2012 Color Forecast: Faded Jeans, Field Grains, Glowing Embers, and Algae

 

  

Whew! It's amazing how time flies. I can't believe it's almost September! Soon the fall weather will roll in, the trees will turn to beautiful shades of reds, oranges, and yellows, and comfy sweaters will keep us warm on cool nights. My favorite time of year!

Since the year is whizzing by so fast, and fall and winter are just around the corner, I wanted to share the 2012 color trends just in case you're planning a decorative refresh at the top of the year. 

It seems like Mother Earth is planning to take over our homes this year since water, earth, fire, and air are represented in the color forecast for 2012. Take a look at the upcoming color trends over at Sherwin-Williams. Neutrals, shades of reds, blues, and greens all dominate. Download a Color Card!

Think Mother Earth!

Neutrals: field of grains, pile of pebbles, weathered wood, earthy clay, raw organic materials

Reds: a brilliant flower, a glowing ember, the colors of fire and passion, earth's molten core

Blues: clear water, American faded denim, rivers, lakes and sea, crisp blue skies

Greens: depths of sea and forest, seaweed, algae and moss, and rooftop gardens

Room of the Month

This past weekend I stumbled across the Jonathan Adler store on my way to brunch. The photo above is a beach house that he designed. I wish that was my beach house! Love it!

Guest Blogger: Giovanni Brooks

Revolutionize Your Home

People who know anything about my personal evolution in recent years know two things: 1) that I love politics; and 2) I love urban living. From the busy streets to the great people watching, living in an urban enclave is a far cry from my down south Georgia girl suburban upbringing. Because of this personal juxtaposition, the ability to be this close to the excitement of city living is amazing to me. Living in downtown Pittsburgh, in particular, with its few relics of the old “steel city” moniker as a backdrop for a growing technological metropolis, is exhilarating;  it is a medium sized city with big city amenities. The city is walkable and you don’t need a car. There are great restaurants, a thriving art and culture scene, such as the cultural district, the Carnegie Institute, which includes the Andy Warhol Museum, and every part of the city is within walking distance of all the major sports stadiums, Heinz Field, PNC Park, and Consol Energy Arena. I am constantly looking for ways to recreate this same energy with my apartment decor, whether it be with black and white photography or pop art.


One of my favorite aspects of living in downtown Pittsburgh is the mural art—it is like living in a breathing and growing museum. On several street corners, there is mural art commissioned by the city and local urban renewal organizations (like the Sprout Fund) for both its artistic and functional flare. However, what is most intriguing about mural art to me, for all of its appeal to popular culture, is its political significance. A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture. 


Mural Art as a political statement first became popular in the United States during 1930s. African American, Mexican, and Chicano artists used murals as protest art-- as a way to empower economically impoverished communities. This form of protest has gained more resonance in the 1960s and 1970s, when pictures of slain civil rights leaders and freedom writers were painted on exterior walls to remind communities of struggles and the triumphs experienced in the pursuit of equal rights. In communities where children were getting slain by gun violence, murals have been used a memorials for the community around which people could congregate, mourn, and reflect. 


Today, we face government budget cuts and the global economic crisis. These monumental experiences have reverberated throughout our communities. There is increased unemployment, increased poverty and rampant despair. Art has always been a way to uplift communities and provide it hope in troubling times; however, due to these challenging economic times, the federal and local governments have had to defund the arts and arts programs. Thus, with the youth population fighting being labeled with the moniker of the “Lost Generation” due to high unemployment and economic and political uncertainty, it is no surprise that murals have resurfaced as a form of political or protest art. From Shepard Fairey’s installations to graffiti, urban murals and public art, mural paintings are not only seen for their beauty and as a cornerstone of urban revitalization but also as a catalyst for economic and social change. With this renewed movement of sorts, many people, including myself, are seeking new and inventive ways to bring the energy created by the urban murals to life in my own dwelling. Luckily, there are somewhat easy to complex ways to accomplish this from buying prefabricated mural wall paper to getting one commissioned yourself. While the commodification of such an expression may not seem that revolutionary,  the desire to surround yourself by art in such a dynamic way is.  

Learn more about mural art in Pittsburgh or bringing mural art into your home: Shepard Fairey's Pittsburgh Murals, Pittsburgh Murals, Murals Your Way


Read more of Giovanni Brooks' thoughts on Art.Culture.Politics.