The popularity of do-it-yourself decorating has made information on colour trends and decorating techniques — once available only to professional interior designers — accessible to everyone. Just turn on the television, or pick up a magazine or newspaper, and you’re bound to find tips on choosing and using colour to turn a bland house into a personality-filled home. But all this information can be a little overwhelming, especially for the novice. Following are some suggestions that you can use when helping a customer choose an interior paint scheme. Defining the Trends Every year, certain colours are said to be “in” and others “out.” Though at least 2002, colours are predicted to remain lively, happy and fun. Colour experts are celebrating the return to more vibrant colour after years of predominance by beiges, greys and muddy greens. Today, it’s rare to see drab tones used in home decorating. Instead, much cleaner tones are popular — colours like fiery orange-red; watery ice blue, and crisp, grassy green. Got the Blues Forecasts indicate that the most prevalent colour for decorating in the coming year will be blue...blue in every imaginable tint, tone and shade, from deep cobalt to very pale baby blue. These colours will be seen on appliances, carpeting, furniture and accessories, as well as in the newest paint palettes. Blue has taken the place of green as the king of colours, for both sociological and environmental reasons. The psychology behind the two colours is similar — they both invoke a sense of calm. But blue (which, according to one recent study, was identified by 35 percent of respondents as their favourite colour), conveys more of a sense of purity. Thus, water-inspired blues, like aqua and sea-foam, are getting a lot of attention. Red All Over Another colour making its way to the forefront is red. Not fire engine red, but the dramatic crimson of a juicy pomegranate. These reds can be used as a wall colour to dominate a room and lend a sense of intimacy, or as an accent to give lively punch to an otherwise plain space. The Neutral Zone When most people hear the term “neutral colour,” they think “off-white.” But today, there is a new type of “neutral” colour that doesn’t fit the traditional definition, yet serves the same purpose. The hot colour that is replacing traditional neutrals is very pale...yellow! Light tints of yellow harmonise well with the other colours on the 2002 palette — and also bring in a fresh, pure look that is much more visually interesting than off-white. Pure bright white is also back in vogue. It’s crisp and clean, and works well with most of the current popular colours. Jet black is popping up as an accent colour. The Last Word When helping customers decide on a colour scheme, keep in mind that colour trends can vary from region to region, and may change from year to year. So while it’s helpful to use the trends as guidelines, always remind your customers to select colors that they themselves find attractive. Of course, the choice of colour is not the end of the story. Once your customers settle on a colour scheme, a very important decision remains: purchasing the right paint for the job. In this case, however, the choice is rather simple. Remind your customers that since they’ve put so much time and effort into choosing a colour, they will want their paint job to continue to look freshly painted, and last a long time. That important balancing act is best achieved by applying a top quality acrylic paint, the smart interior paint choice that will generally provide the most durable and best-looking paint job possible. •