Trend Watch Tuesday: Paint Trends for Fall 2016

While it's still the hot, hazy days of summer, it may be premature to think about fall.  But fashion and design are always a step ahead of us and create blips in our radar that our antennae can't ignore.  If you're thinking about a redecorating project, here are some paint trends we'll see as we head into the latter part of 2016.

1. Moody Earth Tones

We're always looking to nature to inspire us.  Over the last 2-3 years, the trends in paint colors have been toward less saturated pale colors -- soft greens, cool blues and pale pinks.  The fashion runways have been showing us deeper, more saturated colors and the design community is following suit.  Olive, mustard and copper are colors that will infuse interiors in the coming months.  They're especially suited to gathering spaces like family rooms, living rooms, dens and libraries because they exude warmth and coziness.  These colors work well with leathers and hides, with plush fabrics like velvet and chenille, and with warm wood tones.  They are suited to rustic and traditional decor but can be spiced up with contemporary furnishings as shown in the dining room below.

                            

Photo courtesy of House & Garden

     

Photo courtesy of Farrow & Ball

               

Photo courtesy of Traditional Home

                                          

Photo courtesy of This Old House

                       

Photo courtesy of Sheila Bridges Design

2. Black

Until the recent past, no one would have thought of painting walls black unless they were decorating a haunted house for Halloween.  But with the popularity of industrial decor, black walls are cropping up as an interesting complement to industrial furnishings.  Black works well in powder rooms with vessel sinks atop vanities made from reclaimed lumber.  Or in kitchens with white or grey cabinets.  Black is also interesting in masculine bedrooms.  For those not so daring to go with black walls, consider painting doors and trim black with white or off-white walls.  Used in that way, black highlights the architecture and millwork.  Because black is so universal, it goes with so many styles: modern, mid-century, rustic, bohemian, industrial.  I like black paired with global influences like African Kuba or Indian Kantha cloths, Moroccan Beni Ourain or Afghan Bukhara-style carpets.

                         

Photo courtesy of One Kings Lane

                                                  

Photo courtesy of Cybball.com

                            

Garrow Kedigian's room at the 2016 Kips Bay Show House.  Photo courtesy of Curbed New York

                  

Photo courtesy of Greige Design

3. White

White was the "go-to" color touted by the national paint companies this year.  And for good reason.  It's a clean, fresh look and provides an alternative to grey, the popular neutral this decade.  White looks great paired with trim and doors painted an accent color (think black or an earthy green).  With all white walls, doors and trim, the opportunities are endless for mixing colors, textures and patterns on furnishings.  White works well with modern, mid-century, rustic, bohemian and industrial decor.   I'd recommend white for homes with abundant natural light and views -- to avoid competition with the landscape -- and for open-concept homes -- to create harmony and unity from room to room.  Any room benefits from white walls, kitchens and baths in particular for a feeling of cleanliness. 

                     

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

                  

Photo courtesy of Amber Interiors

         

Photo courtesy of Amber Interiors

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