Pantone Color of the Year 2014

Pantone's color for 2014 is Radiant Orchid.

Or as I like to call it, the color of my upstairs bathroom.

Which I painted 2 1/2 years ago.

Am I the only one who doesn't see Pantone as setting the trends but capitalizing on them? Honeysuckle Pink was the last one that seemed real. Tangerine Tango was an obvious grab at product placement, complete with Sephora tie-ins. It felt really forced, like they picked this color just because it would make a good lipstick. Did they get a new CEO or something? And then with 2013's color, it was so obvious - emerald was already popping up all over the place towards the end of 2012.

So yeah, not surprised at all that 2014's color is purple. It's the hot color right now and I LOVE it in my bathroom (makes my eyes look so green!), but purple isn't exactly new. House Beautiful has been featuring purple for years now. Apartment Therapy picked up on that back in 2009. And this year, many designers are realizing that they do actually like purple after all.  Two of my favorite blogs, Bossy Color and Centsational Girl, both did posts on purple this year.

Next year, I hope Pantone steps it up and picks a color that will start a trend, not copy one. Otherwise, they're basically just Andy from The Devil Wears Prada.

trend prediction: red, white & blue

Around Memorial Day and Independence Day I always see magazine spreads and blog posts full of red, white and blue decor. Sailboats, beach houses and little boys' rooms also often feature this color combination. It's patriotic, nautical and beachy all at the same time.

So what makes me think this will be a trend? This room from February's House Beautiful:

It's almost shocking because it's NOT patriotic or nautical or designed for kids. It's just a really lovely, grown-up room.

The traditional pairing for blue is yellow

source

The current darling is orange

source

And then pink is always bright and fun

source

But red? It's different and daring BECAUSE it's usually just used for patriotic or nautical themes. This room makes you realize that of course it's the perfect accent color because red and blue are natural partners.

I love blue. It's pretty, it's soothing, it's almost universally liked. In my office, we ask new employees 5 questions - what's your favorite color, favorite book and/or movie, birth order, where were you born and what were you doing before you came to our company. I've been there for 11 years now and it's always a surprise when someone picks a color other than blue. Blue is just an easy color to love.

source 

Red is harder to love. It's such an active color. It's the color of anger and of passion.  It's bold and fearless and calls attention to itself. It's incredibly fun and fabulous, but it takes a strong personality to pull it off in large doses.

source

And that's what makes it the perfect antidote to blue. Wearing blue makes people like you while wearing red makes people respect you. Blue is calming, red is energizing. Putting the two together creates balance.

Look at Diana Vreeland's room again. Do you see it? I'm pretty darn sure the leaves are blue (don't tell me if I'm wrong!). Just a subtle touch that helps make all of that red easier to handle. The white does the same thing. Both cool off the fiery red and make it playful and fun. Wouldn't you want to go to a party in Diana's apartment?

And wouldn't you just love to sleep in this bedroom?

source

And then this living room is loved across the blogosphere, but it so wouldn't be as much fun if the red wasn't red or the blue wasn't blue.

source

Red, white and blue - not just for holidays anymore.

Do you agree?