Brown & Blue: Hot or Not?

As we mentioned earlier this week, we cannot stop talking about decorating with brown and blue. It's been holding strong as a trendy color combination for the past few years, but has its time passed?
Well, we for one still think it looks pretty nice. The wedding industry still agrees with us, too. Brown and blue are holding strong as popular wedding colors, with brides choosing flowers, decor, and dresses in sweet and bright shades of both. And at home - wouldn't the Duo pillow, shown above in Baby Blue and Classic Brown, look fantastic in a little boy's nursery? The shades are soothing and comforting, but still feel pretty hip.

But while the color combo isn't exactly out, it might be drifting toward the less trendy end of the scale, as yellows and bright greens take over blue's spot in the, well, spotlight, and cooler neutrals like grey bump brown off the scene. According to color experts from Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Pantone, 2010 will be all about those cool neutrals, yellows, and some surprising new shades.

If you love the brown and blue combination but want to update it, one way to do so is to brighten it up with a little bit if yellow. We like the Linoak on Seventh pendant in Baby Blue, Classic Brown, and a shot of Pale Buttercup:

We think it's got all the good things about the brown and blue palette, plus a little energy from the yellow.

But if you're not tied to brown and blue specifically, but like the muted + bright tone of the lamp, lavender and gray are great to play with. Here's the same lamp, still with Pale Buttercup, but adding Charcoal Gray, and Light Plumb in place of the blue and brown:

The lamp has the same vibe, but a slightly fresher feel. Perfect for 2010 (and beyond).

Gray and yellow alone are a great pick, too. One of the nice things about the brown and blue combination is that, depending on the specific shades, it can be energizing or calming - or somehow both at the same time. Gray and yellow have the same magical capabilities. We think Tribeca wallpaper in Bright Yellow, Silver, and Gray would be perfect to fall asleep to or to wake up to:

Of course, if it's still really blue you're after, all you need to do to freshen it up is to make sure your palette is bright...because 2010 is all about aqua and we love it. The Granted three-cylinder pendant in white and Caribbean blue is exactly why:

It's bright and fun and exciting. Beachy, but perfect for a winter white landscape, too. And most of all - it's blue.

Where do you fall in the blue and brown debate? Still fresh? Feeling stale? What colors say 2010 to you? Please share in the comments.