Knit texture is huge, and guerilla yarn installations are the latest art trend - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Style foot soldiers who read yesterday’s year to come trend manifesto, and will tune in Tuesday afternoon for Pantone’s eagerly awaited take on Fall 2012 Trends may need a well earned breath of R&R in between….

To this end, allot of pretty esoteric nonsense crosses my desk proclaiming the debut of each new year in style (a year in advance). Some of it takes my breath away; still more makes my eyes roll, but some it just makes me smile – like yarn bombing Yarn bombing is not for any Granny I know – this guerrilla war against art and design (and a whole lot of other things) that take it all too seriously is gaining ground (and above ground) world-wide. I can’t quite fathom its call to battle. Contenders might be — if you don’t agree with it, knit it – if you can’t change it knit it, or maybe just “it’s not knitted yet”.

There are all kinds of great reasons to yarn bomb pretty much anything….here are just a few:

photo by laurie sims

Because it’s more fun than being boiled…

new york yarn bomb bike

because my neighbor’s coconut macaroons feel so much better than fitness…

knitta please magda sayeg bus

Because it fixes everything that is wrong with public transit…

magda sayeg yarnbomb

Because it’s softer than concrete…

Philadelphia bombing

Because there’s already too much testosterone in the world…

magda sayeg yarn-bombed stairs

Because we need a reason to climb…

Yard bombing near London Tower

Any reason to lose the smart phone sometimes is a good reason…

Cooper bombing

because there is not an air bag that can save you in this size car…

VW yard bombing

because I hate that “punch bug no punch back” thing my kids do in the car!

Serious arachnid bombing

Because Spider Man should be doing this on Broadway…

wall street yarn bombing

Because idle hands on wall street went poorly…

Tanky Blanky

Because this never ever helps.

from Street Art Utopia

Just because.

For lots more yarn bombing fun, check out Magna Sayeg’s Knitta Please and for the Goth version, http://agataolek.com/home.html

For knits, color and all manner of home decor texture, come visit www.MyHomeFaceLift.com

Related articles

• Yarn Bombing! (hiddenblossom.com)
• Graffiti Grannys Yarn Bomb the English Countryside (treehugger.com)
• An Interview with Yarn Bomber Jessie Hemmons (thepineconegentleman.com)
• the yarn bomber (othersuchthings.wordpress.com)
• Street Chandelier Offers Decor For The Average Road (thegloss.com)
• New! Benjamin Moore 2013 Color Trends Predictions! (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)

A collage of The 4 Color Pulse Collections for 2013 with a montage of images that speak to their inspiration images from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar A Montage of Inspirational

This is that big week in design, that happens only twice annually – Benjamin Moore and Pantone release their color predictions for Fall 2012 and the coming year (You will get the Pantone Report on Feb 28 – the day of release, here on ReDo-it Design). These reports are provide the professional in the trade such as interior designers and architects with a heads-up on the latest directions in style.

There is ALLOT to follow – I will name designers where possible, but the webinar is nearly an hour of fast-paced info and it’s all you can do to keep up with the big picture. If anyone has a credit to add, please chime in on comments!

I purchased the palettes the day they were offered on Benjamin Moore’s website, so I have already shared some of my thoughts on the new color trends, which you’ll see linked at the bottom of the page. Last week’s articles focused on the connections between current trends of color, pattern, and design style and its economically driven nostalgia for simpler eras past manifest in historical influences. Today’s webinar, lead by Andrea Magno began and remained focused on precisely that dynamic.

“As we look to the future” she says, “We find that our ideas are rooted in the past. What is new is in the details.”

Intersection - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

Intersection is about the connections between overarching themes of color and style details in texture and influences on style in the year to come from years past – and a growing trend toward environmental conservancy.  Intersection mixes color, and style, looking to the past and up-cycling what might have been refuse to re-purpose history into a practical, durable and stylish future the consumer and the world they inhabit.

Intersections – mixing, intersections of styles – Toronto opera house - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

Emotional responses are created in the year to come by design that mixes technology with an ode to vintage style (in other words, more of the Bohemian eclecticism). Part and parcel of the nostalgia is a renewed emphasis and value placed on craftsmanship implying an increased trend of turning away from mass production, and a throw-away design aesthetic and society.

Flow - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

Of the Color Pulse brochure, Magno states “Flow is inspired by designs from the 1940′s and 50′s but is made modern through complexity in the color palette. This is aesthetic is evidenced in a great many home decor looks for fall, such as this image I snapped at Designers Guild’s Manhattan showroom a few weeks ago.

A detail from Designer's Guild new Christian Lacrroix pillow Collection for Spring 2012

Note the exquisite attention to detail, such as actual vintage buttons worked into the vintage design of this Christian Lacroix Collection pillow – and the pail hues of rose.

Chairs from Manzanno Italy - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

A traditional collage motif is redefined with and weighted to create a chunky textural mix intersected again retro construction, reshaping both color and texture to create something new.

