By: Connie Deamond

Every year Pantone, the global authority on color, announces the “Color of the Year”. They use lots of criteria to make this choice, one of them being the state of the economy. They have chosen turquoise as 2010 Color of the Year. In their press release they said that turquoise “is an inviting, luminous hue that combines the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green.” It “evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical water and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well- being.” It seems like the perfect color for us at this point in time.

Colors help change our moods, some favorably and some not so favorably. Turquoise is a color that appeals to both men and women and most people respond favorably. Something that the fashion industry has known for a long time is that the color is universally flattering. It has cool undertones as well as warm undertones which allows it to be used with all the colors in the spectrum.
New colors generally are seen first in the fashion industry and gradually move into home furnishings. So we’ll probably see turquoise in some home décor products in the spring and by fall the collections will expand. Of course, not everyone will want to use turquoise so here are some other colors to look for……..
Earth tones are still popular, although, gray is starting to take the place of brown as the new neutral. Cool gray can be combined with almost any color. Yellow has been popular for a very long time and will continue to be, but, it will be a little brighter. As many of my clients know, a true blue has been hard to find over the last few years. That will be changing and blue will be seen more over the next year. Red, another popular color, will have more purple and blue tones. Lavenders and purples including eggplant are becoming more popular. In the past they were used as accents and in bathrooms. Now they are being used for bedrooms and are moving into the living areas of the home. Greens will be more of a leaf green.
In the pattern category geometric patterns have been used a lot in the last few years and will still be seen. Instead of the hard edges usually associated with geometrics the new ones will have softer edges. And, one of my favorites, paisleys are back! Many younger homeowners like traditional looks, but, don’t want their homes to look old fashioned. This problem is being solved by introducing traditional designs and classic patterns in larger scale. This will make them less formal and give them an updated look.
It takes about twelve months before the full results of a color prediction can be analyzed. Some years the public embraces the new colors and styles and other years the predictions fall short. As a designer I get excited every time a new color or pattern is introduced. As a homeowner you will have the choice of deciding what colors and patterns you like. The fun part is the anticipation and experimenting with the new.
Don’t take color too seriously. Have fun with it, experiment and live with what you love!
For more information contact Connie Deamond of Interior Creations at 302-239-5806, or email conniedeamond@verizon.net. You can also visit her website at www.conniedeamond.com or her blog at www.conniedeamondblog.com.
Connie Deamond, owner of Interior Creations, has been helping homeowners for nearly twenty years create interiors that fit their lifestyles. Her goal is to provide clients with fine products and superior service so that decorating their homes is an enjoyable experience.
She believes that the most important aspect of a designer/client relationship is communication so that “we together, create a haven away from everyday stresses … a beautiful, balanced space that you love returning to at the end of each day”.
Connie is a certified professional decorator and is a member of Decorators Alliance of North America, Window Coverings Association of America and the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce.

Testimonial:
“You helped me update my bedroom and you always do such a good job of finding the perfect materials.  Connie is creative, she listens to her clients and is reliable.”
~Lorraine Zwycewicz, Newark, DE