I started my discussion of 2012-2013 trends with the brooding side of faux finishing design: Dark Lux.  But now that we are in high summer it is time to lighten/brighten things up.  I confess that this is a difficult style for me to embrace although I live with a man that never met a Hawaiian shirt he didn’t like-the brighter and bolder the better!

My source for these articles is Heimtextile, the biggest international trade fair for home and contract textiles and the global benchmark for quality design textiles of innovative functionality. So what does the biggest international trade fair have to say about the trend called Color Riot?
“Colours in revolt.” “In ‘Colour Riot’, dynamic, thrumming shades of colour appear in a new context – fresh, bold and vivid. And there are no limits on the interaction with light.”
My next class is going to be called “Colours in Revlot” and I’m spelling it that way too-much more Continental.   This look is defined by “High-gloss materials that underscore the brilliance of monochrome colors.” I find myself thinking in terms of seasonal foods: Lime green, lemon yellow, Cantaloupe orange, and Tomato Red. And what better way is there to achieve clean bright colors then using lime plasters?  Here is a child’s bath that we did in Apple Green Veneziano with a bold painted border that fits this trend to a T. Even Raspberry Red may be sophisticated as done in this formal dining room by Kansas City Artist, Sue Hon. The bold finish has no other tones in it to muddy the clarity of the color.

Another way to use bold color is to render it in iridescent paints and shimmer plasters.  I’ve seen vibrant colors in flat paint and the overall effect is overwhelming and surprisingly dead. Surfaces did this cheerful girl’s bathroom in Lusterstones tinted pink, white, and butter yellow.

In addition to color, pattern plays an important role in achieving the Color Riot look.
“When it comes to patterns, the trend experts expect, for example, broad stripes, all-over geometric patterns and graphic motifs. The computer world is represented by digital designs, photographic prints and hologram effects. Despite the playful urge to experiment, the unexpected looks appear clear and unequivocal.”

I guess that last line means you can have fun but keep in mind that this is interior design-someone has to live, eat, or work in the environment. Many of our favorite stencil companies have been on trend for awhile with large bold patterns. This larger scale gives you opportunities to use more then one pattern in a finish. We used our Patchwork Roller and silver foil for a pattern under a buttery Lusterstone.
Then we used Cero Glass beads in Aquawax and Super Hide Metallics over the Large Feathered Damask from Royal Design Studio.

I love graphic color and pattern for children’s furniture which makes it appear more modern then the typical pastel  shades.  This is a set we did for a charity auction in vivid black and red. The patterns are also from Royal Design Studio.

And here is a bedroom, once again from Sue Hon, in bold stripes of Avocado and Plum.

Have I got you thinking fresh and vivid? Are you ready to try your hand at finishes with graphic motifs in iridescent effects?

Rebecca Slaton and her husband Bruce own Surfaces School of Decorative Finishing in Kansas City. Surfaces is a Faux Effects Gold Label Studio with 6,000 square feet of classroom and product retail space. Rebecca’s commission work has been featured in numerous national publications and she has taught at several Faux Effects studios across the country. You can find out more about Rebecca, classes, and decorative art projects by checking out the Surfaces website, www.surfacesfinepaint.com or the Surfaces Fan Page on Facebook.