COLOR, IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!

While recently attending AIFD’s National Symposium the attendees were exposed to many areas of design. One element that most are interested in is what are the ‘new colors’ that will guide our sales and be seen in the coming years. Color can be the easiest and most challenging element to deal with as customers have a very personal feel about color harmonies that they embrace or reject. Color refers to those combinations of light reflected pigments on a surface that transmit a psychological response to our brain. What one customer might find pleasing another might find distasteful. Color evokes emotions such as happiness, anger, warmth, pleasure, hunger, and comfort.
Color is used in most areas of retail flower shops. When a customer is sending a floral styling to someone, often the question is asked if the recipient has a favorite color. Same is true when sending sympathy flowers; did the deceased have a favorite color. The reason behind the question is to make the flowers more personal as most people have a favorite or preferred color. Again, this connects to the emotional impact of color.
Fashion and home décor are two areas that are directly tied to color harmonies that are in vogue. A good rule of thumb is to watch what women buy and wear in your market area. Generally what women wear this year, they will decorate with the following year. Not all color harmonies that are shown in fashion make it to mainstream home décor, however, often times an odd or strong color in fashion peaks its head up in home décor as an accent color. For instance, shrimp or coral is a pleasing color for many to wear, but few would be comfortable with a vibrant coral sofa. This does not mean however that coral throw pillows could not be added to wake up a sleepy neutral sofa.
New color harmonies are influenced by many factors. Economic influences and global events are probably the two most influential factors. At present, due to tight economic conditions, we are seeing very few radical changes in colors as manufacturers are skeptic about too many radical changes as there is not a wide range of clients who have the money to make substantial changes in their home. If you are wondering if a color is a fad color ( those who will be around for a year or two and then disappear) or a trend color ( those colors who have a 3 to 7 year life), look at the colors of larger ticket items such as cars, major appliances, and home décor furnishings. These items are a major investment and will have a longer presence.
Often we see the newer color harmonies introduced in Europe during Fashion Week. While you may look at the haute couture and wonder who would wear that, pay closer attention to the colors and combinations of textures and patterns that are being worn. Usually they hit both the East and the West coast first and then filter to Middle America. Some colors may never hit your market area for different reasons. But, it is important to know what is happening in the fashion world.
Whether your market embraces a casual shabby chic lifestyle that would embrace monobotanical designs of gerbera daisies or roses or would they prefer the influence of modern architecture and embrace clean, graphic designs of exotic and tropical flowers, being aware of the color trends is important. While not everyone in your market area may be able to rush out and make drastic changes in their home decor, many people do enjoy a little something new and trendy. As the economy improves, so will customers willingness to experiment with new and bolder color combinations.
The beauty of using fresh flowers adds the newness and freshness to an environment that may need a little perking up. Be sure to have an assortment of fun and full-on color stems and stylings ready for those customers who what to wake up a sleepy room!