Brocolage from The UK - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

Traditional crafting and techniques will continue to see a resurgence in 2013, with artist consortiums such as bricolage presenting sold out workshops in textile up-cycling. http://www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk/workshops.html

This viral movement is not limited to grassroots. Couture names like Fendi are re-purposing leftovers from their coveted bags to create new coveted items with a bit of soul…these are the themes of CYCLE colors

Fendi bag left-overs creating homage to re-purposing - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

…creating items as unlikely and diverse as rugs created from discarded wool blankets created originally for kids with epilepsy (a pressure disorder) who spend more than a modicum of time on the floor.

Accidental carpet – made entirely of discarded wool blankets for epileptic kids;- image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar.

Vintage and comfort collide in emerging  trends (or re-trends) waxing nostalgic on simpler times, bringing back retro looks that are kitschy fun from labels to runway.

As recent articles have discussed, vintage peppers everything from labels to runway with historic nostalgia - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar.

Textile artist Maria Westerberg creates quilted items from her own personal history – changing the history of an object to future by giving it a new lease on life. The floor pouf shown are textiles that document the history of her own life.

Maria Westerburg creates quilted elements to rewrite old history to new - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

The exuberant colors of ANIMATE take a bit of inspiration from Anime characters, and that energetic palette.

Animate - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

…and speaking of color, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the color predictions!

Color and its expression in art are experiencing a transformation from inaccessible to interactive! The colors of ANIMATE are bold and also encourage a youthful bravado and approachability as well as a focus on up-cycling

An image of a bubble art display, art created by the spectator - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Retail display is following art’s example. In London, window shoppers are encouraged to change and interact with the colorful display and to change it while exploring the shoes.

An interactive display where shoppers recreate the display by invitation and explore the athletic footwear in London - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Brights include a myriad of grassy to acid greens, with a surprising bit of ’80′s influence, proving once again that ANY dead design genre is capable of resuscitation!

Grassy, Kelly Greens are big for 2012 - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Green is of course, not the calling card of the ’80′s but the banner under which environmental and subsequent social issues continue to mobilize in the year to come.

MORE Greens! - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Amongst the images shared, was an office building in Zurich (above right) where work zones where partitioned into streets and neighborhoods associated with a group function – word is that is actually improved productivity! Maybe I will turn the kids’ rooms into avenues…

Green think of course incorporates recycling, up-cycling, and again, an emphasis on quality driven elements that you won’t want to discard.

Oranges are not exclusive to Pantone’s predictions hinging on their color the year prediction; Tangerine Tango. The cycle palette hinges on up-cycled style, but its focus is a gorgeous red-orange.

CYCLE and Jjorn Wallander - Country Living

Red-orange and deep denim blue are supported by a cast of yellow-ochre shades that serve as neutrals in this color group.

Oranges are huge in the market - a cross over from Pantones color of the year - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

The ombre sofa attests to a continued market fascination with fading gradation of color – and remember what I have written about choosing a saturation of hues! Choosing your comfort zone with saturation is key to taking a color from a generic “trend” to creating your own signature design and style.

Fragmented patterns are big in 2013 - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Fragmented and geometric patterns add a modern edge to an already bold color statement, and are mentioned as a sidebar in new trends.

Chunky Textiles are in, shown beside the impossible chair in Milan - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

And chunky textiles are call-outs in the market place world-wide, with that 40′s – 50′s influence on construction, so reminiscent of design legends like Hans Wegner and Florence Knoll.

Shades of trendy yellows for 2013 - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

A hand-crafted Merben Pillow from MyHomeFaceLift.com

Yellows and ochre variations are big in 2013, and we have become accustomed to their use as neutrals on real estate shows such as Designed To Sell, focused on effective staging for a quick sale – but they are equally capable of setting the stage for bursts of those fabulous cadmium oranges or denim blues!

Morroso Sofa in more mustard yellows - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

The up-coming trends show purple with its compliment, yellow in materials that are knitted, folded, crimped or otherwise textured.

Claudia Paul Right - Ralph - Left - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

Purples are fast becoming the new neutral staples, with shades shifting from rich indigo or plum shades to the gray range.

Purple shown with Yellow tones was a focal in the forecast for 2013 - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Purples are being used as an extended family group, mixing many shades of that versatile red and blue beginning with a comfort-color result – this is a technique that can be successfully utilized with ANY color family, and offers a great deal of control to the designer, leaving your space open to a saturated use of color, or a more neutral variation peppered with bright punches of color.

Berries and mixed shades of purple dominate color groups - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Fabio Nobanic chairs sported that purple and yellow playful color mix, with a result as  Andrea Magno duly notes that’s not quite as “creepy” as the unsettling all black and white originals – Liechtenstein style graphic prints are also noted as trends to watch.

More juicy purples and comic-influenced pattern - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Blues include Caribbean tones such as turquoise and Cuerilian blues, this year influenced by purples – and again, inclusive of a textile imprint on the design.

New Blues for 2013- image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Blues from ranging from Navy to Turquoise feel the rich influence of purple are exciting and chic.

More Turquoise and Purple influencing views - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Webinar

I want this for my husband and teens – Hector Serrano designed a watch meant to measure the time spent in isolation on social media, to examine whether we are connected in real time – I think not!!

Hector Serano watch – questioning the time spent on social networking and email, eliminating real time spent with people - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Speaking of which…Connect explores the connections between color and life style in a changing future, ever more technologically driven.

