our homes communicate our personalities—and vice versa. The colors that surround us in our kitchens and baths, two of the most-used spaces in the home, can make us feel cozy, relaxed, energized, happy and countless other emotions. Color trends also reflect the collective consciousness of different seasons, years and eras. Who doesn't feel the funky vibe of the 1970s when they see a harvest gold and avocado green kitchen? As we approach the new year, what colors will define the k & b style of 2009? See what the experts think:
INVITING SPACES
With the kitchen as the center of the home's activity, the desire to have a warm and inviting space is influencing color choices. "Warm spice tones for large open-family kitchens that create an energetic space are on the rise," said Jackie Jordan, CMG, director of Color Marketing for Sherwin-Williams, which recently unveiled the four color families in its Colormix 09 forecast that reflect today's market. "This trend in 'kitchen living' also ties into the 'living local' momentum and spending more time at home with family, as well as entertaining neighbors and friends."
According to Jordan, Local Momentum is the most dominant new Sherwin-Williams color family. "Local Momentum is about our personal surroundings," she said. "The colors in our neighborhood landscape and architecture define our unique definitions of local." Colors in Local Momentum include Lemon Verbena, Aqua Sphere and Mesa Tan. "[These colors] are reflective of our backyard garden, the earth that grows our food and the water that nourishes it," explained Jordan. "This is all about enjoying and supporting your local farmer and your local community and spending more time enjoying our own backyard."
If the kitchen is the home's hub, the bath is its retreat. "For baths, the desire to have this be a place of respite is not waning, and the colors are still reflective of cool tones of blues and greens," said Jordan. "But look to see some soft violets and rose, coral and gray entering the picture." Sherwin-Williams' new color family Conscious Luxury includes the colors Constant Coral and Insightful Rose. "These colors are inspired by travel to eco-luxury resorts, purchasing gems that are mined in eco-friendly ways and are conflict free, and purchasing clothing made from sustainable fibers," she said. "Conscious Luxury shows how being 'green' can translate into being chic."
Kelly Morisseau, a CMKBD/CID in Northern California, and author of the blog Kitchen Sync, noted that the warm look of oil-rubbed bronze, especially in bathrooms, has been especially popular in plumbing and hardware. "Satin/brushed nickel is still preferred 5-to-1 to polished chrome," she said. "Cream tones and white [are popular] for tubs and toilets."
BOLD STATEMENTS
Although warm and relaxing shades are popular, so are vivid hues. "Bold, bright colors and patterns are big in 2009," said Katherine Flaherty, VP of building products and special projects for Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. "Tiles are looking more like fabrics with intricate patterns including Damask prints, Spanish terra cotta and laser-jet-cut options."
Master baths may be retreats, but Jordan noted that powder rooms can be bold and dramatic using very rich, deep shades such as Umber—a color in the Sherwin-Williams Global Tapestry family. "While our local environment serves as inspiration, so do international influences," Jordan said. "Global Tapestry features hues from around the world, and we're especially seeing an increase in colors inspired by Buenos Aires. Gambol Gold and Enticing Red are reminiscent of the colorful exteriors in the La Boca Barrio as well as the energy of the Tango vibe in this city."
Another 2009 Sherwin-Williams color family is Techno-Color, which features the bold colors Hep Green, Ruby Shade and Zany Pink. "Techno-Color is inspired in part by new materials and manufacturing ideas," said Jordan. "[These colors] showcase where technology has taken us in the world of color with eco-friendly and sustainable products. These are very Gen Y influenced and are seen on anything from electronics to eco-friendly concept cars of the future."
Morisseau noted that faux finishes are declining and her clients are embracing color on the walls. "The younger crowd is embracing the 'avocado'-style greens, but the older crowd is somewhat resistant, preferring lighter shades."
"After some resistance for a few years, I'm finally seeing Baby Boomer clients embracing the darker color cabinets, especially for the bathrooms," adds Morisseau. "There's still a bit of resistance for a kitchen, say in 'espresso' or 'chocolate'—instead, the trend is having a darker glaze or accent added to the doors."
MIX IT UP
As design aesthetics evolve, designers and consumers are mixing and matching styles and colors to achieve their own unique looks. "Kitchens and baths won't look as matchy-matchy in 2009," said Flaherty. "Each element, including sinks, flooring, countertops, vanities, fixtures, etc., should be treated as a separate, individual piece like furniture. You can pair a dark walnut cabinet with light bamboo flooring and add a splash of color/texture with a patterned tile backsplash."
Using white as a backdrop for contrast is increasingly popular. "There is a trend to go back to white with high-contrast accents—including the countertop, backsplash and flooring," said Flaherty. (See this trend in the photo above of Smartrooms' kitchen with white cabinetry and a Damask-print backsplash in black and white from Urban Archaeology.) "Black and white with touches of vibrant color, especially on kitchen appliances, is a growing trend on the modern side of design," added Jordan.
Morisseau has also seen white cabinets re-emerging, as well as a "slight, slight trend for quartersawn oak, due in part to the Arts and Crafts flavors of some of the marketing campaigns out there, such as Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn."
Whether beguiling, bold or both, the 2009 color trends for kitchens and baths will leave their mark in design history. Stay tuned to discover what will be the avocado green of our era…
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Drawn from independent research, The Market Forecaster Report identifies the industry's most important trends.
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