Pratt and Lambert - Personal Expressions 2008 - (Page 20) feature sides and the top of a window to mimic drapery treatment and in a square outlining two framed works of art. The remaining areas of the walls were painted white. In the same house, he created an accent wall in a bedroom by painting the wall above the bed aqua, outlining it with a series of square wood frames and accenting a few of the frames with green or white discs. This sparing use of “punchy” color, as LaPalm calls it, fits in with what Scottsdale homeowners currently crave. “Everyone is looking for natural palettes accented by exciting colors,” LaPalm says. Foote says that, no matter the locale, wall color should be the last item selected for a room and the first to be applied. “Which background color will pull all of the furniture, fabrics, accessories, art and textures together and not let them ‘float’ on their own? What color of background anchors your style and expression of design? White or light walls are not always the best background of choice,” she advises. A professional understands the virtually unlimited options available when choosing wall color, she continues. If one person in a home demands white walls while another pleads for color, “The designer, knowing full well that there are thousands of whites and colors, will begin the process with one piece of art, fabric, furniture piece or client-prompted envisioning statement,” Foote says. Whether their tastes are contemporary or traditional, funky or dramatic, residents of The Valley of the Sun want to create a sense of relaxation in their homes. “The key word today is ‘Zen.’ People want peace and harmony in color palettes,” LaPalm says. “Even very traditional clients are using buzz words like Zen. That’s wonderful.” ex color trends While professional color forecasts for the next six to twelve months are generally used for the entire country, some variations will no doubt occur in different locations because of climate, landscape and other factors. Natural, earthy hues will continue in popularity, according to Mark LaPalm, and they work especially well in the desert. “Copper is really big,” he notes, “and brown is still the new black.” Contrasting brown with an unexpected color, like pink, teal, deep red or violet, adds spark to an interior. Metallic paints can also lend a dramatic touch to walls and trims, according to both LaPalm and Melinda Foote. Foote sees specific earthy hues being popular in warm, desert climates. “For Scottsdale, it is not black, rust or dirty browns; it is rich, dark chocolate, bronzes, earth and natural landscape tones,” she says. Even tried and true colors are getting a wake up call with fresh tones. Green and aqua are being saturated with a touch of olive to produce a soft, yellow-green hue, according to LaPalm. And in a nod to retro styles, 1980s colors are back with new names and slightly new flair. Raspberry, for example, is “actually fuchsia with more purple,” LaPalm says. The upcoming months promise to be very exciting when it comes to interior color. “Clothing, furnishings, accessories and fabrics are picking up saturated and pure colors,” Foote says. “Color is going to become more available in many forms and will be fun and easier to incorporate.” Butternut Leaf 15-20 (wall), Arizona 8-22 (fireplace) and Swiss Coffee 88-5 (fireplace trim) 20 P R AT TA N D L A M B E R T. C O M PRATTANDLAMBERT.COM
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.