Before we leave the forecast of brighter tones, Fall would not be Fall without Reds.

The new trend of blue base reds - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Reds with a blue cast, such as that must-have red velvet shades (above left) are also in the forecast for 2013. I love red, but people are frequently more willing to wear it than to incorporate it into home design.

Neutrals are the designer staple, and they continue their love-hate relationship with these muted tones in 2013. What designers love about neutrals is that they ground stronger color statements – but also create a shield from risk that can be very difficult to get the average person to step out from behind.

Neutrals are always the meat and potatoes of color - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Undertones are making neutrals more interesting in Predictions for the year to come; cool cast mixed with warm casts, place an emphasis on pattern in the mix – and furniture accents that mimic clothing in knits.

The neutral essence of 2013 - chunky cream knit with organic handmade accents in vintage style - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

…mixed with this year’s constant – up-cycled elements!

image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

A Cool transfer color application adorns this reclaimed wood creating art suitable for wall art or a floor inset any stylish space! Wood tones are inspiring nearly all the neutral tones for 2013.

An emphasis on natural materials in their raw state - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

From raw finish to high tech, 2013 offers choices – from reclaimed to high-tech, and finishes from naturally raw to high gloss or matte…

Metallics in matte and glass are a natural extension of this finishes trend - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

and explores the Connections between an increasingly technologically driven society and the natural elements at the foundation of our existence on the rock we call home.

Connect - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Below, Canons No Real Wonder display (this may have been at NeoCon) places viewers beneath the large curved screen projecting footage that includes the sun rising and settings, beneath a canopy of hundreds of stands of optical cord, surrounded the viewer with beams of light.

Canon No Real Wonder Display - - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

White figures into the trends for 2013, in ethereal applications with varying surface applications.

Ethereal applications of white - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

The installation above is actually a fine mist, strategically lit for an intriguing effect, in sharp contrast to bright white interior that could be waiting in the next life!

Frosted Glass installation in Industrial White - image from Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 webinar

Art mimics trends again, exploring the color variations resultant from light, dominated by the moody influence of purple on many elements of 2013

What an achievement – I didn’t cover it all, but you took in allot! Below are some impressions of the individual color groups of a less esoteric nature, in consideration of planning your re-designs for 2013.

Remember – trends are not absolutes, but they are pocket guides squeezed into a few dozen choices by color gurus at Benjamin Moore who have explored emergent design and its color palettes world-wide! Use this pocket guide to make it you

Related articles

• Color Trends 2012 / 2013 – Benjamin Moore Color Pulse – FLOW (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 / 2013 Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse 2013 – ANIMATE (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2013 – Up-Cycle (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 – Taming Benjamin Moore’s Fluid Blues (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• New – Color Trends 2012 – Color Pulse 2012 by Benjamin Moore | Re-Do it Design (internationalvisual.wordpress.com)
• Spring 2012 Pantone Trends – Trends Immitate Art (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 – Violet Twilight Color Stories Go Neutral (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 – Elemental Greens! (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Weekend Warriors – Magic Metallics and Luster! (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)

Shimmering yet sophisticated Metallic Wallpaper - image from splididwillow

Do what on the weekend? One of the big trends synonymous with 2011 and 2012 and carrying into ’13 has been the resurgence of metallic wallpaper, paint or luster – which is a metallic matte finish.

You may be conjuring horrifying images of a time-capsule bathroom decked out in vintage ’60′s Italianate gold foil wallpaper complete with matching colored sink – but I promise a second look is worth your time!

A sparkling Victorian entry treasure, made even more spectacular via metallic wallpaper - image via houseandhome.co.uk

Metallic and luster finishes predate retro-disco or Victorian renditions by several millennium. Majolica earthenware was introduced to Italy in the 14th century by Majorcan merchants (hence the name). The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an amazing Majolica collection, dating back to the 14th century. You can’t really see it in the images I snapped, but this Venus de Milo plate (and several in the collection) has a Mars or Venetian Red sash is actually metallic – quite the feat for the time, considering the difficulties of creating and applying red glaze!

An image I snapped at the MMA of Majolicaware with both a carnival-type luster and metallic glaze; 14th or 15th century.

Likewise, Metallic finishes appear in Benjamin Moore Paint’s Colorpulse 2013 Flow color group, translated poorly in photographic reproduction – but trust me when I tell you that the oyster and chocolate mocha lustrous tones are neutral yet stylish home-runs for any space!

A snapshot of Benjamin Moore Flow Paint Colors that include two tones that are shown in luster (top and Matte finishes (below) - image from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 Brochure

Some pretty hideous takes on metallic finishes have sullied their reputation, causing most style-minded do-it-yourselfers to ignore their potential for glamor.  But it is just as easy to do something right as it is to do it wrong.

My mantra about finding your comfort zone for proportionate application is just as important here as it is when using super-bright color like Pantone’s color of the year, Tangerine Tango. Strong applications require restraint, unless your objective is to achieve drama – in which case I’ll be just as repetitious in restating that sometimes the only way out of the box is over the top!

