The big winners this season are definitely the bright rich yellow and the young pea green. After years of natural tones, the vibrant colours strike back. If you flip the pages of interior design magazines, the primary colours, red, yellow, blue and green are everywhere.
Summer 2008 is a time to embrace colour. Do not be afraid! Remember how much character the stunning electric blue walls add to
Carrie’s new apartment in the
Sex and the City movie? Her space didn't look small because they used white and cream tones for everything else.
Select either the golden yellow or the lemon yellow to update the look of an all white room. You need a strong yellow to go with white. Yellow is also paired with grey to achieve a gender-neutral sophisticated look. Golden yellow is an easy colour to live with. I like to warm a sunny yellow room with medium-brown wood that has yellow in it.
The rise of violet continues. You see violet in all tones from deep purple, to mauve, soft lilac, up to bluish pink. The darker violet acts as a neutral. Harmonize purple with yellow, green and gold.
Pea green is less bright than lime. If that is too bright for you, don't worry; other shades of green are popular. Get inspired by nature when you coordinate colors. You can mix together shades of green leaves, olive, sand and sea blue. I recommend pea green for fabrics, pillows and accessories. If you like shopping at the flea market, find an old dining table and paint it pea green. Pea green looks great against mauve, blue and navy.
Red takes on orange and blue. If your house was decorated a few years ago and is a neutral nirvana, punch it up by adding red accents. Summer patterns often mix red, orange and pink. Harmonize a true red with a baby blue or a turquoise to create a refreshing nautical palette.
Pale grayish blues, teal and the spectrum blue from the Pantone colour chart are the favorite blue tones this season.
A pattern designer trick is to combine white or charcoal between several shades of blue, green and yellow.
Have fun playing with colors.
By Kim Vallee, Lifestyle and Entertaining Expert who runs a daily blog: At Home with Kim Vallee.