Are you up on Color Trends?

Are you up on the latest color trends? If someone came into your store and asked you: "what colors are fashionable this year?" could you honestly tell them?
Every season I research color, looking at Women's fashion, Kid's fashion, home products, automobile and home appliance colors, wall paint, and much more.
I like to look around me, see what people are wearing, watch films and see what direction Art directors are taking in those films. I  glance through any visual books, paper products and music images and venues, If it is visual, I'm taking it in!
Here are some of my research boards for you to take a look at... they are rough from my design studio, but they can give you a snapshot of what we see but don't always notice.

blue- the IT color 

You might ask yourself, Blue?  what's so new about Blue?
Nothing really...but since denim has reached elevated levels of fashion and social status, the color blue is equally as royal... any shade of blue- but especially Royal and Navy blue seem to be a particularly important colors.
I can't help dreaming of navy blue walls- how sophisticated that would be?! (not the whole room, but at least 1 or 2 walls)

Brights and Neon brights

Then the brights. People want brights!!! they are ready for them. I think it is a reaction to the somber years we are emerging from,  but also, it is the perfect opposite of the lovely earthy tones we have been seeing from the eco-green movement.
These brights are fully saturated and shown WITH saturated color- red with orange, Kelly green with lime green, meaning; color with color. Then for the more shy: brights with whites... a little easier for the those not quite ready to dive into the bright, bright world of color. But no matter what you MUST have brights in your store- it is essential! this year and next. Here's an idea: You can paint 1 wall in a bright color and focus brightly colored wall art on an adjoining white wall, it is a good way to show brights- but not overwhelm the customers with too much.

orange is more than a fruit

With brights reaching new heights- we would HAVE to acknowledge orange as leading the color parade. Yes, it HAS been around but it is now in many shades ranging from "safety orange" to bright coral orange. This color is showing up in accessories, furniture, prints, rugs, wall color... you name it! SO- buy some orange for your store! ( tidbit of info: don't wear orange on a job interview- research says orange on an interview feels like a warning to the interviewer so the potential job seekers won't get the job- imagine that!)

pink, pink a bottle of ink, the cork flew out and you

PINK! you can NEVER go wrong with it. Diana Vreeland said "Pink is the navy blue of India" it makes sense that pink and blue would be two major colors to bookend the coming seasons. And you can't go wrong with those 2 colors in a kids store! All shades of pink are right- but "bright is right" no matter what. Light pink walls are still sweet and timeless but soft pink mixed with orange- well, that is fresh.

That's it for now- more from the studio a little later- remember- COLOR! bring it on!
What colors are YOU seeing? what feels right and fresh to you? any fresh color combinations?
Share your thoughts and ideas.