The right application of metallic or lustrous surface can do both a once, because metallic silver is a variation on the ultimate neutral – grey. Metallic gold, is suffused when paired with warm beige – not as neutral as you think, but go read my “Grays That Wow” article for more on that…A sultry mix of silver and gold metal finishes creates the foundation for a Hollywood Glam or an Art Deco inspired space.

I want to be this dressing room in my next life - image from Design Indulgences.

The dressing room above shines indulgently with a silver-leafed ceiling – not a project for the unskilled weekend warrior! For those of you who prefer design within reach, a metallic wallpaper is a natural extension of many styles. The key with wallpaper is to PAINT YOUR WALLS THE COLOR OF THE WALLPAPER”S BACKGROUND (so that in the event of environmentally induced minute shrinkage, your work is not ruined) and to follow directions carefully.

A lunious traditional mural paper in metallic finish - image from Desire to Inspire

Check out the faux finish below – don’t try this at home if you are a novice to faux finishing! The luster lilac pot and contrasting charcoal velvet tufted seating combined with that linear wall pattern repeated in the area rug texture create a timeless and amazing style.

Striaed Venetian plaster, followed by a sealer and silver metallic paint - a silver finish by designer Juan Montoya

5 Ways To Make Metallic Magic that works in your space:

1) You don’t need to adhere to traditional design nor become a faux or tromp loi’el guru like Isabelle O’Neal to procure an amazing result with hot metallic looks.

Candice Olson's dimensional wallpaper with silver metallic accent by York Wallpaper

Candice Olson of Divine Design / Candice Tells All fame has thought it through flawlessly for you, and partnered with York Wallpaper so you can get the look yourself.

Image and copy from Canadian House and Home Magazine website.

Metallic wall paper nets an amazing result. If you are new to hanging wall paper, keep it simple by using a paper with a small repeat that’s easy to match – like Candice Olson’s dimensional cork wallpaper embossed with a hint of silver metallic sparkle (above).

Click the image (above) to read Candice’s glowing testimonial on the virtues of cork. That paint in that image is a Metallic chocolate shade from Benjamin Moore; Candice’s paint of choice. Candice’s collection also includes a vertically patterned paper rich yet distinctly modern gold metallic (left). There are some fabulous colorways in Candice’s Collection, too but here I am appealing to those of you whose comfort zone lies resides in the more neutral, since you have all been indulging me as of late with some pretty eye-popping color.

If wallpaper seems intimidating, there are other ways to get that metallic magic on your walls.

modern masters metallic paint

2. Metallic Paint provides some great options for metallic mastery…

Modern Masters Painted room detail - decor pad

…and for those of you who don’t want to make your friends feel bad with your mastery of faux painting, try metallic paint, wall decals or stencils:

Branch stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils, applied in 3 different styles

3. An allover stencil application is very hard to tell from more expensive wallpaper.

metallic-wallpaper - Design by ROMO beside a cutting edge damask stencil

Add metallic paint to make it shine!

A Georgian Medallion stencil applied in gold creates instant architectural interest in a new build home lacking details.

The technique is easy – just choose a stencil grab your supplies and give that metallic magic a test drive!

A mirrrored diningroom by Jamie Drake - image from Jamie Drake's website

5. Mirrors are another metallic surface – try mixing mirror in combination with a Boiserie moldings to showcase your metallic wallpaper application. Boiserie is a French term used to define ornately carved wood room paneling used on walls, doors, shelves, and mural or mirror frames. Boiseries were fashionable in 17th and 18th century France and are alive and wall across Europe and upscale US rooms in 2012.

Glamor fits into homes like yours more easily than you may believe. A room that you live n everyday with high-end detail improves the quality of life and imperceptibly elevates your mood – just as a plated meal with a great table setting somehow makes the meal taste better and changes the way you eat it.

If only small changes are possible, look to some metallic accents to make apartment-friendly changes. I have a whole store of portable style at www.MyHomeFaceLift.com!

Metallic Selections from MyHomeFaceLift.com

Related articles

• Stencils – the new faux finishes (homease.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 / 2013 – Benjamin Moore Color Pulse – FLOW (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)

Drawing on performing and dramatic arts for inspiration - Avant Garde Red Hue Marie by PoshFairytal... $499.00 on Etsy

Allot of people have been talking about the performing arts this past week. Everyone seems to have an opinion about Madonna’s Superbowl half-time performance, and even more-so, the sad passing of Singer Whitney Houston.

Why not put behind our stage fright for today and take some inspirational direction from the performing arts to create some courageous palettes for this day of romance:

Opera Carmina Burana - image from Syracuse Opera

Black adds all the drama!But Jamie Drake uses the palette without the safety of black -

All the drama in a tiny space - Jamie Drake Guest bath with BM paint swatches

Unknown Production - image from Witchitarenatals.org

If you're afraid to white-knuckle color, get an inspirational pillow instead! image - Mhouse Inc

The Royal Ballet is a visual Versailles! (although they may not love that analogy) as is Robert Couturier‘s yellow living room -

La Scala Ballet at the Royal Opera House 2007

Robert Couturier 's yellow living room - image from his website

I think the Royal Ballet would be more fond of a comparison to the dramatic tones and politically correct contrast to the color majesty of Tricia Gild…

The dramatic hues of Tricia Guild - image from Designers Guild.

