COLOR TRENDS 2008

Leatrice Eiseman Reveals Color Trends, 2008 Palettes at International Home & Housewares Show

Color is a vital element of style, and consumers expect style in every product and at every price point, especially with housewares, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training, and author of several books on color, told an audience at the 2007 International Home & Housewares Show. In her presentation, "Future Color/Design Trends: Fulfilling Consumers' Needs," "Today's empowered consumer gets the meaning of style and expects it at every product and in every price point. And color is a vital element of style," she said.

Eiseman revealed color trends for 2008, which continue to include the colors brown and tan, partly due to the interest in what she calls "critter movies" that are geared for children. "Shrek" green will continue into 2008 as well. The color green, she said, will continue to be symbolic of eco-consciousness and will only increase in usage in 2008. Because of the "green movement" the color green will be prolonged - green is good."

"With the color blue in 2008, she said, "you cannot go wrong. The whole environmental aspect is associated with the preservation of water, and to not present blue in your product line is divorcing a certain segment of the population," "Blue emits clean and clear all around the world. Use it in your products."

Variations of orange will continue, she predicted, while grey, black, and white, especially with textures, will remain classics.

"Whether designing interiors or creating products for the home, satisfying consumers' or clients' more demanding perceived needs and desires in both styling and color is a major challenge in today's marketplace," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of seven books including More Alive With Color". "People are looking beyond a simple matching process to colors they can instantly connect with, suit their personal comfort level and excite the imagination. At the same time, there is the practical need to connect to products or settings they already own. As always, it is the introduction of new or renewed themes and colors or unique combinations that will create these essential connections."

* ReCollections: It provides a link to the past and yet recreates it a bit to look to the collectibles of the future, she said. It includes tapestry blues, muted blue greens, elegant champagne and warm peachy tones. "The palette speaks to the past with new dimensions in texture that help to reinvent what is traditional," she noted. +Tapestry 18-4417 +Arabian Spice 19-1245n

* Chinoiserie: The palette is a blend of graceful shapes and charming motifs. "This speaks to China's history and past that has been preserved in porcelain and in breathtaking textiles," she said. "The colors are artistically designed with mauve tones and yellow/green, which is a historic Chinese color." +Chinese Violet 18-3418 +Muted Lime 14-0636

* High Profile: The palette's hues are inspired by the stylish icons that have survived the fads of the past, and includes colors such as pristine white, ebony black, rich browns and silvery grays accented with fuchsia, royal purple, and gold and silver. "Designers often incorporate the word 'icon' into their designs when using this palette," she said. "Inspired by the stylish icons that have managed to survive the fads and foibles of the past - techno with retro, mystical with modern." +Sassafras 19-1624 +Festival Fuschsia 19-2434

* Ethnic Chic: "This palette reaches a new level of sophistication" Eiseman noted. It contains rich hues of deep purple paired with misted yellow and stone grays, and burnt orange juxtaposed with vibrant blue and brunette browns. 'Urban nomads wander the world looking for color and styling that speaks to themÕ. +Misted Yellow 14-0837 +Carmine 17-183

* Agrestic: "The feeling is rustic, but not country," she said. Contemporary country, a rustic re-do of texturized and smooth surfaces with color combinations such as browns, greens, golden yellow and a vibrant pink. "It will capture the eye in visual merchandising" she predicted. 'Individually crafted materials that are going more 'up-scale than down-home' +Tapenade 18-0840 + Strawberry ice 16-1720

* Wellspring: "You cannot go wrong with this palette, because a certain segment of the population will resonate to it," she noted. The palette contains blues and aquas that have cooling and soothing qualities, highlighted with an undersea green, violet, and indigo.'Inspired by the water that literally supports and sustains life.' +Blue Iris 18-3943 +Kiwi16-0235

* Savories: "This palette is all about fun," Eiseman said. "We need one palette that speaks to this because there is always room for it." The palette includes tasty blends of decadent chocolate and daiquiri green, with dollops of appetizing brights embellishing the mix. 'Savoring a more fanciful "time-out" from every-day stress with exuberant hues' +Rum Raisin 19-1321 +Orchid 15-3214

* Nuances: In the world of home furnishings, she said, there is always a need for neutrals - the classic, nature inspired hues that can always be depended upon as background or foreground. Thus, this palette pays tribute to those neutrals but uses a bright color to draw the eye in. It includes rose paired with earthy browns or reddish plums with a green-tinged bronze tone. 'Newly nuanced neutrals provide a visual pathway with unexpected and intriguing combinations'. +Antique Bronze 17-1028 +Baroque Rose 18-1634

Trend forecasters predict consumers will continue to embrace "natural", but with an air of refinement. Asian-inspired hues become more saturated yet subdued. Eco/rustic looks are poised to go upscale. Expect metallics to shine, as complex finishes add sparkle.

The '08 color forecast reflects China as a major influence. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing being one indicator of the Eastern inspiration, world economics are another. Look for bright colors used in fresh ways. Grays are taken from rocks and stones, producing grayish taupes and soft grays. Colors like kabuki red, sky blue and a rich purple used as accents.

Look for unexpected surfaces and fresh combinations to sparkle and shine in '08. New technology creates more complex finishess. Antiqued bronze, frosted almond, silvers and golds. A deep brown tone with gold metallic accents expected to become a new neutral .

According to color trend experts, the new sophisticated take on rustic has urban appeal. Browns mixed with grays. olive and yellow greens, sand, red oxide, and blues. Rustic pieces incorporating metallic finishes.

According to Margaret Walch, director of the Color Association of the United States, earthy browns are big, as are brownish-grays. Green continues strong, new greens emphasize the yellow-green of nature. Look for complex blues and reds. "There will be a wider embrace of color from two points of view, one, in terms of complex colors - being able to tolerate moody periwinkle blues or saturated purple browns - and secondly, embracing more colors at one time, having a multi-colored approach within a room or within a fabric."

