Introducing the 2014 Colormix collections by Sherwin Williams

I just returned from a really interesting Color Forecasting seminar hosted by Sherwin Williams.

photo: courtesy of Sherwin Williams

Carolyn Noble, Marketing Manager for SW, spoke and showed us the many numerous influences that shaped the color palettes for the 2014 forecast.  Sherwin Williams always does a fantastic job with this annual forecasting seminar and this year’s program was hard to beat!  It was inspirational and eye-opening!

SEPTEMBER’S COLOR OF THE MONTH:  SW 7045 Intellectual Gray “Welcome Back to School month!”

Sherwin Williams (SW) is forecasting four distinct color palettes for the new year.
1.  Reasoned – is a collection of blacks, greys and whites.  “Grey is the new black, and math is the new sexy”.  (I didn’t say it -they did!)  But, it’s true!  I’ve seen an emergence of grey/white or black/white rooms lately.  SW emphasizes that this popular color palette was influenced by the structure and forms coming out of fashion – pleats, folds, outlines that define shapes.  And by artists – using positive and negative space, pen and ink forms, the typewriter.

photo: courtesy of Sherwin Williams

2.  Intrinsic – is the second collection with a more Bohemian, worldly and culturally authentic look.  Inspired by Eastern Europe and heritage crafts like embroidery, intricate lace and crochet – this color collection is bright, vibrant and earthy!

photo: courtesy of Sherwin Williams

3.  Diaphanous – is a collection of light, delicate colors that evoke an atmospheric, billowy, spiritual weightlessness. OK – sounds a bit dramatic – but the colors are soft, feminine and soothing.

photo: courtesy of Sherwin Williams

4.  In contrast, Curiosity, the final color collection jars your sensibilities.  The color selections are inspired by the strange and unusual colors associated with weird science and eccentricity – think deep purples, acidic greens.  Geology and the natural stones collected from the deepest recesses of the earth – like copper and metallics.

photo: courtesy of Sherwin Williams

The best part of this seminar was the inspirational photos from featured influential artists.  I am sad that I wasn’t able to write down all of their names!  But, I was able to track down one of the artists.
Her name is Olga Kostina an artist from Siberia Russia.  She has collected over 30,000 bottle caps and has decorated her wood frame house with them.  Honestly, this was amazing!!

What are your design inspirations?  I’d love to know!
Have a great day –