The La Scalla ballet evokes all the drama with the brilliance of the emerald city contrasting rich jewel tone fabrics…

Sleeping Beauty - La Scala Ballet at the Royal Opera House

Teens love anything to do with drama – you need only endure one episode of Pretty Little Liars to confirm this truth as self-evident…

Nesting Striped teen bedroom_ image from hgtv.

I would kick my teenager out of this colorful space, and let her have mine!

The Yellow and Orange palette of this happy space is enough to make you wish back your teen years! image from HGTV

What can be riskier or more dramatic than super-hero color???

Broadway's Spider Turn off The Dark - anomolypodcast.com

Maybe this super apartment in Hague, or….

A brilliantly striped Apartment in Hague - image via Fres Home

anything at all by David Bromstad!!! The perfect Valentin’s Day surely has something to do with a shirtless episode (or two) of Color Splash! (sorry, honey!)

Pucker up - David Bromstad - image via HGTV

HAPPY HEART DAY, EVERYONE!

Stop by MyHomeFaceLift ANY DAY for all the color drama!

A rug by Trina Turk from www.MyHomeFaceLift.com

Related articles

• More Vivid Blue Hues (kothea.com)
• Valentine’s Day Romance … With a Side of Fries (dailyfinance.com)
• Valentine’s Day Films for Every Parisien(ne) (vingtparismagazine.com)
• “Be My Valentine”….Good-bye Whitney Houston from Renee Ashley Baker (plus Valentine’s Day 2012, Abraham Lincoln, and The Grammy Awards 2012) (reneeashleybaker.wordpress.com)
• Inspiration: Happy Valentine’s Day… (eof737.wordpress.com)

Flow Color Group from Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013 color predictions

Before putting on the gloves to take on the FLOW palette (above), let’s take a closer look at what’s going on in the general population with color use. Here are the top-searched colors on Benjamin Moore’s website!

It seems that a color intervention is in order….

OK, I will concede that HC-4, HC-172, and HC-143 are designer staples. They are amongst the colors that work reliably in many design schemes. Note however, that all these colors are again, historical colors – an ode to our week’s continuing theme – all trends are historical reinventions! But our forefathers were no color prudes. The men and women who sailed from England to build the foundations for The USA were trail blazers in every sense of the word, as evidenced (left) at Mt. Vernon. In his heyday, when the father of our country was not leading the nation, or troops to battle, he was at the forefront of the latest trends. Mt. Vernon was a study in the latest and hottest trends of the day, and George was obsessed with appearances, finessing a budget that did not become his champagne aesthetic by commissioning a tromp loi’el exterior stone facade that is heralded by architects two and a half centuries later.

Color and design endure and evolve in 2012 and beyond. If you don’t believe me, have a look at yesterday’s post about Pantone’s Fashion Color Report Fall 2012 and have another look at Ultramarine Green, which will be in wearable world-wide this fall.

Let’s go back to England to visit the color influences of some of our forefathers before talking about FLOW colors. The color inspiration comes by way of Sophie Conran, the UK’s version of Martha Stewart. Wallpaper expert Melanie Adams of Wallpaperdirect.co.uk explores Sophie’s sumptuous home and design aesthetic picking her brain about the 2012 trends. This largely covers wallpaper, but is really about color trends and uniting a variety of shades in one home setting. For all the stereotyping about reserve, the Brits lead the charge in couregeous use of color! Look at the FLOW palette (above) and keep these bright tones fresh in your mind as you watch the video – particularly the ode to FLOW shade reminiscent of Flow’s Melrose Pink!

Now, everyone who purchased one of those beige wall colors have a look at shades of FLOW and Pantone combined in a modern British tribute to Ultramarine Green and Flow’s Varsity Greens 756 and hang on to your socks:

A Modern Saturated Living Room design beside color from Pantone and Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2013

The room above throws the 60/30/10 rule (and several others) to the wind, creating a design that features 90% saturated color. Most of you may never even consider using or living with this level of saturated color or become the US President – but consider a differently balanced proportion.

Sophie Conran's bubble gum pink kitchen - image from The Telegraph UK, Food and Wine section in contrast with Flow and the same saturated palette reversed

In art school they made us sit about doing gradient scales above our grey scale drawings – it works with color:

A gradient pink scale

The result of using gradients or smaller percentages of saturated Flow colors looks more like this:

Sophie Conran's palette beside room designs that incorporate gradients of FLOW colors. room images from Diigo and homeklondike.com

Which coming all the way back home to the point, shows how to add color and create with trends (which are never all that new or unknown) to create a mix that defines your home, whether you are the father of the country, or a weekend warrior – TRY SOME COLOR!

Find loads of color and inspiration at my decor store: www.MyHomeFaceLift.com!

