Providing you with inspiration in your inbox, this is the monthly design and colour news update from the international colour experts at Global Color Research™.  Together with Mix Publications, this is all you really need to keep up to speed with the latest colour and design news.

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Colour of the Month  Grey  MI 17.01.03 NCS S3502-R RAL 7036

Justine Fox, colour expert at Global Color Research™, presents colour of the month, helping you to understand how colour psychology affects trends. This month she looks at the undeniable sophistication and elegance of Grey.

If ever a colour was ubiquitous in the mass market it is Grey. First seen in Autumn/Winter 09/10 Mix trend Contour (Mix Trends colour forecast book issue 17), there is literally a rainbow of greys from charcoal to dove, turning up on everything from carpets (pictured is Chevalier èdition) to paints. Grey/silver is also perennially popular in the automotive industry because of easy resale or lease and because it shows the lines of the car off with highlight finishes.

It is interesting that Grey’s popularity has come at a time of great insecurity and economic upheaval; Grey is perhaps the most psychologically neutral shade of all, evoking little emotional response, providing a much needed rest from any form of emotional turmoil. Grey urges us to hibernate and escape from the world.

Much associated in fashion with Winter collections, Grey also has utilitarian, practical associations that make it chime well with today’s more austere, less throw-away culture. There is a strong urban feel to Grey, evoking expanses of concrete that make it feel slightly dystopian, again fitting in with the feeling of unease any recession generates.

Like black and camel, Grey is undeniably chic in a low key, controlled way. One of the least sexually attractive of all colours, it never-the-less exudes luxury when combined with a lavish material like cashmere and is increasingly moving out of the boardroom and into the home. Finally Grey works well when lifted by colourful accents, making it a force to be reckoned with for some time to come.
 

To purchase Mix Trends Issue 19, contact us at marketing@globalcolor.co.uk.

For subscriptions to Mix Trends, click here. Issue 20 for Spring/Summer 2011 is also available.

Picture credit: www.chevalier-edition.com

Mix Issue 17 Making It Metal

All around the world, the use of metal in architectural projects is growing. Clare Dowdy finds out why there is always a place for copper, steel, titanium, zinc and aluminium.

There’s nothing architects like more than a happy marriage of aesthetics and function. Some materials, like good old-fashioned wood, have always leant themselves to this, but others are increasingly coming into their own. This is partly to do with changing fashions, the increase of a material’s attributes through enhanced technology and a better understanding of what it has to offer in construction terms.

Certain metals fall into this category and architecturally the effects can be quite breathtaking; particularly in inauspicious locations. Who’d have thought that a roundabout in the north of England would be graced by a spiky aluminium creation? Meanwhile, a deprived Sydney suburb is getting some new social housing that’s as innovative as it comes.

To continue reading this article and others similar to it, click here to order Mix magazine issue 17. 

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Ceramics Michael Eden

Here at Mix magazine we love the work of ceramicist Michael Eden. His latest work, pictured here, is called Maelstrom and was designed to digitally simulate the pottery making technique of coiling. Eden used simple Rhinoscript to generate a mass of virtual clay rods, then manipulated them into this faintly neo-classical form.

www.edenceramics.co.uk

Design News The Sleep Event

Held at London’s Business Design Centre from 3rd-4th of November, the Sleep Event brings together hotel owners, operators, architects and contractors to look at the development of new hotels and contract interiors. Running alongside the exhibition is the Sleep Event Conference, headlined by Marcel Wanders, and the European Hotel Design Awards.  Best of all, our very own Justine Fox will be speaking about key colour trends in the leisure industry; catch her at 3pm, 3rd of November at the Seminar Area.

www.thesleepevent.com

Design News Zaha Hadid Retrospective

A major retrospective on the works of Zaha Hadid Architects will take place at the salone of Palazzo della Ragione, Padua, Italy until 1st March 2010. The exhibition will examine the practice’s continued research and experimentation into digital design and construction methods at the cutting edge of the industry. Work featured will include the Mesa table for Vitra (pictured), along with projects for Established & Sons, Artemide, Glasgow Riverside Museum, Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion and the Signature Towers in Dubai. To coincide with the exhibition, Zaha Hadid Architects has also designed a 20 metre long wooden table with seating for Cavour Square in Padua.

