From deep smoky wine to pumped up fuchsia, color experts at Benjamin Moore see purple as a predominant color in home decor in 2011. The company’s Envision Color 2011 booklet illustrates the hue predictions and outlines the forecasted palette of 18 colors.
“One purple to watch for in 2011 is Benjamin Moore’s Vintage Wine 2116-20,” said Sonu Mathew, ASID, the company’s senior interior designer. “It is an anchoring and rich hue with a deep brown base and a hint of smoky violet. Vintage Wine (pictured above) is the perfect foil for the latest wood finishes, leathers, linens and other textiles.”
Another best bet is the company’s Royal Flush 2076-20, a berry tone that is grounded when combined with neutrals or grays, yet can still be paired with other brights for an exotic feel. Mathew also noted there’s a range of pale yet power-statement colors, such as Smoke 2122-40. “It is a subtle blue gray that is best described as an update of spa blue with an injection of sophisticated and seasoned gray,” she said.
When arriving at the 2011 forecast, the Benjamin Moore color team first tracked recent cultural, social, and political conditions and how they are impacting fashion and design trends. Emerging from this analysis was the central theme of “balance” plus three distinct offshoot style movements, including “soulful,” “spirited” and “dreamy.”
Soulful is defined by the global balance being achieved as communications technology shrinks the distance between cultures. Stylistically, this is visible in “ethnic glam” designs, pattern-on-pattern, map motifs and hand-worked decoration such as beading and embroidery. Colors being called out to interpret this idea include Benjamin Moore’s Vintage Wine, Wasabi AF-430, Amulet AF-365, Casco Bay 2051-30, Hush AF-95, and Etruscan AF-355.
The antidote to stress is anything that makes you feel happy, joyful, and playful, which defines Spirited. In fashion and furnishings it’s reflected in designs featuring geometrics, stripes and cubes, dots and curlicues, studded or stitched outlines of shapes and silhouettes. Colors comprising this palette are Royal Flush, as well as Grape Green 2027-40, Wrought Iron 2124-10, Paper Mache AF-25, Storm AF-700, and Lucerne AF-530.
Dreamy takes harsh reality and counters it with a softened experience where wishes are nurtured. From a design perspective that means transparent and sheer materials, blurred decorative details and softened textures. Hues are pale, frosted and opalescent, such as Gray Mirage 2142-50, Genesis White 2134-70, Porcelain 2113-60, Etiquette AF-50, Kendall Charcoal HC-166 and Smoke.