A new Spring Pillow on myHomeFaceLift.com

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• Color Trends 2012 / 2013 Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse 2013 – ANIMATE (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• NEW! Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2012 (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Spring 2012 Pantone Trends – Trends Immitate Art (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 – Shades of Gray That “Wow!” (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• Color Trends 2012 – Taming Benjamin Moore’s Fluid Blues (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
• The Pantone Fall 2012 Color Report: The Hot Hues You’ll See All Over The Runway This Week! (glamour.com)
• New! 2012 Pantone Color of the Year – Tangerine Tango! (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
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• New – Color Trends 2012 – Color Pulse 2012 by Benjamin Moore | Re-Do it Design (internationalvisual.wordpress.com)
• New! Colore Trends 2012 – Benjamin Moore’s Color Stories (redoitdesign.wordpress.com)
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Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2012 - image from Pantone's website

Well, here it is! Just a quick and dirty preview preview to wet your color appetites for more in depth thoughts over the next few days. Pantone released the 2012 Fashion Color Report for Fall 2012 about 3 hours ago.

There are as always some interesting parallels between the fashion trade’s colors and the Home + Interiors Report, which should be out very soon.

There are particularly similarities between what I see here and Color Pulse 2013, which we have been focusing on this week.

Here’s what Pantone has to say:

From love potions and the magical hour of sunset to witches and warlocks, fantasy and illusion are inspiring designers this fall season. With an unexpected mix of darks, brights and neutrals, designers cleverly manipulate reality to transport consumers to an enchanting place, free from the stresses of everyday life.

“By playing to consumers’ practical side with versatile neutrals, and boosting their confidence with bold, spirited hues, this skillfully balanced palette has something for everyone,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.

So what color will elate you this fall? Rose Smoke, Titanium and Rhapsody are just some of the enchanting hues of the season.”

In fashion, we are seeing “French Toast” and in Color Pulse Flow, we have “Pancake Syrup” paint color, which is as yummy as it sounds!

Let’s compare and contrast the Fashion Report with Color Pulse 2013:

Cycle's Fall Harvest looks a bit like Tangerine Tango - maybe a bit on the safer side.

CONNECT Offers greys, an orange and a key lime shade

There are definitely some conclusions to draw about Fall 2012 and the year to come – more on that tomorrow and in the week to come!

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Benjamin Moore CYCLE color forecast for 2013

If you are looking at these colors, you may be seeing them as a whole and wondering what they are thinking. But be patient and don’t judge too quickly – we are going to wander down the path of reinvention to learn what lays ahead in 2013.

Recycling is essentially either destroying or reinventing an item to reinvent another; often with a new use unrelated to its original form.

A Currey Lamp from MyHomeFaceLift made entirely from old print blocks.

The very appropriate theme of the CYCLE color group from Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse 2013 color forecast is really about up-cycling (as are nearly all color trends). To go forward we need to look to understand what we learned in the past….

Here’s a time capsule: Benjamin Moore introduced one of the 3 paint collections focused on historical color paints, by Benjamin Moore to coincide with the American Bicentennial in 1976. Since then, their Historical Colors collection has evolved to keep pace with the times and been up-cycled again for the CYCLE palette over 4 decades later. Benjamin Moore sourced the original 18th and 19th century colors for buildings administered by the U.S. National Park Service’s office in Philadelphia, including Constitution Hall. These colors were obtained through an epic process that involved stripping multiple layers of paint and then matching with Munsell designations (a graduated scale that measures logical relationships between these historical shades the contemporary standardized system).

What does this mean to you? Fresh, yet timeless, sophistication in color use that live in concert with today’s mulch-function, relaxed style. No, I don’t work for BM – but these colors may work for you; particularly those of you whose aesthetic involves the marriage of more traditional elements with rustic or contemporary furnishings and accents.

CYCLE through another lens

Let’s modify the palette by omitting the red, leaving as the accent a color that is in the same family as Pantone’s color of the year, Tangerine Tango. What’s left are traditional but strong neutrals. Many of you have used these before.

Have a look at some shots I took in the Metropolitan Museum of Art the 18th century meets Modern traditional wall color:

Gaugin against a wall very much like Cycle's BM HC87

Claude Monet with a color very much like HC88 below and a diluted hue above.

Now take a step forward with these colors and mix traditional strong neutrals with the comfortable, eclectic decor of today:

Blues2 with Cycle - British HG

Tobi Fairly with Cycle Colors - see the family resemblance?

CYCLE and Jjorn Wallander - Country Living

John Oliver's gold emulsion Bedroom with CYCLE shades - image from House to Home UK

These are not over the rainbow colors that fly in the face of convention and comfort zone. These are old friends and family that you have known and loved before – just click your heels 3 times and grab a roller….

and try a few accessories to make it all shine:

Designers Guild Rug, Nancy Price Pillows and a Currey chandelier - coming soon, www.myhomefacelift.com

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ANIMATE Color Palette - Benjamin Moore Color Pulse Predictions

2013??? No, don’t panic – you did not miss the memo. We are still on threshold of 2012, but the color industry functions two years ahead of mere mortals.

I am going to beg your indulgence in both skipping around, and ahead for this post.

I received my color pulse palette the day of my departure for NYIGF, and literally tossed 2013′s color forecast into a drawer, hauling suitcases to the car. Today as I pulled them out for a proper look, I made a decision not to turn everyone off by introducing them as a group. Together, laid out on a single sheet without soothing divisions, the potential would be lost on most people. Yet I had some immediate thoughts and reactions to certain groups, and will risk introducing the more difficult groups first – you a year to mull  it over.

