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Fashion Forecast for Your Home
Fall 2007

Fashion runways have long been the inspirational source for home furnishings and decorating color choices. Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert with The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute shares 2008’s trendy paint palettes for your living space.

"Consumers’ increasing color confidence and personal style makes any color fashionable for 2008," Zimmer says. "From glass-like blues, botanical greens, dramatic black and white and whisper soft pink, color directions will drive towards individual self-expression, glamorous living experiences or an increasing awareness of important environmental causes."

Zimmer’s Top Three Color Palette Choices for 2008

Go Green
"Green may just become the newest ‘neutral’ color," Zimmer says. Used as a subtle backdrop to reflect an enhanced eco-consciousness and social responsibility, green will be representative of the growing environmental movement. Mid-tone hues of fern, palm, pine and sage will be used on their own or coupled with clear blue or aqua to create a living space that conjures up a sense of outdoor-friendly living. Sandy tan and adobe brown can be intermingled to complete that earthy and eco-friendly feel. While suitable for all areas of the home, these combinations are an especially good choice for bathrooms, kitchens and family living spaces.

Bold Sophistication
Gaining popularity in 2008, black and white paint hues will enhance opulent living spaces filled with accessories, lighting, mirrors and rich fabrics. Silver metallics and high sheen finishes along with rich textures benefit from the sophistication of this striking palette. Zimmer suggests, "For an unexpected color punch, add cause-related hues such as dramatic red or maintain the room’s classic undertones with subtle pink or taupe." Dramatic and sophisticated, black and white is becoming the backdrop of choice for glamorous spaces. Master bedroom suites and living rooms are two of the spaces that can benefit from sophisticated elegance.

Be Crewel
Many consumers continue to strive for simplicity in their technology-driven overloaded lifestyles and seek a return to a gentler way of life. The crewel color palette reflects consumers’ returning interest in crafts, home cooking and family-focused activities. Like a rich and color filled needlepoint pattern, these hues add a soulful and personalized feel to any space. "Handcrafted items create a sense of stability and security and these warm, creamy rich colors will do the same in your space," says Zimmer. Rich cranberry reds, warm browns, along with pumpkin orange help to create a nurturing and caring environment. Mix in deep-toned blue and the tapestry is complete. Crewel colors remain an excellent choice for kitchen or dining areas and can be warming, like a knitted afghan, in family spaces.

Related Stories: 

• Date-Ready Design: 3 Steps to a Romantic Domain

• Snoop-Proof Your Bathroom

• 9 Deal-Breaking Design Mistakes

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