"Coloring the Cave"
- By Bruck Knott: Window Fashion Magazine, July 2003

    "Mood altering, globe hopping, statement making - the newest colors are all that and more. "

     Are you staying home more often? Enjoying the garden, or your favorite rooms? Or, if you're traveling, are your vacations closer to home? Are you "playing it safe"? Lots of Americans are doing just that in 2003. WE began cocooning several years ago, prior to 9/11; since then we've been "caving." We're nervous: about the economy, about our jobs, about threats of terrorism. What will happen tomorrow? And were will I be?

     We need something got take our minds off of all these negative thought as feelings. Fortunately, mortgage rates have been low for some time, and many of us are turning to remodeling our homes, our places of refuge. We’re adding on, fixing up, changing looks, and buying new furniture. And we’re turning to color to help brighten our moods, to nudge us out of the doldrums, to inspire us and to make us feel safe and secure.

Inner Clash
     We’re conflicted: we feel adventuresome, yet conservative. We’re both pessimistic and optimistic. We’re emotional yet calm. How can this be? We are a society of individuals – we can’t be lumped into categories or boxes when it comes to color. We see or perceive colors differently based on many factors: our family history and traditions, our religion, our ethnicity, our physical age. Where we live and how we live also plays a role in how we see and select the colors w have around us.
     We might like more formal designs for our living spaces, designs that are classic and safe. Yet we also look for something that is totally new and innovative, and not defined by the past.
We’re looking for colors that fit our moods, realizing that our attitudes may change by tomorrow. We’re looking for colors from times when we felt good, when we felt secure and happy. We might push for grayed colors that are somber and reflective, while at the same time we yearn for brighter colors that help us forget the world outside. Some of us rely on ethnic designs to pull us through, using the colors inspired by these trends; while others opt for a more homegrown solution in both design and color.
     In any event, we are changing our relationship to color, as we realize that selecting colors for our homes is not a lifetime commitment, but a statement of style that can evolve as we ourselves grow. Color has the power to alter our moods. Color can soothe; it can excite. Color can be calming; it can provoke. Color can be stabilizing; it can create havoc. Playing with color is playing with emotions.

Red Hot
     No color plays with our emotions like red. Red is arousing, sensual, passionate, and romantic. Red gets immediate attention. This hot color is on of the most important color families for 2003-2004, and it’s moving in several directions. Red touched by yellow has been a dominant color on our palettes for several years, and these warm earthy reds will continue to be strong in product and design. Almost, but not quite orange, these redrs are saucy, vibrant, spicy, and ethnic. Think of the reds of Latin America, or North Africa. Chili pepper, salsa, and Marrakech are images that come to mind with these reds.
     A clearer, cleaner, truer red is also in the market place, showing up in decorative accessories, tabletop, and other areas, making a bright splash in our lives.
     In another direction, reds influenced by blues are gaining importance as well. Blue-based reds are very important in the cosmetics industry, and in the home these colors sometimes are translated as classic colors such as burgundy, maroons, and deep jewel-toned wine reds.

Gender-Neutral Pink?
     Open any catalog by Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, or shelter magazines such as Traditional Home, and you’ll see rooms that are “in the pink.” Pink is showing up everywhere – on walls and wallpaper, drapery and upholstery textiles, glassware and dinnerware. Pink is light, delicate, and dainty, but also shocking and sensual. Rose is definitely a feminine hue, working well in Victorian or American Country. Lighter tints are great in botanical for English or French Country. Thanks to globalization, pink is losing its gender association, as we are more willing to use this soft warm color around us as a new neutral. It works wonderfully in traditional design, but is equally at home in whimsical situations.

Orange you ready?
     The rest of the world has been orange-crazy for several years; we just haven’t caught the fever here in North America – yet. While we’ve accepted the darkened oranges like terra cotta and rust tones – more sophisticated versions of orange – we’ve pushed back on the brighter, sassier oranges that have shown up in textiles, tabletop, bedding, and window coverings at Heimtextil (the annual textile trade show in Frankfurt, Germany) in both 2002 and 2003. Orange in the marketplace today is multidimensional. Every hue is found, from pale peach and apricot, to oranges with a pit of pink blush (think coral), to spicy orange reds and terra cottas. But let’s face it. This is not a volume-selling color for most of us.

Mellow Yellow
     Yellow has been a stable color on our palettes for a couple of years, and will continue to be strong in the home through 2004. It’s being used in almost all products for our home. The dominant yellow is a soft, buttery, creamy yellow that is pleasing to the eye, easy to live with, and one that certainly brightens our spaces. It’s a great background color for botanicals and other prints, and can play well in any decorating style. These creamy, light yellows are being used as neutrals. We are seeing yellow moving towards gold, and not jus the metallic gold but also an antiqued, Old World gold that is rich with heritage. These golds are rich and classic. Gold and black together make the ultimate statement for luxury.

Green Evolution
     Greens are evolving again, but this is a slow process. The acidic-yellowed greens of the late nineties have peaked, and while we still have greens influenced by yellow in our palettes, they are softer, more livable, less extreme. Think wasabi, gingko, and pistachio. Greens are also being touched by blue. Not quite teal, but heading slowly in that direction for now. These greens are soft and have a more romantic feel to them than the yellow based greens. Dou you like hunter green? Don’t worry – it’s a traditional color that is always appropriate to use.

Blue all over
     Blues are building fast, and going in many directions. Blues will be cool, wet, nautical, light and airy, deep and rich. It will be almost impossible to have the wrong blue in 2003-2004. Like hunter green, navy blue is on the traditional palette and always great to use. Soft denim blues, bright cobalt blues, lapis-lazuil blue, pale icy blue, botanical blues – all are making a dramatic statement in design. Blue is definitely on the colors of Americana. Deep indigo blue is also showing up in textiles for the home. This color family will continue to grown in strength in 2004 and quite possibly beyond.

New Neutrals
     As our relationship to color changes, we start to redefine colors. Neutrals have certainly been redefined the last couple of years. It used to be that we automatically though of black, brown, gray, and white as neutrals – but not anymore. “New” neutrals (“newtrals”?) are showing up all over, with hints of peach, pink, yellow, greens, and blues and lavenders in them.

Black & White & Shades of Gray
     Black has always been important. It settles other colors and adds elegance and formality to spaces. It’s strong, masculine, authoritative, and powerful. It’s dramatic, formal, and luxurious. Did I mention practical? White is softening and warming up slightly. Of the best selling colors in the hard window-product industry, white is moving away from the cool whites to warmer tones. Gray will be found in cool, light shades as well as deep, graphite hues, almost replacing black. Black, white, and gray are not the neutrals to watch the next couple of years, however.

Brownie Points
     Brown is the color to watch. Browns are expanding, and are being used more and more in the textile industry for almost all home-fashion products. We feel comfortable having brown around us – it’s safe and secure, warm, friendly. Brown ties us to the earth. Ranging from light to dark, brown hues will be top sellers for the next several years. Taupe is one of the big winners: warm, enveloping, inviting. Dark browns are sophisticated, and may take on a hint of red. Soft light camels and brown clays or coffee-flavored browns are easy to light with. This wonderful color makes a great neutral, and is a perfect “ goes with anything” color.

     Don’t be afraid of color – be inspired by the colors around you. Notice how colors are being displayed in stores. Learn to use different combinations of colors. As long as we’re caving, the cave should be immersed in the colors we love. ‚