2007 Color Forecast: Home grown
By Kara Cox -- Home Accents Today, 4/1/2006
The color forecast for 2007 implies the rejection of anything mass-produced, a return to homemade handicrafts and indigenous flavors. While it's not reasonable to expect manufacturing habits will follow suit, it does mean vendors are going to have to produce quality goods that will add value to the home, as consumers look for differentiated pieces with personal significance.
Dana Poor, manager of home trend forecasting for Cotton, Inc., believes the consumer wants to buy things that can be passed down from one generation to the next. "Things that are handmade are being revered because production, especially of textiles, has moved to locations where handicrafts are being done well and you're getting an influx of those products into the market now," Poor said. "Now you can afford something that's handmade where before you couldn't."
This movement toward authenticity is highlighted by an emerging palette of lively colors that speaks to casual elegance and personalization such as deep sapphire blue, a grayed taupe — shade, sherbet — a yellow orange, sandbox — a rich golden brown and buttercream — a pale yellow ivory.
A more traditional take on the trend, in a palette called New Traditions, incorporates rusty reds and golden yellows with a blue lilac hue, grayed antique rose and dark vintage port — a purple cast brown. These opulent shades bring an air of luxury with bold new pairings.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said "Grass Roots" looks encompass hand-loomed or individually crafted pieces. The palette starts with a variation of a green that's close to olive and moves toward mineral blue and wood tones enhanced by mixes of grape, rose and terra cotta. Eiseman suggests a sense of comfort that these indigenous hues represent.
"As ever, home furnishings colors are influenced by leading lifestyles and play styles, international influences, entertainment and social issues, but most of all, comfort levels that best express individual taste and sensibilities," she said.
The handicrafts movement also ties in to the emergence of brass and pewter for 2007 with the upswing in consumers' interest in vintage objects according to Christine Chow, membership director for The Color Association of the United States. Its 2007 color forecast also offers three colors shown in raffia textures.
"The raffia relates to color because the texture gives the color more depth and is a hue found in nature vs. synthetic dyes," Chow said. "Now we're talking about the beauty in imperfection."
Moschino's multi-color dress features embroidered roses for a folk-art touch.
A pitcher and bowl set from Global Views strike an heirloom quality in a soft, buttercream glaze. eLink 575
Arteriors Home ages the Aries table with an antique brass finish. eLink 511
John Robshaw's Asha pillows feel true blue in deep indigo. eLink 718
Chandra Rugs' Dots in a Row rug incorporates a rich palette of rose, taupe, golden yellow and mineral blue. eLink 633
Paragon Picture Gallery's Alberoro framed art features terra cotta, blue-green and neutral beiges for an earthy feel. eLink 572
Julian Chicester upholsters the weathered oak Danny chair in rich berry, yellow and purple velvet. eLink 719
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