Trend Spotting: 2011's Hot Color Combos

Filed under: Color, Design, etc, News & Trends

Three top designers dish about the hues they're excited to mix, match and play with in the new year.

Good news everyone! When it comes to design and decorating (and yes, fashion too), this year it's all about color, color and more color! And with 2011 kicking off a brand new decade, it's finally time to bring a little happy into our homes. Here, three fresh color combinations we're noticing right now.

Honeysuckle & Peacock Blue, Honeysuckle & Taupe-Grey
It made perfect sense to us when Pantone declared Honeysuckle 2011's color of the year. This perky shade of pink represents the optimism that's finally peeking through across the country.

"I definitely think honeysuckle is an optimistic, playful color," says interior designer and color expert Eileen Kathryn Boyd. "Even the name sounds happy and fresh. It's also a color that I think a lot of people look good in."

Interior designer John Loecke agrees and points out its global influence as well. "Pink is the navy blue of India," he says. "Just like navy or denim is a classic American color, pink is a go-to shade in India because it's so flattering. Everyone wears it and you'll see it in all the homes and hotels there."

And what do they pair it with in India? "Strong shades like a deep turquoise or this peacock blue that is emerging as a hot hue," says Loecke. That seems just about right for what's happening here too.

Boyd is also using peacock blue with honeysuckle. "I'm actually working with this color right now with a client," says Boyd. "I really love this peacock blue, this green-cast turquoise we're seeing right now," she says. "Since honeysuckle has a pink cast, it stays light and fresh with that greenish-blue shade."

Boyd also recommends grounding such a vibrant hue as honeysuckle with a fresh neutral such as grey. "When you're using such a bold shade, you need a neutral and grey is sticking around," she explains. "But it's warmed up, think of a taupey grey, which grounds all that pink perfectly."

Peacock Blue & Oregano Green
Author and interior designer Elaine Griffin has also fallen for peacock blue and is having fun pairing it with a color she's calling oregano green. "It's not a celadon, not lime, but a brighter green that looks and feels fresh and is going to take the place of last year's orange as the accent color of choice."

We've noticed her prediction coming true already as bloggers such as Habitually Chic and our favorite shelter and fashion mags such as Canadian House & Home, House Beautiful and Elle are talking about and showcasing this shade of green too.

"I think these shades of blue and green just make sense -- it's a nod back to the sky and grass," she says. "No matter where that pendulum is swinging when it comes to color trends, nature is always an inspiration."

The blogger Little Green Notebook recently posted her entryway makeover featuring this exact color combination, with a few touches of warm gold, which Griffin is also predicting to be big this year.

Juicy Colors
Bright, bold colors in general are making a huge comeback. As evident by the color combos, we've already showed you, we'll see more of yellow for sure. Juicy shades of yellow and fuchsia will be making noise with the colors we've already mentioned (grey, oregano green, peacock blue) and you'll also see black make a comeback as an accent color as well.

"Yellow is being introduced again in fashion and in the home," says Boyd. "My favorite is that happy canary yellow. It's bright and warm, like a ray of sunshine and feels stimulating to look at. I am seeing yellow paired again, with that taupe-grey for a modern feel."

As for black, Boyd loves it with fuschia. "I love black. It is the absence of all color so it truly is a statement maker," she says. "I recently saw a spread in Elle Decoration UK and the room was painted in this fuchsia pink and all the trim was black. It was just so striking." Boyd also points out that using black as an accent is a great way to try a new, bold color at home without making a huge commitment.

"Shades of yellow, fuchsia, deep turquoise and even orange are all tropical, sunny colors," says Loecke. "There's this global influence that's helping to push forward these happy shades and Americans are embracing it. It's all about mixing them up in a way you're most comfortable with."

We agree. Just look at the living room Loecke recently designed. His use of big, bold colors and patterns is so inviting, we're ready to move right in!

Ready to welcome color into your home? Here are a few stories for more inspiration:
Pantone's Color Forecast for Spring Goes Home
Color Diary: Grey
Going to Paint a Kids' Room? We Found the Best Colors

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