2010's Color Forecast- For The Hispanic Home

Hola Todo,

Recently Pantone released it's color trends for the coming year. This information is the coveted top secret from which we design all of our trendsetting interiors and new furnishings. Much of it is common sense for where the trends were heading anyway combined with one or two suprises just for fun! Sometimes I think someone who gets paid a whole bunch of money just sits around in an all white room for a week until they come up with the craziest concept that they can possibly find, and then try to interpret it for rooms- like "Purple Leapard print wallpaper will be the new black". At any rate, just like fashion, we all follow like foot soldiers. We have to have it and soon it's all you will see in the stores. The only problem with it all, is that it is far from timeless in your home. And while you can throw out those high heel sneaker shoes with the red numbers on them ( I still have a pair from the city in my closet), you don't want to spend thousands of dollars on your home to only have to get rid of half of what's in there next season! ?Quien tiene el dinero? Not I.

So how do we work with the new colors in the coming year? We disect the trends and extract the colors and patterns newly introduced that can become staple pieces in our homes. Let's look at some of them now:

Galaxy Palette:

Most of us latinos will love the bold mixes of colors in the new forecast. Cues are taken from all aspects of nature and, thanks to all of our lab created hybrids, we have given ourselves a lot to choose from. This palette pulls from the vibrant colors in the night, stormy skies and outer space. What this means for us is bold blues, green/ blues and violets. If there's one common theme in all of the palettes we are seeing for the coming year- it's the continuation of blue and the resurgence of anything with a violet base. Violet, from deep purples to fushias, mauves and pinks... that's right mama, I said MAUVE! Oh man, did I have a lot of mauve back in the day. That was the color! Now it's introduced in a new hue. It is not your mother's mauve. The other common theme you will find throughout all of the palettes is metallics. Yes papi, bling is still the thing. Gold is making a comeback in fashion and the home. Combine gold with a bold blue and you have the galaxy and sun together for one good looking room.

Gatherings Palette:

African styles are back this year. The same basic colors are repeated in this style, just with an ethnic flair. This one also introduces a Lemon Curry and Copper Coin. The colors resemble Adobo and a nice penny. No, African themed doesn't mean you can bring out that black framed picture with the 2 lions on it... We are talking about a scaled back African design. You can do this with hints of bamboo, rattans or woven grasses. Try a tall seagrass pot of Birds of Paradise (the flower). Add a few throw pillows weaved of jute. You can use these colors as accents to what you currently have in your home.

High Definition Palette:

This one is simple... Black and white goes with everything. Next season pair it with a bold color for a statement. The only colors you want to mix with these next year are gold, fushia, purple or silver. And we can mix our metallics again- it's in season. The best thing about this palette is that you can keep all of your black and white you already own, and just toss out the gray we added last season.

There are some color palettes introduced that I will wait to touch on, so that I can provide you a visual of how they should be done. I will do this for you soon, así que usted puede ser "En el Sabe".

The last and safest palette I want to touch on is:

Tinged Neutrals:

This palette is also easy to apply en la casa. The idea here is to use neutral colors that have a hint of an actual color in them. So your white paint has a tint of blue, your beige pillows have a hint of a champagne metallic to them. Remember rose gold neclaces- that's what this is all about. ( and that's in again, by the way- so break out your rose flower ring.

I will have more on these trends in the coming weeks, as this is just an introduction to what will be hot in homes next year. Talk to you soon, and enjoy the sneak peek!