2019 Design Forecast: Maximum Colour May be the Hottest New Trend
Going all out with bold colours and patterns will be hot in 2019, experts say. Here’s how to punch up your palette
At home design expo Design Chicago last month, Sherwin-Williams director of colour marketing and design Michael Plank broke down his team’s forecast for the colour trends that will dominate design in 2019. Among the hip hues Plank sees taking off in the coming months are sun-washed oranges and tans inspired by the American West, rich galactic jewel tones and, maybe most eye-poppingly, a mix of vivid purples, golds, reds and emeralds. Colour maximalism and the idea that “more is more” when it comes to colour, Plank says, may soon have its moment.
Taking a chance on colour
While grey and white walls and finishes are still a homeowner favourite, some designers and colour experts say they’re seeing more clients open to the possibility of vivid colour.
“I am seeing a shift away from grey as the whole colour scheme,” California-based colour and design consultant Diane Hendrix of Reflective Color & Design says. “I think people need an uplift these days – more energy than grey can provide. Grey continues to be a great neutral but is now taking a back seat and being used to support rather than dominate a room.”
Still obsessed with grey? Here’s how to use it
While grey and white walls and finishes are still a homeowner favourite, some designers and colour experts say they’re seeing more clients open to the possibility of vivid colour.
“I am seeing a shift away from grey as the whole colour scheme,” California-based colour and design consultant Diane Hendrix of Reflective Color & Design says. “I think people need an uplift these days – more energy than grey can provide. Grey continues to be a great neutral but is now taking a back seat and being used to support rather than dominate a room.”
Still obsessed with grey? Here’s how to use it
Opting for a rich spectrum can give a space an emotional as well as practical boost. Decorative artist Heidi Holzer of Heidi Holzer Design & Decorative Work in Connecticut says dark colours in particular can come in handy as striking backdrops and to camouflage mundane pieces such as TVs and exercise equipment. More vibrant shades, she says, are just as useful for bolstering moods.
“Not only do we want our spaces to be a reflection of ourselves, but we want them to be a place of relaxation or maybe motivation in certain instances,” Holzer says. “Studies have shown that colour has the power to do this.”
“Not only do we want our spaces to be a reflection of ourselves, but we want them to be a place of relaxation or maybe motivation in certain instances,” Holzer says. “Studies have shown that colour has the power to do this.”
Inspiration is all around
Maxed-out colour inspiration can come just as easily from a wildflower bouquet as it can from a favourite glass vase. Holzer says she looks to nature as well as well-loved pieces such as velvet armchairs, braided rugs or window treatment trim that a homeowner already has to drive her colourful work. If you’re still not finding a palette you love, Florida interior designer Tracy Stern suggests exploring a paint store and collecting swatches that speak to you.
Here’s how to energise your home with colour
Maxed-out colour inspiration can come just as easily from a wildflower bouquet as it can from a favourite glass vase. Holzer says she looks to nature as well as well-loved pieces such as velvet armchairs, braided rugs or window treatment trim that a homeowner already has to drive her colourful work. If you’re still not finding a palette you love, Florida interior designer Tracy Stern suggests exploring a paint store and collecting swatches that speak to you.
Here’s how to energise your home with colour
The best places to play with colour
Once you’ve landed on the colours you want to play up, figuring out where to show them off can be a challenge. Here are a few high-voltage ideas.
Small space, big wow factor
Incorporating a lot of colour and pattern into a small space can be a good starter project for homeowners who like the look of bold colour combinations but aren’t quite ready to commit a full-size living area to it. Stern recommends experimenting with a powder room by mixing colours, patterns and adventurous wallpaper. A designer can help find the right combination.
“I like the peep-show quality of surprise when you open a door to something dramatic,” she says.
Once you’ve landed on the colours you want to play up, figuring out where to show them off can be a challenge. Here are a few high-voltage ideas.
Small space, big wow factor
Incorporating a lot of colour and pattern into a small space can be a good starter project for homeowners who like the look of bold colour combinations but aren’t quite ready to commit a full-size living area to it. Stern recommends experimenting with a powder room by mixing colours, patterns and adventurous wallpaper. A designer can help find the right combination.
“I like the peep-show quality of surprise when you open a door to something dramatic,” she says.
Fancy up the front entryway
Greet guests with a dose of colour as soon as they step in the door. Using bold colour in the front entryway of a home makes an immediate impression, Stern says. “It sets the tone for the entire house.”
Learn how to design an inviting entrance
Greet guests with a dose of colour as soon as they step in the door. Using bold colour in the front entryway of a home makes an immediate impression, Stern says. “It sets the tone for the entire house.”
Learn how to design an inviting entrance
Celebrate the ceiling
The ceiling is another area where an unexpected burst of colour can go a long way. “It’s a wonderful place to add colour that is less intimidating but also a great conversation starter,” Holzer says. Consult with a design pro to echo the overhead pop in throw pillows, art and other accessories, as shown here, or anchor other bright colours throughout the room.
The ceiling is another area where an unexpected burst of colour can go a long way. “It’s a wonderful place to add colour that is less intimidating but also a great conversation starter,” Holzer says. Consult with a design pro to echo the overhead pop in throw pillows, art and other accessories, as shown here, or anchor other bright colours throughout the room.
Concentrate the colour
If the ceiling doesn’t feel like the right place to go all in on colour, a feature wall, like this one with emerald wallpaper, can create a major statement and focal point for the space. Here, equally powerful doses of colour in the headboard, chairs and bench keep energy spread evenly throughout the room.
If the ceiling doesn’t feel like the right place to go all in on colour, a feature wall, like this one with emerald wallpaper, can create a major statement and focal point for the space. Here, equally powerful doses of colour in the headboard, chairs and bench keep energy spread evenly throughout the room.
Colour is personal
There are no set rules when it comes to over-the-top colour. Instead, designers suggest homeowners embrace the combination that brings the kind of energy they’re looking for into a space. That can mean taking into consideration things such as texture, scale and the room’s lighting during the time of day the homeowner expects to use the space most.
There are no set rules when it comes to over-the-top colour. Instead, designers suggest homeowners embrace the combination that brings the kind of energy they’re looking for into a space. That can mean taking into consideration things such as texture, scale and the room’s lighting during the time of day the homeowner expects to use the space most.
“Colour is a very personal thing,” Holzer says. “We look for the visceral reaction that a client has to certain colours to determine the direction and then also take into account the other elements of design.”
Read more:
Timeless Wall and Sofa Colour Combinations
Tell us:
How do you make bold colours work together at home? Share your stories and photos in the Comments.
Timeless Wall and Sofa Colour Combinations
Tell us:
How do you make bold colours work together at home? Share your stories and photos in the Comments.