Despite gray economic times, the Pantone Color Institute has predicted yellow will provide an optimistic and influential glimmer of hope in 2009 in design, fashion and in the home market as reported yesterday on AT Chicago. Pantone specifically cited "mimosa," a vibrant shade of yellow derived from the flowers of the mimosa tree (as well as the brunch-favorite cocktail), as the top shade of the new year. Good news, as our living room is painted yellow! Some further details and examples of yellow throughout the home from our Los Angeles house tours below...
[Image: Seonna, Karen and James and and Mike all seem to be ahead of the curve]
Kim and Paul Famighetti's Twin Peak Austin home is filled with yellow from top to bottom.
"I think it's just the most wonderful symbolic color of the future," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "It's invariably connected to warmth, sunshine and cheer — all the good things we're in dire need of right now."
In the spring fashion collections previewed earlier in the fall for retailers and editors, pops of yellow brightened the runways of Carolina Herrera — who called her favorite shade marigold — Badgley Mischka, Zac Posen and Michael Kors, among others. Kors even included a retro yellow polka-dot bikini that clearly harkened back to a more upbeat time.
The fashion world first embraced orange a few years ago and that has evolved into yellow, which had already been gaining popularity in the home market, too.
"People know yellow lightens up the atmosphere," Eiseman says.
Our own Abby's mom's West Village apartment showcases some vibrant use of yellow.
Home-goods companies based in Paris and Milan, Italy, have already been heavily influenced by yellow, says Tom Mirabile, vice president of global trends and design at Lifetime Brands, Inc., whose portfolio includes Cuisinart, Farberware and Pfaltzgraff.
It helps that it looks good in florals and has a close association with nature, a driving force in the marketplace right now, and it complements current favorites green and purple. (In 2008, "blue iris," a purple-tinged blue, was color of the year.)
"I'd say you should get used to seeing yellow in places you're not used to seeing it," Eiseman says.
Use yellow in unexpected places, like Ben and Polly have in their bathroom in Sherman Oaks.
Gregory--
We discussed this yesterday...
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/news/color-of-the-year-2009-goodbye-blue-iris-hello-mimosa-071158
view bepsf's profile
What's the source on that sideboard with the squares in different shades of yellow?
view BornSlippy's profile
bepsf: I deserve two conks in the head. 1. for accidentally posting this on East Coast time (I had this planned for noon and was still working on revising the post to mention the Chicago original post), and 2) not originally citing that original mention. But thanks...I added the link in.
view gregory's profile
Ok, so I've been dying to paint my walls a bright yellow and this color is so happy! Unfortunatly Houston doesn't have a place that sells Pantone. Any suggestions?? Other similar colors?
view MVH's profile
MVH: Benjamin Moore (and probably others) mix paint based on Pantone number. I can't vouch for the accuracy--I had one color done and it was terrible, but I was also looking at the color originally on a computer monitor (not the actual Pantone cards) and it was a little tiny square, so that was all probably my fault.
view alexxx's profile
Funny - I just painted a kitchen wall in a bold yellow and then I see this post. I'm loving the wall - if you're on the fence, go for it!
view akangarooo's profile
Darn, of course that's the color I picked for our wedding (May 2010), and apparently it's going to be everywhere now?
view marie516's profile
I am a chartreuse (ignorant fool if this is sp. wrong) lover..I am trying to sneak some of this happy yellow in..I have the aqua's/bit of hot pink/bit of orange in the allover white painted apt..oh..and softer pale avacado (BM) glossy kitchen table etc..It works..I know I can, then, find just the right bright yellow little glass bird..hahaha..It's a great and fun look this year ahead!
view keeks's profile