Colors are powerful! Most of us are unaware of how colors affect people. In fact we respond to colors but, as with breathing, do not make it a conscience thing. How fascinating.
The right colors working together make us feel cozy and warm. They invite us to sit down and have a chat. They make us feel comfortable on a cold, dark winter morning as we get up to go to work.
By the same token, the wrong colors can do the opposite. They can make us feel out-of-sorts, unfriendly, uneasy about hanging around.
First we will look at the 1999 color palette and then we will focus on aspects of the kitchens.
According to In Living Color's Rebecca Ewing, a Color Therapist who sits on the Color Forecast Board, these are the colors for 1999:
Water is a precious commodity we all need and have come to appreciate more and more. As we become more global and more concerned about the environment, we are enjoying the variations of blue. Blue is the most liked color world wide. It is a safe color connoting serenity, loyalty, respect and peace. It is cooling and relaxing.
These are composed of multiple neutrals so that the color changes when viewed from different angles or in different light. From one spot we might see greens, turn, and we see gold. These colors are interesting and intriguing for the American audience which is becoming more worldly and sophisticated. But, in a world with too many choices, too many decisions, too much to do, we also want calm. Neutrals provide a decompression zone and give us control over our sensory input. In kitchens we might find them in laminates, solid surfaces, some granites, wallpapers, material, painted on walls and woods.
These are the purples, ranging from the blue-purples to the red-purples, the coppery and pearlized colors. These give passion, creativity and a spiritual sense. They reign supreme. While they may be overwhelming if overdone, in moderation they quiet us. Those of us who are going in too many different directions really crave these colors. In kitchens we might find these in hardware, tiles, light fixtures, some appliances, appliance panels, materials, painted on walls or woods.
We are punctuating in the orange family — from gold to saffron — and tending to be somewhat muted. Orange is cheerful, active, bold, social, fun. While not a traditional American color choice, we are seeking that sparkle in our lives today. In kitchens we might find these within any colored design as an accent.
We are seeing a lot of birch, maple and cherry — all natural. Birch and maple are light and give a sense of openness and freshness. Cherry is darker, richer and more conservative in feel.
Glazing puts a wash (usually white or brown or black) over the wood or wall. It adds another layer of depth, complexity and interest to the material.
We are seeing lots of stainless steel (especially in appliances), gold (even speckled in the granite countertops) and copper (in tiles, hoods, faucets).
In the kitchen we are seeing: