Color for 2012 and beyond:  a Two-fold Quest

It’s time once again to live! Color is bringing back the eagerness and joy we need in our lives.  More than just struggle to survive, we want to boldly thrive and that requires an intensity of focus and desire.

“The return to strong color will gain momentum this year,” predicts Dee Schlotter, brand manager for PPG’s Voice of Color and proud sponsor of Exciting Colors!  “Those of us who were reluctant in the past will take the leap into deep, vivid hues because our world has changed and we’ve recognized that there’s only one life to live and there’s no time to waste.”

“Intensity” is the key word and this quest is two-fold: A search for euphoria for some and, for others, a vivid longing for a sense of oneself. This intensity-although it may be only transitory-is positive; it brings energy, impetus and a self-sustaining enthusiasm. Living intensely spices up the tastes of the world, while reflecting and reconnecting with its quiet beauty, such as the small pleasures and modest instances of happiness-like the smell of moss in the underbrush, the feel of wind, a brilliant sky at sunset and the laugh of a child.

“Intensity is a survival strategy in crisis times,” explains Dee. “For some, it means seeking out extremes of sensation, rebelling against the bland existence that comes with cynicism and disenchantment. For others it means ‘unplugging’ in order to reconnect with a life they feel is fleeting.”

As a result, we may seek to amp up the chromatic density of our lives with vivid hues. We will go for colors that stir the senses and set them in motion. Our choices will be vibrant, optimistic colors that pack a punch and can’t be ignored. For those of us needing intensity, our spaces will be full of strong contrasts: heavy and weightless, shadow and light, hot and cold. Bold colors that help you stand out in a crowd and showcase your personality. Consider injecting your décor with deep indigos like Blue Tang, saturated reds like Rum Punch, big purples like Grape Juice and almost-neon yellows like Citrus Spice-just four of the 20 key colors presented in PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ 2012 trends.

For others of us feel our lives have become a race to the future at the expense of the present, we will turn inward, slow down and simplify. We will gravitate towards quiet, understated palettes accented by deep, rich colors that bring mystery and invite intimacy.

Charlie can be reached at charlie@designers-touch.com . Custom Draperies of Louisville Ky. can motorize all window treatments. Draperies Louisville Ky. Draperies New Albany In,.Draperies  Floyds Knobs In ,  Sellersburg In, Phone KY. 502- 905 2368