Color Trends: A Retrospective

We've had a bit of a color debate going on around Alluminare. Our big question? Brown and blue: hot or not.

But more on that (and other current color trends) later this week. We escaped from our modern day trend debate to take a little trip down memory lane. Today is all about color trends from the past. What they were, what they remind us of, and how they hold up today.

Back in 1999, Serena Fenton published an article called, "Architectural Follies," in which she listed the most popular color combinations in school media centers and libraries from the 1960s through the '90s. As it turns out, those color combinations are good examples of the colors that ruled those decades. We couldn't help but check them out.

It all started in the 1960s, when avocado and harvest gold famously ruled the day, kitchens adopted a look that felt outdated a few years later. But how would it hold up today?

We actually like it. Green and orange feels pretty fresh right now, especially when it's punched up with white accents, like in this Brickell three-cylinder pendant lamp in cream, Army, and Pumpkin:

A few years later, in the early '70s, colors shifted to the primary section of the color wheel, when designers latched onto strong yellows, blues, and reds. We tried the combination out on a Commonwealth two-cylinder pendant in Bright Yellow, Blue Iris, and Classic Red:

The combination is fun for a kid's bedroom or playroom, but we find it a little strong for the kitchen (though using just two of the three colors would look great).

In the mid-70s, the look got a little funkier, with electric blue and Kool-Aid orange energizing interiors. We like the combination now, too. The Linoak pillow (at left) in cream, orange, and Wild Blueberry is a great modern look - fresh and fun and clean.

And then came the 80s - the days of pastel and wine and roses. In the early '80s, Fenton cataloged a great deal of gray with mauve and jade - we can just picture the early '80s wedding parties decked out in those shades.

We've modernized the combo, with a drum pendant in gray, Classic Pink, Tutu, and Forest:

We think the clean stripe saves it from looking overly saccharine, creating a lamp that would work in a variety of modern homes.

Of course, things didn't get any less pastel as the '80s progressed and Miami Vice, with all its linen blazers and candy-colored t-shirts, came on the scene. In fact, Fenton called the late '80s palette "Miami Vice pastels."

Even though the show went out forever ago, we think pastel color combinations never get old, especially not in little girls' rooms or feminine living rooms. The Granted pendant in Light Plum and Light Spring Grass would look just as perfect in any of those spaces today as it did during Don Johnson's heyday:

In the early '90s, girly shades were finally out, when interiors followed fashion with an emphasis on deep earth tones. They're still relevant, too, especially in traditional homes and masculine rooms, like libraries.

We love Beach Vine wallpaper in Rosemary and Ginger (at right) - it's warm and welcoming, and just as relevant today as it was fifteen years ago.




Fenton's research ended in the late '90s, with her assessment that pale citrus shades were all the rage. It's only been a decade, so we thought the combination might look dated, but as it turns out, we still love the look of lighter versions of sunny shades, like this Maven pendant in white, Pale Buttercup, Cantaloupe, and Light Spring Grass:

We think it hits exactly the right spot and is perfect for a sunny kitchen.

What are your favorite eras for color combinations? Any great color memories you've tried to recreate at home? Share with us in the comments.