Color trends are often a topic of conversation in the design world and Pantone is known as the expert in this field, so I thought we would talk about that today. Â Color is fun!
I don’t always cover Pantone’s color of the year every single year, but sometimes it is fun to look at this institute and see what colors are on their radar for the upcoming year. Â I have to say, I hardly ever love the colors chosen as the hot and trendy color for fashion and design, but some of them have been great colors over the years. Â Namely the turquoise ones.
They announced the newest color of the year awhile back and it’s actually 2 colors and I thought it interesting so decided it would be fun to discuss and see what y’all think about it.
{via Pantone}
From Pantone:
For the first time Pantone introduces two shades, Rose Quartz and Serenity as the PANTONE Color of the Year 2016. Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.
So, what do you think of these 2 colors? Â I have to say, the first thing I thought of was the 1980’s, when dusty rose and country blue were at the height of popularity and so many women jumped on that home decor bandwagon. Â Does this evoke those memories for any of you? Â Are you seeing geese and gingham flashbacks? Â I digress.
For me, it would be more well suited for fashion instead of home design, but I had fun finding a few photos to convey these colors. Â Blush has been really popular in fashion the last couple of years and it mixes well with many bolder colors, like gray and navy.
{via House Beautiful)
{via House Beautiful)
{via House Beautiful}
{via House Beautiful}
In nature and flowers, it certainly is a wonderful combination!
{via BHG}
This soft pink room is beautiful and elegant, but there isn’t blue involved.
{via BHG}
This soft blue dining room with natural wood table and white slip covered chairs is very nice, but no pink involved. Â Soft pink flowers in the middle of the table would work and that rug looks slightly pink toned.
{via BHG}
Here’s a soft pink used in a bedroom with a tiny bit of blue in the accessories.
Interestingly, Benjamin Moore chose Simply White as their color of the year for 2016. Â All about crisp, clean, and classic.
{via Benjamin Moore}
I really enjoy white woodwork and even walls these days, as it allows furniture, fabrics and accessories to shine against such a neutral background. Â Years ago, I would never have painted my walls white or off-white, but now I’m loving it. Â So classic and pretty!
{via Benjamin Moore}
More Simply White. Â I also love White Dove and have steered friends toward that beautiful shade of white.
Are you loving white or do you embrace color? Â It’s so hard to figure out what is next in the color trends of decorating, but I’m sure changes will abound in the future. Â For me, I’m still enjoying my neutral walls with some color in certain rooms. Â There’s also a trend towards dark and moody rooms these days too and while I like the look, I’m not sure I could live with it.
What are your thoughts on the Pantone Colors of the year, Rose Quartz and Serenity? Â Would these be colors you are drawn to or do you say no thanks to this combo? Â
Here’s an interesting article from Elle Decor about Pantone’s Spring colors of the year so check this out to see what’s on the horizon for home decor hues. Â Some of these I like, but others I can’t ever see using in my home. Â What do you think?
Here’s an amusing and fun article from Spoonflower about the top color to avoid this year, the most unfashionable, off-trend color. Â Neon Slime Green….yep, I think I would have to avoid this one! Â This is the opposite of serenity, don’t you agree?
What do you think about color trends and what are you enjoying now?Â
No, no, no! I am having flash backs to the 80’s with those colors even though they are slightly less saturated than the ones I remember. Just too babyish looking for me, pink and blue. When we did a whole house remodel in 2012, I had all rooms painted a pale blue/grey (BM’s Pebble Beach) except the sun room is BM Atrium White and all of the trim is Atrium White by BM. I love color but prefer to do that with my artwork and accessories. I just redid our hall bathroom last year and it is Carrera marble floors and counter top and white cabinet with a very slight glazing on it. The walls are Pebble Beach with all other rooms and it is very tranquil. Now the shower curtain is an explosion of colors on a white linen background and I have a few accessories to bring out those colors (teal lamp, eggplant vase, etc.). I do not think I will get tired of the white/neutral tones ever on my walls and major furniture pieces. I also prefer wood to remain paint free for the most part but do have a couple of black furniture pieces that blend in very well. Just no more blue and pink please!
