By Diana Hathaway Timmons
Color Expert
Color trend reports and forecasts are so inspiring. Every year the national paint brands reveal their choices for a color of the year, and a palette, to showcase the colors they project for the new year. As a home decorator you can get inspiration and ideas from the forecasts, as they are filled with readily available paint colors. You can create the room of your dreams with these easy do's and don'ts.
Do consider every color in the palette. You may not think you're a fan of blue, but when you see it paired with other colors you might find the perfect one.
Don't feel compelled to replace your existing color palette if you're happy with it. Remember that the color trend reports are made up of existing colors, you may find that your colors are featured this year in the forecast.
Do look for color inspiration, not imitation. Unless you're madly in love with the palettes they present, use them as guides to find the perfect colors.
Do notice how they pair colors in the trend report.
Are you seeing pale neutrals with accents of green? You can use that idea to create your own palette with colors that work best for your rooms.
Don't worry that the forecasts meant hat your colors are out of date. They're just meant for inspiration, and a way to spark new decorating ideas.
Do take time to read the stories that go with the color forecasts. The designers and color experts that create these forecasts most often create them around a narrative. The accompanying stories can give you the ideas and inspiration that helped them create the palettes. Even if you don't care for the colors they chose, you can be inspired by the ideas to create your own palettes.
Do look at the fashion color trend reports, too. The experts that create the fashion reports are also color experts, and they can offer new ways of seeing color that you may not find in a paint color forecast.
Don't forget to sample any color that you're considering. The gorgeous photos in the color trend reports are professional, and use extensive lighting and styling. Your home may have different lighting needs. It's always wise to sample paint color.
Do consider a fun color or two from the forecast to use as an accent color. Painted furniture is really hot right now, and a color that you'd never use for a wall might be the perfect color for a chair or accent table.
Don't get overwhelmed when you go to the paint store with your new inspiration. Keep your choices to a minimum, trying out your favorite colors from the trend report first. Then you can fine-tune as you see how they'll work in your home home.
Do look at color forecasts from previous years. You may find that you loved color palettes from a few years ago. That's totally okay. The way that the colors were put together doesn't expire, it's just a snapshot of what they created that year.
Do pay attention to the undertones of the new color palettes. Undertone popularity changes with time. Taupe with a pink undertone was big several years back, then warm beiges became popular. The most popular neutrals now may be off white and greige (that's gray + beige.)
