2011 Color Trends

The design world is looking at exciting new color pallets and design styles for 2011. According to Sherwin-Williams, people are ready this year to showcase their individualism through color and style.

We are facing hard economic times right now. These hard times are inspiring softer colors. The space should be fresh, airy, and innocent, flirty but fun. Pastels dominate this style, such as pistachio greens, pastel coppers, neutral browns, and splashes of chartreuse. This gentle medley style features butterfly and dragonfly motifs, vintage florals, mismatched flea-market finds, maps, and hand tinted photos. Think shabby chic meets romance with a flirty fun flair.

World travel is another dominant inspiration in 2011. The space should be exotic, sultry, and primal. Mix and match different ethnic patterns and animal prints, use aged leather and tapestries. A vibrant color pallet featuring hot pinks, rich reds, peacock blues, eggplant, mustard yellows can transform your space into another world. Draw from Moroccan and Turkish influences to design your space.

A luxurious space doesn’t have to scream expensive. True luxury whispers using clean and classic lines. It is elegant and understated. You can achieve this look through textured linens, concrete, and oval shapes with a muted color palette of grays, gray-blues, sage greens, deep lavenders, and splashes of cornflower blues and muted lime greens. This style is refined and classic.

Technology and avant-garde art are another big design inspiration this year. The space should be spontaneous and rebellious drawing inspiration from the Cynical Realism art movement of China and evoke the Carnaval spirit from Rio de Janeiro. Bright reds, lime greens, Kelly greens, sapphire blues, teals, and aqua make up the color pallet for this exciting style. Graffiti art, neon, Latin American influences, pixilated images, modular furniture, and clashing patterns are some of the more prominent elements of this bold, high-energy style.

We are seeing a lot of exciting new things for 2011. Whatever design style that speaks to you the most, be sure that you are making it your own and showcase your individual style. Whether it is the bright color pallet of the world or the muted classic look, put your signature on it. It’s your space-own it and enjoy it!

Thanks to Sherwin Williams and Robert Allen for providing us a look in to 2011.

UPDATE YOUR LIVING ROOM TO REFLECT YOUR LIFESTYLE

Your living room no longer has to be a place that is stuffy and formal. Gone are the days of matching furniture covered in plastic so that it won't get damaged. We no longer need a parlor type room to entertain friends for afternoon tea. Today we are living a more casual lifestyle. So why do you need a formal room that is never used. You can still have a nice room for entertaining guests, but a stiff, formal room is not exactly conducive to having a nice visit with friends and making people feel comfortable while entertaining.

So what can you do to still have a casual but welcoming living room?

Use more versatile furniture and invest in pieces that are classic in style and comfortable.

Make your living room look more comfortable and "lived in". Don't buy matching sets. Mix new pieces with old pieces. Start with comfortable seating and add in antiques or flea market finds.

Place lighting at different levels in the room. Use a combination of accent lighting, table lamps and decorative lamps to add warmth and atmosphere to your living room

Try to create a 'lived-in' look for your living room, in other words, make it look like you use it more often than you actually do. Place small furniture in the room, accent tables or an ottoman work well. Place magazines or a book on tables – they can spark conversation as well as liven up the room. Don’t overaccessorize, or the room will look too cluttered.

If you tone down the formality of your living room, you can not only make guests more comfortable, but you can make it comfortable enough to make it your own personal hideaway. Wouldn’t you love to have a living room you actually use? Create a place that you will enjoy spending time in.

Country Living Magazine

Designed by: Space Design Studio

Designed by: Cote De Texas