I’m remembering not only the ’80s and all that “country” cutesyness, but back another 30 years to the trend of pink and light blue in bathrooms of the 1950s! I grew up in a then-newly-built 1957 ranch in which the pink or light blue tile were THE thing in baths. In fact, my childhood bedroom in that home was painted pale pink and my brother’s was pale blue, too! It’s so fascinating to see the interest in this era of the mid-century modern style of that era, first in architecture and now in the colors, apparently. All I can think is that so many of the folks involved in making these “color of the year” decisions now aren’t old enough to have been around then and weren’t as exposed to these pale pastel tones as some others of us were, except in homes of the era that haven’t been updated. All I know is I won’t be going down that pink/blue pastel road ever again in my own home!
Leslie, I hear ya and I won’t either! Our 1960’s ranch home that my family lived in (my dad built) here in Marietta had Pepto Bismol Pink tiles in my sister’s and my bathroom. Now that is hard to decorate around! She ended up buying the house and living there a few years and living with the pink tile and it was never easy to decorate with. Never again!
In the 1960’s we lived in Marietta, GA and our little house had pink tile, a pink tub and a pink toilet. Talk about a pink OD. BUT I did love that place – so many fond memories.
I like these two colors used in combination. I’m more of a subtle shade person vs. the bright screaming colors. I also like the varying shades of white. All have their place in the right setting.
Remember the mauve & blue also in the early 90’s. I’m not digging this time around. Pink is a color I love but not in home decor unless it is for little girls & then doesn’t last long nowadays. I love subtle shades that can be swapped around & coordinate easily room to room. Small house I have now and has to flow well. I did love the restrained golds & the deeper shade under it. I used that whole strip on the lake house & never tired of it. I love paint colors!
I agree — very 1980s! I will have to start paying attention to see where the colors pop up!
Hi Rhoda! I actually think the rose quartz is swoon worthy in a modern room! Not sure if I’d put it in my home, but still! Reminds me of all the rose color my mom used to decorate with. Not sure if that’s a good thing! LOL!
Shauna
I’m glad someone else mentioned that this color trend goes back even further, to the 1950s. I’m not old enough to have decorated my own home that way, but my grandparents had a little house in Santa Monica that had been built in the 40’s or 50’s. They had two bathrooms, one with light blue tiles and one with pink tiles. I can still remember those colors so vividly.
No pinks in my home! I grew up in the 50s/60s and have those colors and golds, bronze, and greens to remember. Burgundy! RUST! No thanks . .I went with greige, sand, white..a little green with grey undertones.
Not to say I didn’t go head over heels for Southwest pink/green santa fe when we first moved to Texas…but that’s 40 years ago! Aqua! Oh geez! Taco Villa!
I’m staying with greige,sand and white . ..I’ll take color from my blue and white chinese, Italian and Portuguese, greenware…along with cream ware and Nambe. Woodwork, Silver Feather and doors black. Oh front door ..Eggplant!
Oh my goodness, how funny. Believe it or not, I have a rose room and a wedgewood blue kitchen, recently painted, so I feel a bit moved to duck around the corner and hide for awhile after reading the other comments. It has fit nicely with my French country decor where I’ve incorporated so many splashes of color (yellow, berry, red, brown, orange, green and even some white here and there). But I also have a doll room and a teacup collection, so maybe that explains my taste. The past couple of years have been pretty tough, having fought breast cancer and going through a divorce because my new marriage simply wasn’t strong enough to withstand my cancer fight. I was diagnosed 3 months after being newly married … ugh. With a wonderful clean bill of health now, I decided to put my new found energy into turning my home into something I have always wanted for myself, which is to turn it into my own little dollhouse, so to speak. I just turned 54, feel extremely blessed to have a second chance at life and am very excited to continue my decorating projects. Your blog gives so many wonderful ideas, and I love your energy and inspiration.
Hi, Kelly, I’m so sorry for your struggles. Life is so hard sometimes & we can’t plan for what may happen. So glad you are on the other side & back to decorating. Enjoy your space!
Gotta tell ya, Rhoda, from the first time I saw this “prediction” on HOUZZ, I knew it was not going to be a big trend. The general public decides what catches on and what doesn’t. I PREDICT…it will be a trend fiasco of the 2016’s.
I mean, who is really comfortable living in those colors? Not my husband! hahahaha. And, truthfully, not me either.
Maybe a new-born, but then again…not his/her mother – – who spends all her time in the nursery. So, duh….WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!? hahaha
Hugs, cat