Trendy is a state of mind in Sherwin-Williams 2011 color forecast

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 12, 2011) – Sherwin-Williams celebrates individualism — a trend toward not being trendy at all — through its thoughtfully-selected colormix 2011 collection. Whether it’s a love of antique maps, a fascination with 3D animation or a collection of batik-patterned dresses, design professionals can help their clients embrace their passions and use them to navigate a project’s decorating direction.

“We’ve seen reactions to the economy move from panic to acceptance, if not appreciation, because people are finding they have the opportunity to be true to themselves,” said Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams. “Status is no longer about consumption, it is about personal identity and colormix 2011 evokes that sense of uniqueness.”

The 39 colors selected by Sherwin-Williams color experts for colormix 2011 are grouped into four palettes: Purely Refined, Bold Invention, Restless Nomad and Gentle Medley.

Purely Refined
Like an impeccably tailored suit, the Purely Refined palette is an elegant take on timeless hues in which every perceived imperfection serves a purpose. Pared down blues, lilacs, greens and grays interweave with understated neutrals to give this palette life.

“When we look at what luxury truly means to us now, people are seeing beyond the glitter and glitz that saturated our culture for so long,” Jordan said. “This palette whispers upscale in an effortless manner and looks chic when paired with layers of chunky organic textiles and subtle details.”

Bold Invention
The Bold Invention palette encourages taking a chance with the colors of the streets by looking to anything from graffiti art to 3D animation for inspiration.

Vivid greens and a range of intense turquoises and blues dominate the palette, while a pop of hot red and unexpected neutrals balance it out. Bright as the neon signs that light up city night life, this palette’s high-energy colors beckon an invitation into interior designs.

“We might refer to this as our rebel palette because it is inspired by the creativity that comes from living on the edge,” Jordan said. “Colors inspired by Latin America pop into this palette, prompted by the carnivale spirit of Rio de Janeiro, host of the 2016 Summer Olympics.”

Restless Nomad
Immersing itself in the cultures of the world is Restless Nomad, a palette that lets the wanderer bring an appetite for adventure into a space. A palette that snubs no one, colors wander from dusky darks, to hot vibrant pinks and reds to earthy food-influenced hues that evoke eggplant and cabbage. While inspired by all parts of the world, influences from Morocco and Turkey anchor this gypsy of a palette.

“The virtual world breaks down barriers to experiencing new cultures, and because of that, we see people embracing cultures they might not ever get to experience in person,” Jordan said. “Ethnic patterns, patchwork and tapestries now reach across the world and enter into our designs.”

Gentle Medley
An eclectic mix of maps, vintage florals and butterfly, dragonfly and leaf motifs drives the Gentle Medley palette into a time of modern innocence. Earthy neutral tans combined with freshwater blue, mint green, copper and chartreuse pastels give a space an airy, yet grounded quality. These colors are accented with safari greens and browns for depth.

“Hard times call for soft colors,” Jordan said. “People are romantic about the simpler times of youth and its refreshing honesty. Because of it, we are seeing a draw toward hues that are nostalgic, such as the colors of tinted photography and faded maps.”

Color Resources
Whichever colormix 2011 palette best reflects the style sought for a space, there are many ways for professionals to find color inspiration with color selection tools from Sherwin-Williams.

Designers can easily match colors for their projects with the newly enhanced ColorSnap® mobile phone application. Available for download at swcolorsnap.com, this free color-matching app allows users to quickly and easily match the hues found in their environments with more than 1,500 Sherwin-Williams colors.

Browse your images or snap a new photo, scroll around to locate the exact hue to match and ColorSnap will display the closest Sherwin-Williams color and coordinating palette. Users can also view the entire Sherwin-Williams color collection; adjust shades; get RGB values and light reflectance number values; find the nearest Sherwin-Williams store and capture hues in “My Saved Colors” for future reference.

Sherwin-Williams has also recently enhanced its interactive Color Visualizer. The tool now offers designers and their clients the option to upload their own interior or exterior images and to discover and experiment with hundreds of Sherwin-Williams color options for a space.

At swcolor.com, design professionals can access downloadable palettes for use in color rendering software and order large-sized color swatches and fan decks.  What’s more, swstir.com provides inspiration and resources for professionals including conversations with design experts, articles and news on the latest design trends, and a link to Sherwin-Williams new Facebook experience for designers and architects.

In addition to interactive, online color tools and inspiration, Sherwin-Williams offers off-line help with COLOR To Go® paint samples and the Sher-Color™ Advanced Color Technology system for fast, accurate color matching.

Ask Sherwin-Williams
For 145 years, Sherwin-Williams has satisfied the coating and color needs of builders, designers, specifiers, property managers and contractors. Sherwin-Williams provides fast, flexible, responsive local service and personalized, expert advice. More than 3,300 stores and 1,400 sales representatives make Sherwin-Williams North America’s largest single-source supplier of high-quality paints, stains, masonry coatings and brand-name wall and floor coverings. Visit sherwin-williams.com.