(NAPSA)—According to decorating experts, color can be a telling barometer of the social climate. And for 2009, the predominant colors are indicating that there’s a craving for simplicity in our lives. Yet experts are also observing an optimistic trend: An interest in incorporating some unexpected design surprise—a visual treat that adds a feel-good quality to enliven everydayliving. Color stripes, for instance, can be a wonderful way to wake up a sleepy bathroom and make a personal statement that this space is reserved for morning start-ups. This eye-opening combination forms a pattern of colored ribbons arranged in varying horizontal widths. Another popular painting technique is “tattooing,” which can add a small delight or unexpected visual treat to a space. Simply use a highquality stencil to apply a design to a single wall that defines the area, such as a casual dining “nook” adjacent to a modern open kitchen. These trends are reflected in a series of paint color palettes proposed in “Colors for Your Home,” a free, helpful booklet now available at Benjamin Mooreretailers. The booklet is also filled with timely ideas and inspiration plus suggestions for a decorative painting technique or two, with numerous room settingsto illustrate. While 18 trend colors are forecasted, Benjamin Moore has its eye on three selections predicted to be exceedingly popular: Giving a room a new coatof paint with a decorative touch can be a quick and economical way to refresh and redecorate. * Blue Nose 1678, a chic blue with a small measureof gray; * Sea Haze 2137-50, a gray with a tinge of brown; and * Vellum 207, a subdued yellow, bordering on the color of wheat. “Paint is the perfect solution for simplifying a decorating makeover,” says Eileen McComb, Benjamin Moore’s director of communications. “Not only is a new coat of color able to provide quick and uplifting results, it’s one of the most economical ways to refresh and redecorate.” To see the “Colors for Your Home”booklet, visit the Web site at www.benjaminmoore.com. Each of the suggested 18 hues is animated to provide in-depth information on the color and its application in the corresponding rooms that illustrate them. Additionally, to find out more about the other decorating resources featured in the room photos, just click on the image.
