Withit Breakfast Presents Sherwin-Williams Color Forecast

Furniture World Magazine

The five categories Sherwin-Williams’ color and design trend forecast share some decidedly common themes, according to Becky Ralich Spak, senior color consultant for color marketing and design at North America’s largest paint manufacturer and retailer. Ralich Spak was the key presenter at the traditional Friday morning educational breakfast hosted at each High Point Market by WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today) and the International Home Furnishings Center. The 2005 themes recognize that color can draw distinction as it integrates, highlight individuality as it unites and focus on detail as it compels us to see the beautiful whole, according to Ralich Spak. RetroSpective: a second glance at first-rate style “RetroSpective is the shape of the past interpreted in a fresh approach for today. It combines precise, routine geometric patterns with unexpected twists on textures and colors,” said Ralich Spak. Textile influences include Sashiko, a form of hand-sewing once practiced in Japan and China. Simple running stitches in repeated or interlocking patterns are a hallmark of Sashiko, as is the technique’s incorporation of blank or negative space. Other key textile representations of the RetroSpective style can be found in Maraham’s 20th Century Textiles program, as well as in Alexander Girard’s textile designs for the Herman Miller Textile Division in the early 1950s. Key colors for this category are an ecumenical mix, blending intense selections such as Jalapeno (SW 6629), a highly saturated, red-based orange, with CyberSpace (SW 7076), a deep charcoal gray revealing cool and slightly blue undertones. Other colors include Fireweed (SW 6328), a comfortable red-brown; Mélange Green (SW 6710), a playfully shocking yellow-green that’s as at home on the fashion catwalk as it is in kitchen appliances; Solitude (SW 6535), a coolly confident blue midtone shading to red; and Mink (SW 6004), a liaison color that functions as conduit among the various other shades in the category. Global Fusion: embracing the world Influenced by emerging technology yet drawing on nature, fresh but with the echoes of ancient cultures, Global Fusion marries multiple – and sometimes opposite – themes into a category that reminds us of just how small the world truly is. “Ethnic-inspired textiles in rich silks or smooth cottons serve as a canvas for botanical, geometric and multicultural motifs,” said Ralich Spak. From hand-crafted batik prints to intricate chinoiserie styles, the Global Fusion category delivers a bazaar of pattern, texture and hues. Colors for this category combine vibrant, spiced hues with clean, fresh pastels – evocative of many cultures. Included in the mix are French Roast (SW 6069), a fully saturated, dark brown that grounds the other hues in the palette; Flyaway (SW 6794), a radiantly translucent blue that transports the viewer to other lands; warm, pale pink Rosy Outlook (SW 6316) creates a soothing respite for the eyes; Enticing Red (SW 6600) blends red with a dash of yellow into a nearly coral shade; and Nasturtium (SW 6899), a shocking yellow with hints of red. Artisan: an individual voice for style The keystone for this category supports a focus on one-of-a-kind, versus mass-produced elements. Pains are taken to support the creative process without restrictions based on design, materials, colors or cost. Textile influencers are stylized interpretations of the familiar, as exemplified again by Maraham’s Textiles of the 20th Century. “The folk-art-influenced designs associated with Alexander Girard during his tenure with Herman Miller are also important,” said Ralich Spak. This category transitions into décor in uniquely personal ways: a collection of pleasingly arrayed pieces culled from travels or a mix of antique furnishings with contemporary. Whatever the means, the outcome is always as much about the elements, themselves, as the pleasure they bring into the space. The Artisan palette is subtly personal, and includes shades such as Blonde (SW 6128), a medium golden hue that delivers glowing warmth; Sable (SW 6083) a very deep yellow-cast brown that acts as a foundation for other colors in the collection; Rejuvenate (SW 6620), a grown-up orange which functions as the extrovert in the palette; Adaptive Shade (SW 7053), a complex but chameleon-like neutral that assumes the characteristics of surrounding colors and light sources; and Mesmerize (SW 6544), a smoky, hazy grayed purple that acts as a coolly neutral foil for the warmer colors in the category. Modern Classic: fresh but familiar “Modern Classic is all about the familiar working in tandem with the unexpected,” explained Ralich Spak. “It presents formal design with a surprising use of colors and materials,” she added. An example is the Louis Ghost armchair by Philippe Stark, a new interpretation on the Louis XVI design. By incorporating innovative materials such as translucent injection-molded polycarbonate, Stark’s design brings fresh characteristics such as transparency, translucency and iridescence to a traditional styling. Colors for this category include Sociable (SW 6359), a soft, pale peach; Drizzle (SW 6479) a watery aqua that signals serenity and relaxation; Saffron Thread (SW 6663), a warm gold that acts as a highlight; Quest Gray (SW 7080), a tinted, complex neutral with hints of lavender; Sequin (SW 6394), which elegantly melds golden yellow with a hint of green; and Intellectual Gray (SW 7045), a welcoming gray that brings together all of the colors in this category. Haute Couture: pushing the style envelope Punches of high-fashion colors that bring fresh versatility to multiple décor styles, Haute Couture relies on the contrast of dark and light values to deliver its impact. “Haute Couture isn’t for those with a follow-the-lead attitude, said Ralich Spak, adding, “It’s a category in which advanced technology provides compelling options for flooring, textiles, wall coverings and laminates.” Colors in this collection include Berry Bush (SW 6292), a mauve for the new millennium that is fresher and less gray than mauves of the past; Gray Matters (SW 7066), a warm gray with steely metallic undertones; Escapade Gold (SW 6403), an olive-oil inspired shade; warm and natural Rugged Brown (SW 6062); Universal Khaki, a comfortable companion color that creates a home for other options in this palette; and Refuge (SW 6228), a nature-tinted blue that brings clarity and calm. For over 135 years, Sherwin-Williams has srved the coating and color needs of painting contractors, designers, specifiers, property managers and builders. Some 3000 stores and 1,500 sales representatives make Sherwin-Williams North America’s largest single-source supplier of high-quality paints, stains, masonry coatings and brand-name wall and floor coverings. Visit Sherwin-Williams on the Internet at www.sherwin-williams.com. WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today, www.withit.org) was established in 1997 to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and opportunity for professional women in the home furnishings industry. The not-for-profit organization maintains national headquarters in High Point, along with regional chapters in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, New York, San Francisco and Virginia/Carolinas.