Brentano’s Annual Color Forecast: 2017
01.11.2016 § Leave a comment
As an artist, I always try to challenge my color sense and perspective when designing textiles. After much observation, Brentano’s eighth annual Color Forecast predicts shades that will be popular in the upcoming year and hues that will dictate the future of design. It is a very exciting time of the year at Brentano as we introduce which colors we have been focusing on for product development.
Coral – With a cheeky personality and bold flair, Coral’s pop of color is a powerful punch. The zesty accent – uplifting and bright – adds a splash of excitement to the traditional household.
Elephant – First forecast by Brentano in 2016, Elephant’s popularity carries over into 2017. This dependable neutral highlights its practicality by complementing both warm and cool interiors.
Chartreuse – The crisp hot hue Chartreuse evokes refreshing warmth in a unique and stylish way. The harmonious hue – a fusion of green and gold – perfectly balances beauty with brilliance.
Peacock – Polished Peacock, calm and cool, remains as current as when it appeared in Brentano’s 2016 forecast. The jewel-toned teal – more romantic than sapphire but fresher than navy – fills a room with peace and serenity.
Bloom – Glowing with grace, Bloom is cultivated for its flourishing beauty. This fashion forward pinkness is comfortable being soft, with a dominant newfound voice in design.
Almost Black – Elegantly refined and dignified, this colorless shade displays confidence. Almost Black, pair-able with almost any color, makes for a bold accent; or can be luxurious all on its own.
More Color Talk
02.12.2013 § Leave a comment
We are forecasting interior color trends again this season. There are always nuances of differences in the colors used in different sectors of interior design (homes, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, offices, etc). However, if you look at them over time, the overall color cast does show a consistency across the sectors. Colors were warm with a yellow cast during the 1990s; the 2000s were a transitional time; and now they have definitely cooled and have a red cast. During the 1980s, mauve and plum were big in the contract market, so we can see the pendulum has swung back to red again except now we are seeing different hues with a red cast. « Read the rest of this entry »
Color Know How
05.12.2012 § Leave a comment
To be able to enjoy life is a great blessing, but to take on a challenge is more rewarding. It is both the painful process of overcoming the difficulty and the thrill of attaining the goal, the mixture of these two extremes that makes life more inspiring and meaningful. I suppose that is why I do what I do. In developing the Brentano line, I am constantly challenging the status quo and searching for new technology, new color sense and new points of view.
Making colors for natural fibers such as cotton, rayon, wool—the process is a sheer pleasure. They each have a noble characteristic when taking dyes. When finalizing the color selections for a pattern with a natural fiber, we are torn between so many good colors that exquisite colors often get left out.
It’s Time for Primary Colors
07.05.2012 § Leave a comment
Color trend forecasting is half statistics and half instinct, especially before the statistics start to point in a specific direction. I might be looking too far ahead, but I know that the public is in the mood for primary colors. Clear, down-to-earth, not pretentious or devious, primary colors are classics yet give a sense of contemporariness. We are showing primary colors in the 2012 HD Show and will be featuring them in the fall 2012 Gallery collection. All interior designers should have the pleasure of working with primary colors during their careers, and I am happy to produce products to fulfill this need.
Orange
22.12.2011 § 1 Comment
I have not paid any attention in English literature, but I surely know a few Chinese novelists who described colors with inspiring insight. The words and objects they use to describe (and mentally simulate) colors create aesthetic tension. For instance, Eileen Chang, one of the greatest modern short novelists in Chinese literature, depicted a metal window frame color in an old Hong Kong mansion as “chicken fat yellow.” I assume it is a rich cream color. The fact that she used an unorthodox way to describe a color left a deep impression on me. « Read the rest of this entry »
Brentano Color Forecast
02.12.2011 § Leave a comment
Brentano Designer Aaron Mensik has great color sense, so we tend to rely on him as our colorist in the design studio. Usually before he starts to color a pattern, we will talk about how and where the fabric will be used and what kind of color it should have. For instance, if the fabric is to be used in a vertical application, we tend to want colors that are clear and soft. We might not produce any dark colors at all. There are also differences for residential and hospitality, healthcare, etc., fabrics. « Read the rest of this entry »
Portfolio Collection 2011 Fall
03.08.2011 § Leave a comment
Back in 2010, I had forecast marine as one of the up-and-coming colors for this year, so I reintroduced navy in this fall’s collection. One of our reps had been screaming for jewel tones, so I tried. I still have not had any luck making any new greens, but I will continue to try. « Read the rest of this entry »
Woven-Words 