I would characterize the “Animate” palette (above) is “difficult” as moreover it belongs to the groups of brights that are very difficult on the eye, and create strong impressions on the brain as well. This combination of brights are at home outdoors, or…….Benjamin Moore showcases them in concert with gum balls and balloons – but my impressions are drawn from personal experience.

The colors of cinco de mayo

Animate are the colors of Cinco de Mayo and Dia de muertos – The Day of the Dead. These are the colors of Mexico!

A hilltop view of La Parroquia in San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico

When my I was 16 years old, my parents packed up house and announced that we would be we would live in Mexico for a year. This proclamation heralded less than the desired effect. As a less than worldly small town teenager, I was not only nonplussed but pretty sure my folks’ sanity had crossed the Southern  border already. But this cultural sampling played a defining role in my use and understanding of color, and to my credit I caught on to the silver lining of this cultural expedition pretty quickly.

Bellas artes tower, Instituto de Allende

Dad’s visiting professor status at The Instituto de Allende allowed me to take as many non-credit courses as I wanted for free! In characteristic type-A enthusiasm, I signed up for everything.

At the risk of dating myself, our stay predated the elevation of San Miguel to resort status – back then, it was an inexpensive, undiscovered treasure. I could tell some great stories, but back to color…

It is inadvisable to bring exotic destinations home and recreate “themed” environments that are inveriably ill-suited to home and hearth – but small pops of destination specific locals and vestiges of cultural imagery work in the same manner that hors devours provide a sample of rich flavor that would not work well as a meal.

At the NYIGF I found the perfect palettes to invoke the true possibilities of the Animate color group – The new KoKo Company Pillow Group, inspired by the colors and culture of Mexico.

One of KoKo Company's Spring Pillows, inspired by The Colors and Culture of Mexico, and coming soon to www.myhomefacelift.com

Another of KoKo Company's Spring Pillows, inspired by The Colors and Culture of Mexico, and coming soon to www.myhomefacelift.com

KoKo Pillows from MyHomeFacelift.com, inspired by the colors of India

These pillows not only invoke the Animate palette, but capture the vibrant palette of Mexico’s arts and festivals. They are even adorned with the high quality embroidered detail that is signature of the amazing embroidered clothing and decor specific to the Guatemalan region’s artisans.

These are, and are not a departure from the influence of the colors of India, whom designers like Koko, and Tricia Guild credit for color inspirations.

The keys to success in using colors like those of the Animate Palette can be found in rules that are design cornerstones and make it easy:

1) Don’t use beige as a back drop for bright pops of color – it will not maximize the impact or provide the right neutral foundation. Try white walls, to allow color to find its voice without screaming.

2) Charcoal grey walls or deep steel blue-grey will create a gallery feel, adding formality  and lower the temperature of hot brights and grounding whimsical imagery. Blend exotic images with up-town sophistication, saving your space from evoking a theme park or transplanted cantina feel.

BM 2071-10 Exotic Purple

3) Try a dramatic focal wall, using (aptly named) BM 2071-10, Exotic Purple. This rich color in the Animate palette is a background color in both KoKo’s India and Mexican inspired collections, one a shade used frequently in accents from Designers Guild. It is also a color I used routinely in fine art painting to evoke black, because it mixes in a far less “dirty” manner with other colors than black – just as in real sunlight, violets are so abundant in shadows.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with bright color in any quantity. A little goes a long way, and allot creates a definitive and powerful impact. There is a place for your room between extremes. Remember, the equator falls in the center between the poles, offering the brightest and most sought after destinations on earth – seek out your color comfort zone! The journey will teach you as much if not more about your home’s color zone as reaching your destination.

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Australian designer Florence Broadhurst and her vivid patterned wallpaper from the’60s and 70s - image from Elle Decor's website

Resurrection of the past is a trend invoked in every economic recession, and 2012 is no exception. Here are a few hot retreads to look for in Spring and Summer 2012.

Antique wall paper print motifs are hot and enduring elements. It was not by coincidence that I received am email yesterday from Elle Decor’s website, focused on the work of Australian Pattern designer, Florence Broadhurst. Sadly I NEVER, ever return from a show without mislaying one contact that I was thrilled to find. Here is the pearl from the treasure I lost this time around.

An Antique wallpaper book featuring prints by Benedictus Relais, from a vendor at NYIGF

This mystery supplier had the most amazing collection of antique wallpaper books! The quotes I heard ranged between $3,500 and $7,500 for long lost high-quality. Benedictus Relais is not unknown, and framed prints of his samples are several hundred dollars a piece Even books about rare wallpaper are expensive!

Up-cycling is a trend whose momentum continues to swell, and rediscovering the past reveals keys to modern influence that are a friendly wave from the past.

An interior image from Designers Guild, featuring patterns by Tricia Guild. Image from Designers Guild advertising website.

Look at the pattern of Tricia Guild’s pillow, and her bold bright color choices. I doubt that she took inspiration from Benedictus Relais, but there are uncanny similarities proving yet again that great color, pattern and styles are timeless!

More waxing nostalgic, but from the more distant past could be seen at NYIGF – colonial era French portraiture is a hot new re-trend. Poufed and powdered portraits on plates, pillows…

Some great wall plates featuring revolutionary era portraits was on decorative plates, pillows

…even pressed between the hallowed pages of Interior Design Magazine.

