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Pantone's Spring Colors Invigorate Rooms
Brightness and energy infuse Pantone's top colors for spring 2012, empowering walls, furniture, accessories and more
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design... More »
For years Pantone has been leading the way for color trends, releasing the sought-after shades that designers follow as they develop new products in various industries. Pantone's spring 2012 colors — from playful pastels to vibrant brights — encompass everything from light, breezy aesthetics to contemporary classics. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, "Consumers look to spring for renewed energy, optimism and a promise of a brighter day.”
In the spirit of that remark, particularly optimism and bright days, let’s take a journey through the classic rainbow, reinvented with Pantone's take on the season’s top color trends.
In the spirit of that remark, particularly optimism and bright days, let’s take a journey through the classic rainbow, reinvented with Pantone's take on the season’s top color trends.
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by Judith Balis
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| Red = Pantone's Cabaret. This season, red delivers with a punch. It’s more rosy and sensual, and truthfully feels more fuchsia or magenta. Because it’s such a strong color, consider adding it into your home through accents, such as these chairs. Even the smallest doses will catch the eye. |
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According to Pantone, Cabaret is best paired with colors of similar nature, such as oranges, for an ultrabold vibrant look.
by Fiorella Design
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Orange = Pantone's Tangerine Tango. Pantone's Color of the Year for 2012, Tangerine Tango is predicted to stay hot through fall. According to Pantone, it's meant to “provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward,” while also feeling a bit “exotic, but in a very friendly, nonthreatening way.”
Consider picking up some paint in this red-orange hue and adding a spark of unexpected color with a small but seductive accent wall.
Consider picking up some paint in this red-orange hue and adding a spark of unexpected color with a small but seductive accent wall.
by Cristi Holcombe
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Like Cabaret, Tangerine Tango demands attention. If a wall is too over the top for you, work it in through small doses and balance it with this season’s top gray shade, Driftwood.
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by Gary Hutton
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| Yellow = Pantone's Solar Power. Solar Power is a warm, cheery yellow meant to fill a room with energy. It’s predicted that the color will be most on trend mixed with blues. |
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Energize your kitchen with a Solar Power yellow countertop. It will always feel as if the sun is shining in.
by Amy Lau Design
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Green = Pantone's Margarita. This yellow-green, seen here on the bed’s linens, is meant to deliver a spirited feel, not unlike the drink that was its namesake. Pair it with brighter lime tones to take that spirited feel to the next level.
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Or mix it among neutrals. Alongside Driftwood, the gray neutral for the season, Pantone developed Starfish, a more beige neutral. This deeper beige has elements of pistachio in it, much like the rug seen in this photo.
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by Filmore Clark
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| Blue = Pantone's Cockatoo. This season’s blue works in elements of green to further emphasize a fresh, vibrant feel. In this bathroom, it takes center stage when paired with a simple white tub and a red antique chair. |
One of the easier ways to sneak these colors into your space is through small furnishings here and there. In this bedroom, Cockatoo is represented with a small bedside table.
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Indigo = Pantone's Sodalite Blue. Sodalite Blue is a bit of a marriage between cobalt and midnight blue, and is meant to calm the space. It also blends with all the season’s top colors: a stool in a color much like Margarita pops against these deep blue drawers.
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Again, you can balance the blue with neutrals. Warm your bedroom with Sodalite Blue walls neutralized with Starfish linens. A hint of Tangerine Tango will give it just the personality it needs.
by decordemon
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Violet = Pantone's Bellflower. This season’s purple is best described as an edgy lavender. As you can see, it makes a statement as a wall color that is both fresh and modern.
by CWB Architects
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To round out the color trends, we’re going to add one more color to our rainbow: pink. Pink this season is seen in a Pantone color called Sweet Lilac. Like its namesake, it’s very soft and romantic. It’s predicted to work best with shades of green and blue, which can easily be pulled in through artwork, as seen in this example.
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| Or neutralize Sweet Lilac with Driftwood gray. This look combines masculine elements with the feminine, mixing the best of both worlds. More: Tangerine Tango: Four Ways to Use Pantone's Color of the Year |
Comments
Wang Wei Thanks for the post loaded with so many information on wall paint.Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for.
13 months ago · Like
Story & Space - Interior Design and Color Guidance Thanks for adding my bedroom pic to the bunch!
13 months ago · Like
Filmore Clark Thanks for including our teal bathroom image!
13 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on April 20, 2012.
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