Natural tones still rule, but travel will inspire: think Italy’s Cinque Terra’s palest pinky glow. By
We get used to seeing fashion trends come and go with the seasons – it’s fitted jeans this year, and loose ones the next – but with our homes, the process of change and fashion is a gentler transition.
The approach
We all remember when the feature wall became the must-have in the late 90s. But now, rather than thinking of the feature wall first and the colour second, contemporary design thought prefers to fix first on the colour, then decide where, in the room it may go.
‘‘It may be a full feature wall, perhaps two walls, it may be a half wall – horizontal most common, but you do see vertical part walls also – or a floor or a piece of furniture,’’ said Karen Warman, marketing manager for Resene Paints.
‘‘These days, decorating is less defined by the surface. Colour doesn’t have to stop when one wall hits the next. Flow on colour blocks on the wall or on furniture or shelving can be painted to create a harmonious continuation of wall colour."
Colour can also be used to separate one zone from another in a central living space.
‘‘Let colour be the cue for space definition,’’ said Warman. ‘‘Colour defines space in new ways. It visually anchors a desk top or bed to the wall, makes a dining space distinctive, or defines an entry.’’
Colour trends
‘‘Trends often reflect the times in which we live,’’ said Warman. ‘‘When the world seems a mad, bad place or we feel sensory overload from our busy bright lives, we seek safe, nurturing spaces at home.’’
The nurturing colours of nature have been in high demand this season.
According to trend prediction giant, Pantone, 2017 was the year of