If we believe the weather forecasts, this summer will be one the hottest in the century so this year’s trends are bang on with weather predictions — the colours and patterns in fabrics and wallpapers will be bright, bold, and floral. The second set of trends will be a return to classicism and period looks.
There will several hot colours to watch for in the 2009 colour forecast — look for a more varied approach featuring colour families. As we embrace more colour in everyday lives, we are becoming more adventurous about colour combinations and unusual colour effects.
A cool, clean, Asian-influenced aesthetic is inherent in the forecast. Watch for blackened hues with a new alternative to black and whites in indigos, deep plums, and purples on more fashionable, high-end products mixed with whites, off whites, and browns. Yellow has been a rising colour in many variations, including mango and wheat hues.
Far East: Watch for “eastern cool” and aged neutrals from the landscape — stone grey, moss green, deep indigo — accented with lacquer red and sky blue. A continued interest in metallics, particularly with special finishes such as blackened patina or hammering.
Indian market: An earthy, saturated palette is reflected in the emerging Indian market, with vibrant colours related to fresh fruits and vegetables, showing the growing strength of the natural food movement. Look for ethnic prints, modernised either through bright colours or oversized scales.
African: Rocks, fossils, and horns can be high-end with a metallic coat. Leopard and tiger skin patterns are paired with unnatural colours to make them feel new. Moroccan motifs, such as grillwork, stars, and paisley, work well in sheer and lustrous tapestries.
New England shores: A sophisticated take on preppy, with moody mid-tones such as classic camel in the luxury market. Look for beachy, dreamy, hues out of an Edward Hopper painting. Sandy taupes punctuated by barn red, salmon pink, and grass green. This colour palette reflects a rustic, worn feel.
Blues are taking off in new directions: Through 2010 we expect many more blues in an upcycle than we have had in years, all of them exciting. Navy blues are being pushed to the red side along with denim-inspired blues.
Purples and pinks: Purple with red casts, pale and midtone purples, and fuchsia-inspired purple. Pinks will stay cool, with the exception of a hot coral.
Greens and yellows: Get ready for a very different green-cast yellow to pop. We will also see neon-flavoured yellows in 2009. This is going to be a parallel trend with ready-to-wear. It also looks great with grey and silver.
Metallics: Biggest trends are metallics. Gold is the freshest way to tell that metallic story. Gold is showing up in all sorts of thicknesses. Think of those little threads of gold in the fabric and then contrast that with something that is nearly viscous. There is no wrong way to do metallics right now.
Warm greys: Look for a mixture of warm-temperature greys in 2009.
Skin-tone neutrals: The transition will be made from shades of pinks and peaches to desert neutrals, such as khaki browns and gold greys, perhaps accented with white and black.
Paisley is back: Bohemian or Moroccan themes update this traditional pattern.
Laurent Billiet
La Maison Chic Interior design www.lamaisonchic.ie (086 ) 2242328
