Color choices are subjective, private decisions with a profound impact on the success of every design. The most common critique designers hear from clients is, “I like (or don’t like) the color.”
Color is important. It affects our mood and how we interact with our surroundings. There are many nuances to color, and much like wine tasting, it can be difficult to describe. When we experience something new, our senses describe it to us - color, shape, texture, taste, smell, sound, etc. Subjectively, colors are associated with memories, emotions, desires and other sensations. Objectively, colors can be described by commonly associated attributes:
• Hue - the purest form of a color - red, blue, yellow, green, etc.
• Lightness - light vs. dark, where it rests on the value scale.
• Saturation - intense vs. dull, how close it is to the pure hue.
• Temperature - warm vs. cool, a subjective classification where warm colors are typical of the daytime and cool colors are more overcast or icy.
• Tints & Shades - Without changing the hue, tints are made by lightening a color, and shades are made by darkening a color.
Many of us don’t have a lot of time to spend thinking about color, and would rather draw inspiration from the recommendations of others. Each year, several organizations meet to discuss this topic and report the outcome. Color trends are established, we have charts to pick from, and life is grand.
This year, after much research, Specialty Tile Products has chosen a palette, and offers examples of coordinating tile with 2011 color trends.
Designing a home interior while maximizing resale value can be tricky. A good rule of thumb to follow is to make color choices for removable items to express personal style, and to reserve neutral colors for permanent fixtures.
There are three basic trends for 2011, and although tile will remain a predominately neutral element, it continues to interact with the overall design of a room in a big way.
1. Neutrals with loud accents – neutral hues, such as soft grays and corals with intense magenta, purple, or metallics (gold and silver) used as accents.
2. Colors from the garden – the green movement remains influential, and many palettes will be plucked from the garden.
3. Brights – bright colors are uplifting in a down economy, primary colors and other intense hues couple with tribal patterns.
Specialty Tile Products
1275 Oakbrook Drive, Suite D
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 246-9224
F. (770) 246-9214
www.specialtytile.com