A library design from January issue of Interior Design Magazine

This antique genre of 18th century design has also been embraced by the “un-decorate” movement, like Seletti’s genius place settings. Just can’t choose a single favorite china pattern? No need to limit yourself to just one pattern!

Selletti's Hybrid Plates

I am in love! Must have plates!!!

Last year one of Pantone’s hot trend predictions was “mushrooms”. I was not smitten with the idea of fungi chachkis, save perhaps in the form of Christmas ornaments (as long as it’s not mushroom themed). If I had to bet the farm on the coming year’s hot chachki trend, my money would be on owls.

Some sweet owl ornaments from Cody Foster & Co

Areaware Fauna Pillows from www.myhomefacelift.com

I have seen owls everywhere this past few months, and they strike me as only a bit less kichy than fungi, (a bias I can attribute to one of my guilty pleasure, The Harry Potter audio book series, as can only be read by Jim Dale). But the static rule with chachkis persists: less is more.

Nature is still a big theme and organic focus increases, perhaps as the planet continues to exhibit alarming signals of climate change. In my own living memory, I have never, ever seen snow drops emerge before March, let alone the first week in January. Bats are dying off in New York State in record numbers due to an inability to enter hibernation, stimulated by the deep freeze of winter…the mosquito will remind us of this in June. In reaction to a planet in peril, the design market offers a plethora of decor styled in accord with the planet we all call home.

A driftwood lamp by Serge de Troyer

A log stool by Serge de Troyer

Bulb starter vases by Homart - nature as display

A gorgeous driftwood lamp by Continental Home

Tune in next for some unexpected finds from NYIGF, and pit stops at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Designers Guild’s Manhattan Showroom to see the Spring 2012 Collection!

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A stunning dining room grouping from Tara Shaw Maison

All is good with the world. My PC is virus-free, Mr Piddles, our rescued and diabeticly cute Chuweenie is thrilled to have everyone back home. If I can only get Piddles off my key board, I have loads to share!

There are some distinct trends forming at Market for Spring 2012, which I will share with you throughout the next few days. Color-wise, all the usual spring color suspects were in evidence, but two trends stood out – whites combined with Neutrals – and bright, bright color. There was little variation between the two poles.

Tara Shaw a trail blazers in that canvasy, white-washed and soft patina palette trend, mixed with commanding neutral painted walls. The influences of Swiss, French and Italian Antiques is more than whispered and creates a wow factor that drew crowds on the show floor.

Tara is as welcoming and effusive in person glowing patina surfaces that are signature in her Maison reproductions lines. She tells fabulous stories about her inspiration, in the person of her “maverick” grandmother – but I will save this, as she may be stopping by to tell you a few stories and provide some inspiration herself. In the mean time, MyHomeFaceLift.com is thrilled at the prospect of adding some Tara Shaw decor treasures. Many of you loved the article about  Veranda Magazine’s House of Windsor and her contribution to that stylish effort!

Her pillow and wall art provide the elegant finish to a style that speaks with a clear voice, uniting past with present, and European sophistication with the subtle flavor of a New Orleans French twist. In any language, her display space was a testimony to what can be achieved in 1,000 square feet!

A vignette of Tara Shaw's display space at NYIGF

Another view of Tara Shaw's display space at NYIGF

In a more contemporary twist on what sounds more like oxymoron than trend, a commanding, and sophisticated neutrals style was also evident in the Nancy Price  collection. Nancy Price’s put-together sophistication is the alter-ego of Design Legacy’s unabashed signature brightly Bohemian Collection, offered under one unexpected roof.

Nancy Price, amidst her savvy and sophisticated Spring 2012 Collection

We are already working on adding Nancy Price’s gorgeous pillows to MyHomeFaceLift.com, and are thrilled to bring this melding of graphically expressed European iconic imagery in a contemporary style. Nancy’s Collection is a veritable buffet of up-town blues, and indigos punctuated by golds and oranges, and anchored with charcoal greys and creams.

Nancy may also stop by to share some color and design advise. Her energy is made plain both in conversation, and her rich color palette, blending of old European style and Contemporary style seamlessly. You cannot appreciate how gracious a 20 minute chat really is, until you have seen the walkways broiling with eager buyers, and experienced the fast-paced energy of one of these trade events. Extreme thanks to both Tara and Nancy for the generosity of their time!

Vignette of Nancy Price's Display space at NYIGF

Another Vignette from Nancy Price's second collection at NYIGF

Speaking of sultry blues, I discovered “Deliberate Luxury” at the show; Designer Aviva Stanoff’s amazing Spring 2012 Pillow Collection. These are not just pillows featuring images – these are real elements meshed into the pillows!

REAL coral pillow by Aviva Stanoff

Mermaid scale sequins addorn the Jewel Collection pillows by Aviva Stanoff

Lengerie and lace adorn Aviva Stanoff's Pillow!

Even real lingerie and lace adorn this smoky lilac velvet, that seems unashamed to smile at itself.

More tomorrow! Stop by www.MyHomeFaceLift.com next week to see what’s new!

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