An Insider's Peek At the Sherwin Williams 2019 Color Forecast Event

​Hello friends!
I had an amazing time this past week, learning all about what color palettes we can expect to see trending in the coming year.
As a part of my CCE (Certified Color Expert) designation, I was invited to the annual Sherwin Williams Colormix Forecast 2019 event.  This was a luncheon presentation that was held at the Richmond, VA Ethan Allen showroom and boy did they pull out all the stops!  
Look at all the goodies that I came home with.  Tons of tools and inspiration.
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​The District Manager of SW gave a magnificent multi-media presentation that outlined how SW spots color trends and combinations that they think may make their way into the world around us over the coming year.  Think about how, each season, we see a new palette of cool design products on the shelves of Crate & Barrel and Target.  This is where all of that starts!

​​The SW designers began in February, examining trends in fashion, pop culture, art exhibits and travel destinations such as new hotels and restaurants.  They then used these images to inspire 6 different color profiles - each with their own distinct personality.  The process was fascinating and I am sure that several of these hues and combinations will eventually find their way into more mainstream design and retail.

Here's a sneak peak:

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A couple of the specific personalities included:
Shapeshifter - This one speaks to big dreams and looking to the future.  Deep blue, surrounded by wisps of galactic and iridescent hues.  Think electric cars, Bowie, spirituality and Alexander McQueen. 

Wanderer - Inspired by the American Southwest; journey, adventure, sun-washed and warm.  Think rural lifestyle, modern cowgirl, Georgia O'Keefe and Ralph Lauren.  This style is the evolution of farmhouse design.

​Not only were we stimulated by images and sound, but also by taste as our host, Donna, had custom desserts made for each of the different color profiles.   The whole event was a real treat.

Finally, one of the biggest surprises was the reveal of the 2019 Color of the Year.  This is quite a departure from the greys, greiges and blues that have overtaken design palettes in recent years.  Could we be seeing a shift back to earthier tones?  Time will tell!

If you would like to see more about what is trending, drop me a line.  I would be glad to share all of the juicy details surrounding this cool event and where we see color trends heading!