Color Trends for 2006

New and exciting color choices are becoming popular for the new year. Here, direct from the PQI web site, are some decorating trends. Your customers will appreciate (and be impressed with!) your sharing what changes are coming… that could help with their color decisions.

 

Exotic Enhancements
Perhaps the most talked about trend for 2006 is the use of travel-inspired colors to decorate the home. Some consumers are starting to suffer from “bright-color fatigue,” and now favor richer, deeper hues that evoke thoughts of far-off destinations. This palette takes inspiration from the rich jewel-tones of Oriental rugs, or the vivid sights of a Moroccan market. Key colors include rich red-purples, deep browns and dark yellows, as well as ebony and ivory accents. This dramatic trend works especially well in family or dining rooms, and adds a feeling of warmth and excitement.

Skintone Neutrals
The exotic color trend finds its balance in another palette, Skintone Neutrals, which includes a wide spectrum of flesh-toned hues. These latest neutrals take their inspiration from the cosmetics counter in both color and purpose. Just as a powder or liquid cosmetic can be used to enhance the skin, or serve as a backdrop for brighter colors, so, too do the new skintone paint colors. Applied on their own, these hues appear particularly fresh when used in an open floor plan. But they also serve as an ideal backdrop for any room where a bolder accent wall is employed.

Mineral, Spirits!
For consumers who would like to add color to their home, but aren’t quite ready for the vivid hues of the Exotic Enhancements palette, then the Mineral, Spirits! hues may be the best choice. Drawing inspiration from lush forest landscapes, these earth tones have more “pop” and are a bit brighter than in previous years. Dusty shades of blue and lavender, as well as rosy browns, echo colors found in nature. Because of their softness, and their welcoming appearance, they are especially good choices for use in the kitchen and bath.

Soulful Serenity
For consumers who would like to add color to their home, but aren’t quite ready for the vivid hues of the Exotic Enhancements palette, then the Mineral, Spirits! hues may be the best choice. Drawing inspiration from lush forest landscapes, these earth tones have more “pop” and are a bit brighter than in previous years. Dusty shades of blue and lavender, as well as rosy browns, echo colors found in nature. Because of their softness, and their welcoming appearance, they are especially good choices for use in the kitchen and bath.

A: In general, alkyd paints can be made at higher solids content (volume solids), than is possible with latex. This results in the alkyd going on in a coat that is thicker when it dries, which provides excellent one-coat coverage. The hiding drop-off occurs because the whiteness of the latex itself in the water-based product goes away as the paint dries. To compensate, when using a latex product:

• use a top quality brush; Nylon or Nylon-polyester filaments are a good choice; dampen the filaments before using the brush; keep the brush filled with paint, and use just a few strokes per brush load

• do not thin the paint prior to use unless necessary

• choose a top-quality product; a lower quality product will provide less coverage and hiding

Q: When we do interior work, we don’t paint over any caulking until it is dry (we usually wait two hours). But often the paint cracks later – this looks pretty bad if it is a dark paint over a white caulk. We use an acrylic latex caulk, and a vinyl latex wall paint. Is the caulk, or the paint at fault?

A: Neither. While the caulk may feel dry to touch, it still takes more time for all the water to get out, and the caulk continues to shrink as the water continues to evaporate. If paint has been applied and is dry, it will then crack as the caulk cures and shrinks. The solution generally is to allow the caulk to dry at least over night, before applying primer or paint.

Industry News:
Following strong growth over the past three years, home sales and housing production will ease back next year to around 2004’s historically healthy levels, according to economists participating in a teleconference hosted recently by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Striking an overall positive tone, NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders and JP Morgan Chase Senior Economist James Glassman were largely in agreement in their forecasts for the coming year in terms of the outlook for housing and the overall economy.