Biggest change: More multicolored contrast looks. Interiors will mix a dark, a bright and a light color.The look is more difficult to create, but achieves a color saturated sophistication.

** TIP: Fashion colors cycle every few years, interior colors last from seven to 15 years.

Hallmark Trends Group Color Forecast 2008

The Trends Group expects color trends to move in four distinct directions for 2008.

Dream

The fantasy colors of Dream are tinted but not with pure white. A direction important within this category is one of articulated surfaces, creating subtle color changes.

Pastry Pink - Frosty, icy pale pink.

Calamine - Warm pale pink. Soft, clear and light.

Ming - A soft, slightly icy green. A complement to Red Velvet.

Dry Martini - A warm, *almost grey* with a touch of olive.

Abundance

The colors of Abundance are complex, deep and moody. Replacing many of the orange influenced reds, cooler more feminine reds dominate the forecast for 2008. The reds pair well with warm, yellow tinged greens and neutrals.

Timorous Blue - Complex as a stormy sky. See it first in fashion, then luxury automobiles.

Faux Bois - Cold dusky brown with the color and depth of wood. A fashion forward hue that pairs well with green gold neutrals or dusty teals and aquas.

Peeled Grape - Moody stepchild of the rich purples introduced in 2007. Paired with lilac or lavender it can replace brown.

Red Velvet - A red that can be both masculine and feminine, embodying the depth found in the colors of Abundance.

Grace

Grace colors are soothing, clear and familiar. Look for natural motifs like leaves, grasses, seeds and pods to trend up. Lime and hot greens become less important.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves - A greened chartreuse, leafy and summery.

New Leaf - Clear mid-tone rounds out the grey and gold influenced greens for 2008.

Lady Like - A lilac balanced between pink and blue.

Sturdy Brown - Rich chocolate brown.

Promise

The colors of Promise are festive and cheerful.

Superman - Electric blue. Superman can hold his own when paired with either the intense warm or cool reds in the forecast.

In The Swim - A clear pool blue.

Boiled Lobster - a polished scarlet that is a complement to "In the Swim".

Sizzzler - A passionate orange.

Heimtextil Trends 2007/2008

"Baroque is finally passe!" said trend guru Gunnar Frank. The new trend "Declaring color" abandons the whimsical. Design, clarity, and function are trendy, so marketing executives need to take a step back in favor of product developers, according to Frank.

"We are experiencing the rebirth of the Renaissance", Frank said. "At the end of the day, the world we live in needs change. Stamp your personality and character on your merchandise",

Constructive Power : represents the strength of the seven primary colors and the severity of constructivism. Modern with clean lines. The impact of the chosen color combinations are intense. According to Frank, "The Baroque doesn't entirely disappear, it dissolves and softens gradually".

Cubism Monochrome : the family of seven neutral colors fuses with cubism. The transition from the concrete into the abstract complement the "non-colors". Motifs and references from past centuries create a fresh look, with art used as a decorative element. There is also a mix and match of design elements, including wood, matte and glossy.

Surreal Sunny : warm yellows and reds combined with Surrealist-inspired style elements. "Blue was the color of 2006 - now yellow is taking over and is destined to be the major color", said Frank.

Futurism Dawn : in a futuristic world, the cool spectrum of blue-grey colors dominate. "Here, blue is once again a major theme, with dark blue celebrating a revival", stated Frank. Modern and romantic find equal expression, creating clean, open interiors in which blue and white dominate. Stone, leather, glass and iron are utilized. The initial impression is one of simplicity. "Romance is on the table" explained Frank.

Fabrics and Designs

Fabrics play important role - A natural surface featuring a handcrafted knit effect, applied to plain fabrics.

Yarns: flowing patterns, often with a melange or flame effect, add a natural touch to cotton, linen and silk fabrics. These include piquet, tweed, velvet and Shantung.

Surfaces with a technical finish : a coated look, faux leather and suede, gold and silver finishes, glitter and rubber give the fabrics a 3D effect.

In patterned fabrics, Frank differentiates between four groups:

* Flowers, leaves and trees - a natural look, with patchwork effects.

* Romantic - images from the 17th and 19th centuries, still life paintings, park scenes, Marie Antoinette.

* Optical motifs: stripes, checks, diagonal and geometric patterns, often with contrasts between dark, light, color and neutral.

* Humorous : A style mix featuring color and patterns (large and small) and humorous motifs.

--Gunnar Frank has been responsible for the trend shows at the Heimtextil in Frankfurt since 1996. Gunnar Frank has produced many highly successful concepts, including the trend philosophies for the textile and consumer-goods fairs of Messe Frankfurt.Frank is professor at the Academy of Design in Rietfeld, The Netherlands, and is frequently invited to speak at international events. He is also a Member of the International Colour Authority in London.

Cotton Incorporated Home 2008 Color and Fabric Forecast

* Washes of pale color

* Nostalgic Colors

* Colors push the levels of fantasy and imagination

* Added and exaggerated details, brilliant colors

* Peach combines with blue and brown

* Innocence, agelessness, and creativity

* Moody deep colors

* Yellows are uplifting

* Rich color combinations

* Brights combine with muted cools

* Nature, including snowcapped mountains, weathered stone, clouds

* Thickness and puckering, texture and depth, soft textures

* Fabrics celebrate fun and fantasy

* Prints and motifs

* Traditional elements updated with contrasting color combination and textures

* Classic textiles reinvented with edge and attitude

* Fresh elegance - understated and modern

* Simple, sophisticated design

* Inspiration from architectural elements and structures

* Fabrics celebrate cultural designs, including Aboriginal prints and crafted textures