Bold Colors to Make a Return This Year

The return to strong colour gains momentum this year, according to the PPG PITTSBURGH PAINTS(R) brand colour forecast for home decor in 2012-2013. Homeowners reluctant before will take the plunge – or the leap – into deep and vivid hues this year.

On a quest for intensity, they will inject their decor with deep indigos like Blue Tang, saturated reds like Rum Punch, sharp pinks like Tutti Frutti and almost-neon yellows like Citrus Spice, just 4 of the 20 key colours presented in the PPG Pittsburgh Paints 2012 trends release, the Insider’s Color Guide.

“Intensity is a survival strategy in crisis times,” said Dee Schlotter, brand manager for THE VOICE OF COLOR(R) program of PPG Pittsburgh Paints. “For some, it means seeking out extremes of sensation, rebelling against the bland existence that comes with cynicism and disenchantment. For others, it means ‘unplugging’ in order to reconnect with a life they feel is passing them by.”

Sensation-seekers will amp up the chromatic density of their lives with vivid hues. They’ll go for colours that stir the senses and set them in motion. Their choices will be the vibrant, optimistic colours that pack a punch – colours that can’t be ignored, that vibrate; colours that are pure joy on the wall. Their spaces will be full of strong contrasts – heavy and weightless, shadow and light, hot and cold.

Those who feel their lives have become a race to the near future at the expense of the present will turn inward and unplug. They have been living in a state of permanent agitation for a long time – moving from list to list of things to get done. Now, they will put their activities on a diet and carve out time to be truly and deeply present in the moment and to pursue inner lives put aside for too long.

Their path to intensity means slowing down, simplifying, unburdening; eliminating useless “stuff.” They will gravitate towards quiet, understated palettes accented by deep, rich colours that bring mystery and invite intimacy. They will opt for calming neutrals that create the space they crave to think; colours that soften the edges of the day and quiet the chatter. They want simple, straightforward design and technology that “feels.”

The quest for intensity is not just the search for euphoria. It can also be a search for oneself. In either case, it’s recognition that we only live once and there’s no time to waste. When we achieve the intensity, it’s fleeting, ephemeral, transitory – but positive. It brings energy and impetus; a self-sustaining enthusiasm. Living intensely spices up the taste of the world, reconnects us with its beauty – the “minute pleasures” and modest instants of happiness – like the smell of moss in the underbrush, the feel of wind around us, a brilliant sky at sunset, the laugh of a child.

The key trend colours of PPG Pittsburgh Paints are presented in signature five-colour palette cards that offer colour opportunities for all the design elements in a space, from paint to window treatments to flooring to fabric. “A trend is never about just one colour. It’s about the combination of all the colours in a space,” Schlotter said.

The four trend palettes in The Voice of Color program of PPG Pittsburgh Paints for 2011-2012 will be available at PPG Pittsburgh Paints dealers across Canada. They are:

• Local Revival: Closer, simpler, less distant … and in the end, less expensive! This trend is about unplugging a complicated life and living more simply and in harmony with one’s community. It is in part a reaction to the economic crisis – self-reliance and auto-production – rooftop gardens, beekeeping, community gardens in vacant lots, vegetable co-ops – an agro-attitude in major metropolises. It’s about reconnecting to the rhythm of the seasons and the materials of the region. Craftsmanship is valued. Materials are strong and honest classics: leather, wood, aged metal. Design forms are simple and familiar: antique-industrial and retro-mechanical. Folkloric patterns tell the stories of generations.
  The palette is a mix of red berries, stone grey and solid brown refreshed by a creamy white. PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Rum Punch (231-7), Burnt Red (133-7), Pralines and Cream (117-3), Earl Gray (522-5) and Poppy Pods (526-6).
• Beauty Queen: This palette speaks to the unapologetically confident woman. It’s the return of glam finishes with a disco sophistication. Beauty Queen strikes a feminine note but doesn’t exclude her man. It’s high-intensity colour that can turn light and airy on a dime. Lush and mysterious, soft and fresh, girly but not – the built-in contrasts sensation-seekers want. Ultra-slick surfaces like Lucite and mirrors capture the best spirit of the 1970s.
  Sharp fuchsia pink and juicy purple are softened with cosmetic pink and freshened with this year’s brighter teal and white. PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Grape Juice (240-7), Tutti Frutti (138-7), Whirlpool (202-3), Candlelight Beige (216-1) and Brandy Alexander (535-3).
• Quiet Tech: It’s impossible to unplug without a place to escape to, so minimalism is the foundation of this trend. Rooms have visual interest without complication. Details and embellishments are kept to a minimum. Pale and medium wood tones don’t overpower the space. Shapes are rounded and tactile to keep rooms from feeling barren or cold.
  In the palette, ink blues play with earthy and calming neutrals. PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Gray Stone (517-4), Blue Tang (449-7), Chinese Porcelain (449-6), Earthy Ocher (315-5) and Spice Delight (215-2).
• Deco Candy: Bringing together vibrant colours and fun design, Deco Candy transforms a home into an intensely joyful playground. A vivid harmony of citrus accented by this year’s bright blue, clean green and tangerine, the colour scheme is irresistibly optimistic. Stripes and colour-blocking bring a sense of organization to what could otherwise be too boisterous a spectrum of hues.
  Colours awaken the senses. Come play! PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Mother of Pearl (513-1), Persian Blue (153-5), Hearty Hosta (208-5), Tangerine Dream (123-7) and the incredible Citrus Spice (110-7).

The 2012-2013 trend colour palettes, as well as the other 2,000 colours in The Voice of Color program, are available in any PPG Pittsburgh Paints paint lines, including the PURE PERFORMANCE(R), MANOR HALL(R) and Manor Hall TIMELESS(R) lines. Pure Performance paint is a premium-quality paint that has zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the base paint and minimal odour during application and drying.

To learn more about the PPG Pittsburgh Paints brand and The Voice of Color program, and to find the nearest dealer, visit the PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour website at www.voiceofcolor.com.