I love it when the new paint colours come out. It's like seeing the new spring fashions on the runway. New ideas, great new colours and colour combinations abound.
Just as each fashion designer has their own idea on what's trending, so too do paint manufacturers have their own take on what will be 'in' during any given season. For spring and summer 2015, paint manufacturer Sico forecasts rich floral colours will be in full bloom -- not only in the garden, but in all elements of home decor.
"This season's paint palette is filled with saturated colours, in both warm and cool tones," said Mylène Gévry, marketing manager for Sico, a brand of PPG Architectural Coatings. "It's all about bringing colours of the garden inside and using them in creative ways."
Gardens give us a wealth of colour, textural and pattern inspiration. Topping Sico's list of hot colours for spring and summer 2015 are Impetuous Blue, Ningxia Pink, Dynastic Orange, Blueberry Flower, Dark Lemon, Cotton Flower, Stainless Steel, Cayman Blue, Sargasso Sea and Aperitif, all of which can be viewed on their website at www.sico.com.
A palette including deep pastel tones such as blue hydrangeas, dusty pink roses, saturated orange and turquoise peonies, sunflowers, clay-grey stones and reddish-brown vines are all in the mix.
Our feature photograph boasts Blueberry Flower, Cayman Blue and Stainless Steel. The room has an exciting look and feel. The colour combinations are different and youthful and complement the rustic elements of the exposed brick and worn wood. I love the fact the colour on the wall above the fireplace can be swapped out to co-ordinate with the dark blue walls on a whim. Just imagine a rich orange, hot pink or even brick red as the fireplace accent colour. You could have a totally new look in a few hours. This is an easy update because of the small amount of wall space that needs to be painted. Keeping the trim, brick wall and upholstery white makes each colour pop and helps keep the room from looking too dark.
"The back-to-basics, return-to-nature trend firmly planted in home decor the last couple of years is now moving away from neutral tones toward more colourful elements of nature," Gévry said, crediting the fashion world for the infusion of rich tones into interior design.
"The fashion runways are filled with deep pastels, both on their own and in bold, oversized floral patterns that are trending right now," she said. "This rich, floral influence is spilling over into all facets of home decor, from fabric and furniture to drapery and accessories."
To help make changes to your décor easier than ever, Sico muse paint is a paint and primer in one. Removing the step of priming saves time and money, which makes painting an easy update.
To incorporate this season's blossoming colours into your decor, Gévry recommends looking outdoors for inspiration.
Think about what colours in nature make you feel good. What outdoor settings make you feel most relaxed or energized: your garden, the woods, the countryside or the sea? Narrowing the feeling you'd like to achieve, and the element of nature you'd like to replicate, makes it easier to choose colours.
Pick a main colour for your room, and then add other hues in unequal amounts. A good rule of thumb is to use the dominant tone in about two-thirds of the room. For example, if you select a turquoise blue as the dominant colour, you may want to paint an accent wall a darker blue, and your trim, doors and ceilings in white, cream or a lighter shade of one of the blue colours.
When developing a colour scheme, consider the "temperature" you want to create indoors. Yellows, oranges and pinks are warm colours, whereas blues and greens are cool tones, something to bear in mind if you're looking to warm up a room on the shady side of the house or cool off an area with southern exposure.
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