Color Trends for Home + Interior 2013

Pantone View Home + Interiors 2013 Trend Forecast

Earlier this year, Pantone released the Pantone View Home + Interiors 2013 Trend Forecast, a guide containing the nine most directional color palettes for home furnishings and interior design in 2013.

"To create the 'magic' that ultimately leads to sales in the marketplace, colors for 2013 will need to coax and cajole, soothe or astonish, renew and replenish," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "At the same time, there will be the consumer's expectation of practicality - what colors will have staying power and can be relied upon as a steadying influence in unsteady times. Skillfully balanced color palettes that play to their practical side, while satisfying their aspirations, hopes and needs for something novel will remain key to enticing the would-be consumer or client."

Pantone View Home + Interiors 2013 is a forecasting book that provides color and trend direction, enabling designers to select the right shades and combinations for home furnishings or interior spaces. The book contains visual inspiration, suggested color harmonies, individual tear-out palette cards for each of the nine forecasted palettes, swatches of the 75 forecasted colors, and images from the forecast for use in presentations and storyboards. Highlighting additional insight and directions, a summary page concludes the forecast with a comprehensive color overview and a look at other factors influencing the world of home furnishings and interior environments.

To enable digital design, Pantone View Home + Interiors 2013 also includes Pantone Color Manager for direct download of all Pantone Color Libraries into design software.

The nine palettes for 2013 are: Connoisseur, Glamour, New Old School, Rugged Individuals, Extracts, Footprints, Sojourn, Surface Treatments and Out of the Ordinary.

The palette called Connoisseur takes a fresh approach to celebrating the finer things in life while displaying a sense of history and elegance. Whether it is the perfect plate or the smooth finish of a simple table linen, these fine sensibilities are often reflected in a choice of colors that are both sophisticated and refined, yet not without a touch of understated drama. The colors are a compilation of monochromatic violets and orchids, liquid pink, deep mahogany, alyssum white and beechnut green, all reflected against champagne beige and silver.

The very word Glamour expresses what this palette is all about. Sleek and sensuous, it is very much reminiscent of the Art Deco era interpreted with contemporary influences. There is something very personalized and unique in the beguiling styling that involves both confidence and flair. Colors adequately reflect the mood of a bygone era: Rio red, and Monaco blue, deepest tap shoe black and chinchilla, ethereal gray moonmist and jasper teal. To add more glimmer to the glamour, there is both silver and champagne beige.

Another palette emphatically connected to heritage and history is New Old School. Adding a twist to a somewhat "preppy," collegiate and classic palette, it celebrates the hues typically found in iconic flags and banners. The styles are also reminders of the past, yet some sport a new contemporized look. There is ribbon red, bright white and sodalite blue, while nautical blue salutes breen and ultramarine green. Gargoyle and microchip grays draw a visible link to the contrast between the old world and the new.

Ranging from out West to the Outback, picking up the "ole" of the gaucho along the way, cowboy and cowgirl styles ride firmly into interiors. These are the Rugged Individuals who encourage and inspire the natural shadings of the prairie, polished leather, weathered wood and animal hide, while the earthiness of raw sienna tones blend with the inevitable classics of both vintage indigo and stonewashed blue jeans.

Taking orangey and spice tones to a new level, Extracts employs flavorful notes of color along with suggestions of appealing scents to create combinations that are zestful, pleasing, piquant and often unexpected. There is a subtle taste implied in this palette that evokes a somewhat exotic top note in spiced coral, brandied melon and apple cinnamon. The quiet presence of dusty pink and baked clay is refreshingly balanced by a tart, green banana.

Footprints is a palette that leads us down a path to vibrant tribal colors. These are steps that are not taken lightly, but instead are bold, forthright and very directional. Following the seductive rhythm of tangerine tango are peacock blue, a fiery pink flambe and solar-powered yellow. A verdant yellow green called oasis provides respite from the heat of Sudan brown.

The Sojourn palette takes us on a journey, one that is a bit more magical and intricate, as reflected in the compelling mixtures of a heady Syrah wine hue, the purpled intensities of a blackish plum, and the rosy glow of foxglove and Baton Rouge fuchsia against pampas and the green winter moss. All are nestled comfortably within the grounded organic hues of cobblestone and shitake.

Surface Treatments is a highly textural palette that adeptly utilizes smooth and nubby - polar opposites in a tactile world. It likewise embraces the liquid colors of ocean, sea and air such as Maui blue, vapor blue, and a more tempestuous tornado gray, along with the land-locked colors of fallen rock and birch, combined with a vegetal agave green. Medal bronze adds yet another dimension and patina to this diverse yet compatible grouping.

Quirky, odd, whimsical and even a bit obtuse, Out of the Ordinary products immediately capture the imagination of the beholder. It can be styling, texture, shape or design that reaches out to tempt the eye, but most frequently it is the color that captures instant attention and awareness. Colors like bonnie blue, pureed pumpkin and chocolate truffle are deliberately enticing, while amber green, linden green, golden rod, bright violet and rosebud round out this creative array.

Resource: Dexigner.com  

Holiday shopping online? 3 tips to avoid common scams

(BPT) - Sometimes the best way to find that perfect holiday gift is to search and shop online; it's quick, easy and convenient. And more and more people are doing it: It's anticipated that sales for November and December will grow to $54.5 billion in 2012, a 16.8 percent increase over 2011, according to eMarketer.

As you venture into unknown online territory in your quest for that perfect gift, it's important to shop with a heightened sense of security. 

