Pantone Color Institute, the nonprofit marketing group CMG and the paint companies Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore have each announced their selections for 2013's color of the year.
Columnist
As one year evolves into the next, we embark on new adventures. This year, make a colorful resolution: resolve to put more color into your life.
Color reflects how we feel and express ourselves. Ultimately, it’s best that you select colors to personalize your space and make your environments feel healthy, safe, stylish and just plain fun.
Every year, a new set of colors is designated as the “in” group or the color trend. Where do they come from? Color trends are a reflection of events and ideas from around the world. Trends are determined by world travel, consumer research, hot movies and TV shows, and fashion runways.
Why determine trends? Sonu Mathew, Benjamin Moore’s senior interior designer, summed it up when she said, “The end goal in providing an annual color forecast is to help inspire and fuel the imagination of individuals as they take on home-decorating and painting projects. This is meant to be a starting point in their color-selection process.” Fortunately, there’s something for every style and taste.
Who determines these trends? As you will soon learn in my column, there’s not just one group of experts. Even though all of their forcasts are positive, they came up with some varying conclusions.
One of the most influential groups is The Color Marketing Group (CMG). It is an international not-for-profit association of 1,100 color designers who forecast color directions one to three years in advance for all industries, manufactured products and services.
Blue with envy
In one of my previous columns, I featured this color and shared that it was my all-time favorite. I am happy to announce that the 50-year-old association proclaimed “Re-Blued” as the 2013 Color of Year.
“Blue will dominate the color movement for years ahead,” said Mark Woodman, the color groups president. “It’s stable, comfortable and well liked.” However, the 2013 blues will move away from previous blues. “New blues will be warmer and more aqueous. Tropical, watery blues with a touch of green will dominate.”
A primary color
The Pantone Color Institute, one of the trend forecasters and a world-renowned authority on color, recently announced their color of the year selection—“Emerald” (Pantone 17-5641).
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, describes the color as “the most abundant hue in nature— the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity— no other color conveys regeneration more than green.“
With a hint of mint and lots of moxie
Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin Williams, singled out a minty-toothpaste aqua called “Aloe” (SW 6464) as their color of the year. Why? She said, “It takes people back to the ’50s, a time that was a little more carefree. The color is fresh, fun, optimistic and hopeful. It’s not downbeat. We’re done with downbeat.”
Jackie Jordan goes on to say, “This is no ordinary pastel— Aloe is funky and glamorous, demure and free-spirited. While Aloe’s vibe can verge on retro, when paired with caviar blacks, crisp whites or soft grays, suddenly Aloe has a new soul and attitude. And Aloe is highly adaptable, making it a perfect pick for everyday spaces such as a breezy sunroom or a well-dressed living room.”
Sunny, bright future
Benjamin Moore is calling out Lemon Sorbet (2019-60) as the 2013 color of the year.
According to Sonu Mathew, Benjamin Moore’s senior interior designer, yellow has always represented a sense of optimism, “and as the world seems to be gradually turning the corner on recessionary times, this whispery tint of the color is timely and evocative of the uptick. As for the move to pastels,” she continued, “they convey innocence and typically have a calming influence.”
Yellow is the perfect transitional color between the mid-tones and saturated colors seen in today’s home furnishings and the softer, lighter pastels, which are emerging for 2013. Some of these pastels are mint, coral, pink, blue, and vanilla.
Explore! Experiment! Ultimately, the colors you choose should make you feel comfortable and happy. Have a colorful new year!
Shoshanah Siegel provides color consulting as well as space-planning, remodeling, upgrading and staging through her firm Your Color Diva. She can be contacted at (562) 427-0440 or at Shoshanah.siegel@gmail.com or yourcolordiva.com .
