Design Trends for 2010: Global Harvest

2009 is rapidly drawing to a close and we're busy exploring all the great new design trends we're likely to see in 2010. We've looked at the trend towards fun, lively interiors and the trend towards incorporating "weathered and treasured" items in the home. But those are just the tip of the iceberg.

A number of trends we're seeing for 2010 are likely to take hold in part because they really work together. When designing rooms, we can incorporate two or three trends at once without the room looking weird or overly decorated. In fact, in these cases, two trends are even better than one.

Two of our favorite new design trends offer the perfect example. The first, Global Village, is all about desigining with, well, global themes in mind. Our friends at Sherwin-Williams call this trend "rooted" and describe it this way:

"Rooted," embodies the rich, earthy colors associated with African, Aboriginal, and Native American cultures. Jackie Jordan, the director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, says inspiration comes from members of Ethiopian tribes who paint their bodies with green and red pigments sourced from volcanic ash, as well as weeds, grasses, and shells. The deep teal and ash gray of African wildlife and landscapes, as well as the bright designs of the locals' textiles and beads, also serves a launching point for new designs.

And the San Francisco Chronicle reminds us that a carefully curated "well-traveled" look works on a lot of levels. We like it best when globally-inspired items are mixed and matched with simple and traditional pieces, so the room doesn't look overly "designed." The comfortable sitting room at the top left is a great example of this style working. We might even add a little more color with a Bridgehampton Strip pillow in Ochre, Hampton Blue, and Pumpkin:We love the way the strong colors in the pillow complement the rug, but the simple stripe doesn't overpower the rug's elaborate design or any of the amazing pieces in the room. In fact, it lends a little bit of a preppy edge to the space, keeping it from veering into kitschy territory.

We think Global Village is a match made in heaven with another trend - Harvest. While it sounds a little hokey, this trend really got to us. Here's how the UK publication UpWorld describes "harvest" in the home:

Natural - Innocent - Conservative. Think white linens with attention to detail, restrained but textural, sentimental. Wholesome and innocent, this style will have a slightly sophisticated edge through the use of neutral colours such as beige, ivory, black, taupes and caramels. Formality is mixed with informality. This style is all about family and acknowledges where our food comes from. Think rural, wheat fields in the sunshine, farm houses - abundance of an earthy kind. The current ‘Classic Contemporary’ interior style will evolve into this.

Since we're always designing with family in mind (after all, isn't that who uses our spaces?) this trend appealed to us. We love clean lines and calm colors in comfortable, family-friendly spaces like this one:

And wouldn't this space look great accessorized with a Linoak on Second pendant in Pumpkin, Cream, and Light Hampton Blue?

love the way the warm colors are set off by the cooler shade of blue. Overall, we think it conveys that feeling of home and harvest - in a cool, modern way.

Best of all, of course, would be to mix the two styles. Pepper a room with souvenirs from fabulous family trips, like amazing rugs or framed artwork painted by roadside artists, then accessorize with big cushions and warm throws to encourage family lounging. Add a low table and a bunch of appetizers (inspired by those trips abroad, of course) and you've got yourself the perfect mix of a couple of great design trends.

[Photo credits: Family rooms from Houzz.com. Throw pillow and pendant lamp from Alluminare.]

Pantone Names Turquoise the Color of 2010

Just last week, we were waxing poetic about color trends - specifically, trends of the past, with a look ahead to what the future holds for blue and brown. Well, the color experts at Pantone must have felt their ears burning because this week they've announced their "color of the year" for 2010: Turquoise!

We're not surprised, of course, and we heartily approve. Turquoise is fun, it's lively, and it's a great foil for so many other shades. We love turquoise mixed and matched with other blues, and with sweet or fiery pinks, purples and reds, as in this pendant lamp in Serendipity in Turquoise, Baby Blue, Twilight Blue, and Pale Lavender:

Turquoise is perfect for a feminine pattern like Serendipity because its girlish, but not terribly saccharine. This particular lamp is perfect in a young girl's bedroom or for a pretty living room or master suite, but the color itself would work nicely in boys' rooms and casual family rooms, as well.

We love turquoise paired with other shades, but we like it on its own, too, or matched with crisp white, for a preppy, beachy feel. Wouldn't the Parkside pendant in Caribbean Blue and white look perfect in any Palm Beach condo? Preferably one decked out in Jonathan Adler furniture, with a splash (or two) of Lilly Pulitzer in the closet, of course.

You can be sure that we'll have our eyes out for any new and innovative ways to use turquoise in the year to come.

What do you think about turquoise? Any favorite spots for the color? Or favorite memories (of that great Caribbean vacation, maybe)? Does Pantone's choice surprise you? Please tell us your turquoise stories in the comments.

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.

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.

Tan and Brown in the Living Room

In my new home, my walls are currently tan and my leather sofa and chair are brown (we haven't gotten around to painting and/or wallpapering yet) - so I've been trying to get inspired by this color palette. Surprisingly, thanks to customized wallpaper- it's not hard to get inspired by this pair.

Custom Wallpaper: Equinox, Chocolate Milk, Classic Brown, Medium Scale.

Custom Wallpaper: Cottage Garden, Chocolate Milk, Classic Brown, Large Scale.

Tan and Brown are great colors together because one will always help the other 'pop'. They are great for patterns because the design will always shine. There are also a million and one colors that serve well as accents with this dynamic duo (as you'll see below)


Custom Wallpaper: Manhattan, Chocolate Milk, Classic Brown, Ginger, Large Scale.

Custom Wallpaper: Pearl District, Chocolate Milk, Classic Brown, Pale Turquoise, Charcoal Gray, Large Scale.
Accent colors should always be your best friend (I know I probably say that too much) - but I'm serious. Yellow stands out when paired with Tan and Brown (and not in a 70's sort of way). My personal favorite combination is the Pearl District (last image shown). Tan, Chocolate Brown, Pale Turquoise and Charcoal Gray- come on! Perfection.

14-inch Drum Lamp Shade: Turquoise. 10-inch shade length.

I recommend using this lamp to go with any of the above custom wallpapers.