Mood Magic

Over the past several years, Americans have used color to create an atmosphere of safe harbor in their homes. But as we emerge from that cocooning phase, homeowners are taking a broader view of their personal surroundings, according to Lea Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute in Carlstadt, New Jersey. "The need for self-expression continues as a trend for home furnishings," says Eiseman. "[But] the one-size-fits-all color and style mentality is a dinosaur."

While certain areas of the home will always be safe retreats, we also need elements of fun and fantasy in our home lives — and color is the perfect tool to create those moods. Therefore, the palettes for 2005 reflect a diversity of mood, taste, and color to reinvigorate our home environments.

If there's one color that will be the hot item of the year, it's green, according to Eiseman. The embodiment of nature and social issues from the environment to concerns for a healthy life, green represents consumers' aspirations now and for the future. Eiseman has dubbed the 21st century the "Green Century."

Of the broad range of greens, it's the yellow-green family (a la Shrek) that has been most notable. This fresh, light celery color emerged in ready-to-wear fashion and fashion accessories, becoming prevalent this past summer. The next step is a stronger variation of the hue, ranging from apple toward a martini olive tone.

Other trend forecasters concur on the rising dominance of the yellow-greens, but differ as to how it is perceived based on how they see it being used. Michelle Lamb of the Trend Curve, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, sees greens becoming less edgy as the mellow yellows move toward green values on the color wheel. On the other hand, color forecasting consultant and past president of the Color Marketing Group, Kenneth Charbonneau, believes there is an edginess to yellow-green, but hedges by saying it depends on how the color is used and combined. He also notes that grass green is "a little more daring and fashion-forward."

Pink, too, was widespread in fashion during 2004, and looks strong going into 2005. Eiseman notes that any color that has staying power in the fashion industry is bound to carry that power into the home. Charbonneau agrees, saying pink is like the Energizer Bunny — it just keeps going and going … .

The question is: what shade or shades of pink will tickle consumers in 2005? Again, it depends on usage. Sophisticated palettes range from luminous blush to the rosy hues perfect for subdued settings. Meanwhile, more playful palettes tend toward the light, bright, shocking, and bubblegum tones.

In our industry, some of the more design-forward manufacturers are already starting to use pink as a color statement in home accessories. And it should gain momentum going forward, especially in patterns or combinations with green or yellow.

And speaking of yellow, it's another color Lea Eiseman and the Pantone Institute are watching closely. On the rise in the home and especially in the kitchen, yellow is supported by a March 2004 House & Gardenmagazine survey that recommends the food yellows of custard, golden egg yolks, and other organics such as the mineral cadmium. The survey was conducted by British forecasting house, The Mix.

In the neutral family, natural browns continue to hold a prominent position, but will begin to decline in importance as gray returns in sophisticated looks and textures. Glamorous black will continue to hold its strong position, while white softens, losing some of its starkness.

In the blue family, look for the return of turquoise. But not, according to Charbonneau, a '56 Chevy turquoise. Rather it is "an aqueous, jewel-like tone, a little Mediterranean, Persian, or Turkish." Eiseman's Pantone Forecast includes turquoise as a prominent element in its "Refresh" palette. Cobalt or "Chinese Export Porcelain" blue also moves to the forefront, especially paired with green.

Red "with attitude" also hits the scene; the energetic, lipstick red of Pantone's Recurrents palette. But it's a tricky shade. "One has to understand how it will fit into a situation," says Charbonneau. The experts see a range of reds on both sides of the scale — warm as well as cool — making a strong showing in 2005. On the warm, yellow-based side soft, faded, and worn reds are looking good. On the cooler, blue-based scale, look for a return to the berry reds, such as cranberry, and tones that shift into the red-violets that are gaining strength in certain usages.

Along with color, tactile surfaces continue to be important, whether it's the nap of velvet, the roughness of tweed, the smooth sheen of silver or gold, or the soft luster of frosting. Patterns that combine different colors add dimension to a look or help temper a mood. Stripes will continue to be a dominant element, and look for paisleys and flame stitch patterns to re-emerge.

Color inspires emotion, and emotion helps set a mood in your store. Among the watchwords for 2005 are icy and luminous for the serene, calming, and sophisticated colors; playful, retro, and fantasy for the bright, fun, "nearly neon" colors. So whatever the mood you want to set in your store, there's a color that can help you find the right emotion.