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Eclectic expressions
There is a strong need to bring nature indoors. Going green is more than a trend…
Culture is moving from uniform expressions to an era of overlapping influences. As trends move out of focus, consumers are not discarding them as new trends move in. Rather, they are keeping bits, discarding others and redefining them on their own te
rms. Consumer choices are influencing design and colour industries in brand new ways. Charging colours dominate the scene from the bright global colours in the modern East Indian fashions. Strong colours are cutting through an overabundance of choice. Strong, filled colour links us to emotion, wonder, destiny and the physical needs of the senses. And neutral colours like blacks, earth tans, transparencies and whites are balancing the colour-rich experience.
One of the top colour trends for this Spring-Summer season is purple, the colour we get from mixing blue and red. From deep plums to light lavenders, purple reigns as the season’s go-to shade. While the colour of royalty makes a bold statement all by itself, it also pairs well with grey, black, white, and even brown. The runways for Fall were overflowing with intense shades of purple and violets and are now being used extensively in unexpected ways in interior decor, accent lighting and on different surfaces. It can be viewed as feminine and light in its lavender shades, or strong and masculine when mixed with brown.
Orange as well as shades of Coral are big on the spring runway as well as enjoying resurgence in home fashion this year. Pantone, the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards to the design industries, has announced that Pantone #14-0848 Mimosa is the colour of the year for 2009. The colour is a warm, engaging yellow. The colour was regarded perfect for this year of change — hopefulness that the economic and political atmosphere will clear and provide utmost encouragement. The colour yellow represents the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance.
One of the hottest decor trends for 2009 is going green. Eco-friendly decor allows you to care for your planet and simultaneously create a chic look for your home. Many companies are joining the green bandwagon and producing furniture from sustainable materials or recycled resources. Fabrics for your home have also become eco-friendly. You can find fabrics that are certified green or look for fabrics you know are all natural. One hundred percent cotton or organic cotton is a good choice, as is hemp, silk, linen and wool. Another big decorating trend for 2009 is patterns that are inspired by nature. Bold floral, leaf designs, and bright colours are all available in fabrics that have been manufactured without harmful chemicals. It’s about creating a home environment that comforts and offers peace and serenity, by embracing simple, understated luxury and serene colours distilled from sunlight, green fields, oceans, beaches, deserts and forests. There is a strong need to bring nature indoors. Going green is more than a trend…it’s a way of life.
This year sees the use of Metallic with other colours, texture, or style. Once considered to be a “luxury” material, metallic have now been transformed to be made available in a multitude of finishes. Continuously mesmerised by the sharp edges and seductive shimmer of metals and stones, extra dimensions are added to all new shapes around. In every angle, facet and curve, sculptural aspects rely on architectural influences. Playing a statistical game with optical illusions builds a solid, but surreal construction. We will see them in wall and furniture finishes, leathers and vinyls, fabrics, lighting, etc. Metallics are adding a bit of sparkle to the dull abundance of neutrals.
Traditional forms and styles are re-interpreted in a fun, colourful and bold manner. The finest treasures of the past are preserved and embellished or embroidered with new coatings, to set the stage for our reclaimed cultural heritage. Cherishing decorative art from deco to nouveau and embracing intricate detailing for the ultimate luxury. Fabrics with various textures are used. Mixing wood grains, painted finishes, metal finishes. Use of line and texture on different surfaces. Puja Pusalkar is Head, Design Team, Portico, New York.
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The trends for 2009 indicate that we are in for an era of overlapping influences, parts of the old co-existing with the new….
Style statements: A design by Anupama Dalal for Portico
The colour purple is back...
