My Love-Hate Romance With the Color(s) of the Year
It’s January and the 2022 COLORS OF THE YEAR ARE IN! Behr’s “Breezeway”, Sherwin Williams’ “Evergreen Fog” and Benjamin Moore’s “October Mist” - they’re stunning! What’s not to love?
I love them all. I love color. I love just about every color there is.
I love the gorgeous and exciting color collections these outstanding paint companies create. I’m truly grateful for the products and services they offer. But what are we supposed to do with the Color(s) of the Year? Bow down and head to the paint store? Get inspired to paint over last year’s winner? Sorry, but I always get a bit snarky about these ever-changing trends.
I get it, new color flings are fun! A fresh coat of paint can be a real boost. However, be mindful that introducing a new color often requires more to pull a room together. Have you ever changed the color of a room and then think that something else needs to change? All of a sudden, the towels or bedding don’t look right? What else needs to change now… new carpeting? Reupholster the sofa? Head back to the paint store? All I can say is that if you’re smitten by the Color of the Year, be sure it speaks to the rest of the room.
Planned obsolence is part of the design process
The home design industry is always creating and re-creating captivating products to delight the consumer, but planned obsolescence is part of that design process.
Every season companies introduce new looks and colors as if they’re debutantes with hip and alluring profiles. Eventually even those products get pushed aside to make room for something new. I see design trends like Color of the Year playing out like episodes of the Bachelor; more about the drama than creating a stable and sustainable relationship.
To be clear, it’s not a sin to fall in love with a design trend. You definitely should love your color and design choices! However, relying solely on highly marketed design trends won’t guarantee long-term satisfaction. Why? Because trends are fleeting, and their love affair is designed to be temporary.
If you are looking for that long haul kind of love with your home's interior, i.e. getting the most out of your investment - frame your design decisions within a more personal context. Don’t just follow a trend.
Our responses to color and design have deep roots we may not be consciously aware of.
The most satisfying color and design choices speak to our most personal emotions. They’re rooted in life experiences and neurology - who we are, where we’ve been, what we like, how we’re wired.
Upon entering a room neurons fire within the brain, eliciting every response from danger and disgust, to pleasure and security. We actually feel a room way before we consciously acknowledge the colors and furnishings.
In a similar way, architecture itself has a personality. The shape of a space, building materials, windows and natural light react to color and design choices like individuals do. This is exactly why a certain shade of yellow can look absolutely wonderful in one home and utterly miserable in another.
The challenge of a designer is to integrate the unique personality and life experience of the homeowner with that of the architecture they call home.
Color and design reach the ultimate peak when they speak to both. When the colors of a room look great and fit you like a glove, you feel it in your core. Research shows that entering a well-designed room raises serotonin, which contributes to happiness, mood regulation, digestion, and even our sleep patterns. The opposite is also true. The wrong color, an uncomfortable chair or a broken appliance create a “dis-ease” in your home. Good design is never just about being on trend.
Interior design shouldn’t travel at the speed of fashion -save that for your wardrobe!
Trends serve a purpose in the market, but also place limits on available products. Sometimes even the world wide web can’t lead you to the right solutions - which is where the designer steps in.
Your home should be an environment that nurtures you from the inside out. One that encourages efficient work, play, and recuperation. Remember, you are more complex and fascinating than any trend can ever convey.
Interested in taking a deeper dive into color and design? Artistry provides the expertise and resources that allow you to step outside of an impersonal, trendy, fast-paced design world and create a home that nurtures, supports and delights you. It’s easy to connect with designer, Brita DeRemee, for a conversation about the project you have in mind. Just click HERE. She looks forward to hearing from you!