My Home Redux

Top Decorating Colors for 2011

The overall top color for this year is Vintage Wine, confirmed by Benjamin Moore and shown here in this photo.

Benjamin Moore also presents their 2011 color palette which offers bright earth tones.

Another color featured this year is a rich yellowish green which ICI Dulux celebrates here.

Finally, Pantone offers it's color of the year. First it is shown in fashion, but decor follows fashion so you're likely to see this bright Honeysuckle appearing in accents, linens, draperies and more soon.

These colors are certainly showing a transition from the deeper golds and red earth tones of a few years back, adding more clarity to the colors and more vivid shades.

Experts Pick Top Color Combinations

One idea requested from a newsletter reader was more information on color combinations.  Paint color is always a hot topic - what's new or what color works best?

I've seen in my research that some of the latest color combinations are still popular:

- Grayish blue and white

- Chocolate brown or mocha with other brown shades or paired with turquoise blue or hot pink

- Soft grayed greens, frequently with other hues of green

- Grays and taupes

- Yellows and golds

- Oranges ranging from peach to burnished gold colors, often seen with medium to deep wood tones

- Reds - with white, with black, with other reds, or st, and alone

- Bright, clear colors like lime green and turquoise or plum, orange slice with ruby red

See what top decorating experts are picking here at Better Homes & Gardens. They'll give you their favorite color combinations and palettes, complete with leading brand name paint chip colors.  See their top picks here.

[Editor Note:  Photo from www.bhg.com]

Decorating Paint Color Forecast for 2010

It's not too early to predict the hot new colors for 2010. Some specific colors are being highlighted (lavendar, gray, aqua, and green).  However, certain color themes are also forecasted to be big in 2010.

Jeweled hues. Earth tones. New neutrals. Passionate purples.

Discover all the details, hot color themes, and popular combinations for the coming 2010 year.  Read it all here.

[Editor Note:  Photo from Traditional Home.]

How Green Became the "It" Color for 2010

One color is predicted to be the HOT new color for 2010. Green. Bright, spring green. Not the sage and more muted greens of the last five to 10 years.

It seems that Benjamin Moore is the reliable bellweather for predicting color trends. See their popular Cedar Green.

Read here for the reasons for green's ascendancy and how to use it in your decorating.

[Editor Note: Photo from HomeWorkshop.com]

Paint Color Trends for 2010

This article gives a simple summary of what I've read for the hot colors for 2010. Lavendar, bluesy reds, earth tones, clear and yellow-greens, and aqua. Gray has been declared the official neutral.

Don't take my word for it. Read it all here.

And see this article at the end for the top colors from Benjamin Moore for 2010.  (Print it out and take it to the paint store with you!)

Best 5 Paint Colors for Any Room in Your House

I have just been selected as an expert on Bestcovery.com.  My first article is up on my five top-rated interior paint colors.  I'm waiting for them to add my byline, but you can read it all here.

Finding the Best Paint Color for a Bedroom

Generally, soothing, cool colors are preferred for a bedroom. That's why soft pastels, blues, and greens are so popular for a bedroom. Of course, this goes out the window for teenagers who prefer bright bold colors that reflect their high energy. The rest of us, well, we just want to some sleep after an exhausting day.

Here's an article that explains the psychology of color and common colors used in bedrooms. It will help you if you're trying to determine what color to paint your room. Read it here.

Also, see here for popular Benjamin Moore colors used for bedrooms. Buy a sample can to try at home or an entire gallon.   Check out these restful colors here.

Colorful Painted Furniture

This is a trend I'm seeing in many different ways. The table here was created by and displayed at HeronKate's Art blog.

Remember the old metal lawn chairs from the 30s to 50s?  They're back in vogue. Sand them, prime them, paint them. Preferably in vivid colors. (It's also been recommended to take them to a body shop for painting.)  Adirondack chairs too. But not just white or brown - lemon yellow, emerald green, sparkling aqua, hot pink, bright red and more. Mix and match colors too.

The colorful paint idea is also extended to furniture - chairs, tables, and more. Take an older piece - or new unfinished piece - and create a masterpiece. Use solid colors, stripes, florals, designs, and patterns. Let your creativity rule.  Paint wooden or metal furniture. The key is using multiple, bright colors for a touch of whimsy.

Use these pieces on a porch, family room, child's bedroom, kitchen and more. Have fun with the idea and see where your imagination takes you.

Red Painted Cabinets - Hot New Style

I've written before about how hot red painted cabinets are. As proof, reader Jennifer Thom provided some pictures. These are rich, lovely, and warm. And although they're red, they don't scream.  Jennifer says that they're most popular as "accents (islands, hutches, etc.) and some homeowners create an entire kitchen in red."

Now you can order these from a cabinet supplier like Jennifer at www.starmarkcabinetry.com or you can paint them yourself using a deep, barn red paint. Add hardware or even a black glaze.

And if you do paint them yourself, when you're tired of the color, you can always paint them again. (Remember black is popular too.)

Here she also shows a laundry room in red.

Red ... it's a vibrant new color for your rooms and cabinetry.

Decorating with Black

I have never been big on the use of black, but yet in today's decorating, you see it everywhere. From tan and black rooms to black accent pieces. In fact, many designers insist that some room in your house should have at least some black in it.  But how do you incorporate this color without dominating a room or making it dreary. Look to these beautiful rooms for inspiration.

Editors Note:  photo copyright by BHG.com