It’s finally 2017 and so many we are glad to say good-bye to a year that in numerous ways has been uneasy and stressful, to say the least.
The New Year always gives us a craving to reinvent ourselves, a growing desire to improve, refresh and renew. Out with the old, and in with the new. With that in mind, as we do every year, we scoured our reliable sources for new home design ideas. We’ve consolidated and compiled predictions from “the experts” that heavily research and assess the mood and state of the world, such as Pantone, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, our successful domestic and North American and European suppliers, reliable shelter magazines, top news reporting agencies and more. And so, in the words of Heidi Klum, “One day you’re in and the next you’re out.” Auf wiedersehen 2016!
Mixed Metals – Wallpaper – Moody Blues & Greens – Navy is the New Black – Rounded Edges & Circular Furniture – Artisanal – Art Deco – Butterflies – Modern Minimalism – Dark Green Paint & Bright Greens – Pottery – Raw Chalky White – Nailhead Trim – “Kit-Kat” Tiles – High Lacquered Wood – Defined Living Spaces – Decorate with Worldliness
OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN 2017
Jewel Tones – Hand Dyed Fabrics – Matte Appliances – Seamless (flat) Cabinets – Smart Home Features (the Internet of Things) – Furniture as Art – Upholstered Headboards
Overall, the biggest “thumbs-up” in design is to do what you love. If you love your home as it is, even if it goes against the trends, embrace it. There’s no need to chuck something simply because it’s on the “out” list. However, if something about your space is bugging you, and you’re ready to make some changes, be aware of the trends. Look over the “ins and outs,” see what appeals to you and your lifestyle, then move forward with confidence!
Let’s break down the “trend” color stories that transcend not only on your walls, but on fabrics and home goods in general.
2017 Color Trends
Pantone is usually the first one out with their Color of the Year, which is Greenery for 2017. This is not just any old green. It’s a bright yellow-green, the color of the first new shoots of spring emerging from the earth. Although their choice is somewhat arbitrary, they didn’t simply pluck it out of thin air. They explore industries collecting “proof points” from places like car shows, runways, decorator showcases, celebrity sightings, and at some point, one shade achieves critical mass. And then they ask themselves what message that color brings, and how it shapes our experience.
In the case of 2017’s Greenery, they started noticing it on the runway beginning in 2014, and saw it building through the spring 2017 shows. They noticed tech companies using the leafy green in their offices, the new Mercedes-AMG Roadster comes in leaf green, green walls are becoming architectural staples in the form of vertical gardens, and Dior has a new lip shade called “Clover”, the list goes on. If the fashion theory that three is a trend is true, this is a tidal wave.
Pre-election 2016, it was thought that Greenery reflected the possibility of a new beginning with the first female president. In the wake of Mr. Trump’s victory the meaning may be even more significant. This green is an unusual combination of yellow and blue, warm and cool, a complex marriage, which is probably putting what is going to have to happen in the current political climate mildly. It is also the color of hope, nature and renewal, and gives us something to look forward to.
Don’t despair if Greenery simply isn’t your color. The major paint companies also come out with their 2017 pallets, and there are plenty of choices that are fresh and new, and will lift your mood out of the 2016 doldrums.
Benjamin Moore chose Shadow (2117-30) as their 2017 color of the year. It is a dramatic, deep, greyed purple. “It ebbs and flows with its surroundings, and light brings it to life. Rich, royal amethyst can fade into the soft lilac-grey of distant mountains or morph into a lustrous coal. Indulge your mysterious side. Let Shadow set the mood,” says Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Creative Director.
A diverse group of designers explored art fairs, exhibits and studied cultural influences, both national and global to develop Benjamin Moore’s 2017 color pallet. Significantly influenced by the arts, they titled their selections The Theater of Light, and grouped hues based on light during specific times of day: Morning Light, Afternoon Light, Sunset, and Evening Light.
The colors range from very pale shades like Chalk White, Iceberg, Pink Bliss and Cloud Cover, mid-tones like Amulet, Etruscan and Sea Star to deep shades like Shadow, Night Shade and Ebony King. Notably absent is the leafy green of Pantone, but green is represented by Guacamole, Knoxville Gray and Salamander.