There are undoubtedly countless honest and hardworking sellers who peddle goods over the Internet, but there are also scammers looking to take advantage of unwitting victims.

Help protect yourself from scammers by following three simple rules:

1. Never use a money transfer service to pay for something online.

"Money transfer services are convenient and simple ways to send cash to people you personally know, but you're better off paying by credit card or using an escrow service when you're buying goods online from someone you don't know or you haven't met in-person," says Shelley Bernhardt, director of consumer protection at Western Union.

Western Union is not an escrow service provider and does not guarantee the delivery or suitability of goods or services.  Once you send a money transfer, it can be paid out to the receiver within a short time.  After the money is paid, it's gone and the odds of getting it back if the gift you thought you purchased never finds your doorstep are slim.

If an individual seller or online retail website only accepts money transfers as payment, be wary and look elsewhere. And don't be fooled, even if the seller appears friendly and offers a reasonable explanation as to why he or she only accepts money transfers - fraudsters are well-trained in gaining your trust.

2. Never email any financial information.

It's a red flag if a seller asks you to email a credit card number or checking account number. And remember: Never give out your Social Security number when shopping online; retailers don't need this information to complete a transaction. If you're paying for something online, use a secure money exchange service like Paypal or use the secure payment portal on the seller's website.

3. Read product descriptions carefully, including the fine print, and determine exchange and return policies before you purchase.

If the seller or website you bought from doesn't have an exchange policy and the product you buy ends up being something different than what you expected, you're likely out of luck if you try to return it.

You can shop online safely and securely during the holidays or anytime of the year. But make sure you're a savvy shopper and protect yourself from scammers by approaching your purchases with the required amount of scrutiny.

For more information on avoiding common scams, visit www.westernunion.com/stopfraud or www.ftc.gov/moneymatters and click on "Scam Watch".

10 Easy Green Household Habits from Top Eco-friendly Bloggers

Environmentally friendly habits don't have to be expensive. In many cases, protecting your bank balance and protecting the planet go hand in hand! Here we've rounded up ten easy habits that save can save families money and help the environment at the same time, all suggested by Circle of Moms' Eco-friendly Mom Bloggers.


1. Buy Secondhand

"One second-hand big ticket purchase alone can save your household thousands of dollars and reduce environmental impact." Gretchen Covine, EdenFeed

2. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

"An easy, eco-friendly and FUN habit that helps save money is to make your own household cleaning products. With pantry items like baking soda and white vinegar, Castile soap, and essential oils you can make inexpensive cleaners that are safe for you, your family, and the planet." –Mindy McLaren, Sweet & Woodsy Blog

3. Reduce Food Waste

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about 30 cents of every dollar we spend on food we end up throwing away because what we've bought spoils, or expires, or because we've just bought too much. The solution? Put leftovers in the front of the fridge, not the back where you might forget about them. Try to plan menus in advance, then grocery shop with an ingredients list so you buy what you really will use. Go to the grocery store just once a week - after 'leftovers' night, if possible, and when the fridge is almost empty." Diane MacEachern, Big Green Purse

4. Save Water and Energy on Laundry

“Avoid using the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 liters (5 gallons) for the extra rinse. New Energy Star-rated washers use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. Wash your laundry in cold water — 80-90 percent of the washing machine's energy is used to heat the water. Your clothes will be just as clean — honest!" -Lori Popkewitz Alper, Groovy Green Livin'

5. Drive Less

"Drive less and walk/ride/roll more…Adopting a more active-lifestyle approach to transportation saves money on gas and car repairs, provides an "excuse" for families to exercise together, and reduces natural resource depletion." -Kimberly Danek Pinkson, ecomom blog

6. Reuse Containers

"One of the best ways to save money AND be eco-friendly is to reuse/recycle what you already have! Save tons of money on storage containers by reusing glass and plastic food containers when they are empty." Jennifer Nitzky, Sprout's Green Family

7. Start a Garden

"The taste of homegrown produce is AMAZING, and it's a great family project. When local produce is in season, you can also preserve the bounty for pennies on the dollar compared to store products. We can, dry, freeze, lacto-ferment, root cellar, and use cold frames and a greenhouse for season extension. The kids are so proud of themselves when they share ‘their’ fruits and vegetables with family and friends.” -Laurie Neverman, Common Sense Homesteading

8. DIY Gift Wrap

“Wrapping paper, tissue and gift bags are insanely expensive for something that ends up in the trash before the party is even over. Instead, use what you have to wrap gifts — a basket or a beach bucket can be two gifts in one. Or use your child's artwork to make an extra special presentation. -Amity Hook-Sopko, Green Gifts Guide

9. Cloth Diapers

"You can significantly reduce the cost of diapering by using cloth. After the initial start up cost to purchase the materials you need (in our case, it was around $150), you can save several hundred dollars each year by committing to cloth. If you plan to have more children and reuse your cloth diapers, you will have saved a serious amount of money!" -Charise Rohm Nulsen, I Thought I Knew Mama

10. Turn Off Lights & Unplug Electronics

"I know this sounds incredibly easy and almost silly, but turning off the lights when you are not using them, as well as putting your computers, TV's, etc. on a power strip and turning them off nightly [saves money]. ... Computers, TV's, DVD players, and other electronics that are plugged in 24/7 are considered 'energy vampires.' They use energy even when we are not using them." Amy Todisco, Green Living Now


Resource: The Circle of Moms Editors