I Love Black, and Other Color Trends.

By Kelly Farrell | September 23, 2014

I love black and other color trends

I own a creative studio. Every day here is colorful. Our designers are immersed in color, recommending palettes for client brands – digging deep into color psychology, meaning, relationships, competition, hierarchy and every other aspect you can think of. Even our walls are a bright orange and pale blue.

I oversee this colorful kingdom while wearing my black suit and black shoes, driving my black car, drinking my black coffee while standing at my black desk, looking at my black and white photos in their black frames (black is a color, right?).

But every year I can’t wait to check out the color trends for the coming year. Because I love color almost as much as I love black.

Pantone’s color trend forecast is usually the one I look at first. I like looking at this one because it’s aimed at professionals, letting us know what’s coming up in fashion and every industry.  I love the section on color influencers. It’s remarkable how they come up with their color trends, and how smart these people are about hues and tones!

I especially like the names of colors, like the ones I found in Sherwin Williams color trend forecast for 2015. Definitely more of a consumer approach to color, which makes sense, since they’re trying to sell paint. I like their Chrysalis collection the best. They included a shade named Black Fox as an important color in the palette. This collection is up my alley – a darker palette full of earthy tones that are more feminine than I’m used to seeing. There’s a lightness to them that I like.

Then there is the online WeConnectFashion site, with their color forecast from the Trend Council. Lots of jewel tones in that forecast. Not my favorites. But then I found this awesome article in the Miami Herald. Lots of color and contrast in this forecast, without the usual gaudiness of south Florida. Yet, there is still a lot of black and white, acting as anchors, steadying the color ship for people like me.

So I guess I am on trend, mixing a little more color with my daily black. And that’s where I’ll sit for now, at my black desk…

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Author

Kelly Farrell

Kelly has a unique talent for uncovering what's special about her clients. It’s her specialty, and the heart of how designRoom approaches branding. Kelly learned design and branding while working in advertising as an Art Director, Designer, and Account Representative for several national/regional brands; Cellular One/Ohio, Northfield Park, National City Bank, and Mr. Hero. Her future, however, included a more passionate approach to the work and more direct engagement with her clients. In 1990 designRoom was born. One room. One designer. And lots of room to grow. Today, under Kelly’s leadership, designRoom is a national, award-winning branding and design firm. With her innate ability to see the right solution and her passion for helping clients reach their goals, Kelly is a fierce brand advocate for behavioral health organizations across the U.S. Her unique approach makes her a sought after national speaker on the importance of branding in behavioral health. Kelly focuses on how branding can unify an organization internally, amplify their unique market position, and help them move in a positive, sustainable direction.
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