www.zaha-hadid.com

Micro Trend Hair

The Victorians used hair a lot; sticking it in lockets to remember loved ones, fashioning bracelets out of it, stuffing chairs with it. Now designers are taking an interest too; earlier this year in Stockholm there was a strange little light that looked like it was made from the scrapings of a hairbrush, then Anna Schwamborn, part of the KithKin collective, referenced Victoriana with her collection of mourning objects. Even B&B Italia visited the idea, with a more cartoonish Cousin It approach designed by Baron & Baron for a re-envisioning of the Grande Papilio chair, complete with double plaits.
 

www.bebitalia.com
 

www.kith-kin.co.uk

Micro Trend Gran
 

It’s always good to get affirmation that we were right about a trend, especially one that seems particularly unlikely like Gran (Mix Trends Autumn/Winter 2010/11 Issue 19). Little old ladies shouldn’t by rights be style icons but increasingly we are seeing evidence of their influence everywhere, from powdery pastels for products to interiors like The Book Club in London resplendent with Gran touches like mismatched carpets and micro print cushions. For more information about this trend please email us.

Design News NCS Colour Competition at 100% Design

At 100% Design, Global Color Research™ gave you the opportunity to play the colour game, 'What Colours Will You Be Using In 2012?' Participants had the chance to become colour forecasters by using NCS Colour Systems.

The winner is: Sarah Hepworth from Mamas & Papas Retail. Sarah's selection fits beautifully with our upcoming atmospheric trend Fable, which will be showcased in Mix Trends Issue 21, Autumn/Winter 2011/12

Be first to get this and other key trend information to keep your business ahead of the game with Mix Trends Issue 21, published mid December 2009. Subscribe today.

Technology Augmented Reality

Augmented reality technology is big news in marketing at the moment and is about to be used (for the first time) in the latest issue of COLORS magazine. A link will allow the teenage contributors featured to access, add and create their own supplementary audio/visual material online, in effect creating the basis of a wider discussion with an international young audience.

www.colorsmagazine.com

Kitchens Kimihiko Okada

We like this proposal for a dining kitchen by Kimihiko Okada. The project consists of separate units of sink, cook top, shelf, table and refrigerator. Units are distributed like islands and this formation provides users with free circulation. Best of all, units, except for the sink, can be moved during occasional parties or simply to change the layout of the room. Storage is hidden underneath the table and the cook top and sink unit so that, with minimal attachment to walls, the dining kitchen can be easily reconfigured.

www.ookd.jp

Design News Letter From America

Mark Woodman, Global Color Research™’s new colour expert in the US writes:

“The coming holiday season is getting its first big rush. In rapid succession Halloween, Thanksgiving and the many denominational celebrations in December will fill stores, advertisements and packaging with the ‘colours of the season.’ I am struck, though, with a particular colour combination whose meaning seems very American; Orange and Black.

In my world travels I have seen that colour combo used in automotive, home and certainly fashion but when back in the US, Halloween owns those two colours. They are so associated with the elements of Halloween that it is nearly impossible to use them out of that context. Of course, other holidays have their colour combinations, too. Chanukah is bedecked in blue, white and silver, but that combination can be seen throughout the year without raising an eyebrow. Even the red and green of Christmas adorn each traffic signal without anyone being on the lookout for Santa and reindeer as they traverse an intersection.

So as I ponder the coming months and all that they hold, I think of Orange and Black. In America, they reign supreme for Halloween for one glorious trick and treat night and then quickly recede as we shift our attention to Thanksgiving and the advent of rich, autumnal colours.”

www.globalcolor.co.uk

Design News Frieze Art

It wasn’t just the darkness of the day outside, but the art world seemed to have taken on a very grey hue at this year’s most important international art exhibition, perfectly chiming with current colour trends. There was a sober philosophical feeling this year with work that addressed big ideas, both personal and political. There were fewer gimmicks and more thought, plus exciting work from younger artists. Certainly the Tate thought so; it acquired works by Alice Channer, Zbigniew Libera, David Maljkovic, Gareth Moore, Marwan Rechmaoui and Artur Zmijewski.

www.frieze.com

Design News Restaurant & Bar Design Awards

Now in its second year, Restaurant & Bar Design Awards sets out to celebrate one of the most visible and theatrical of all design forums. Last year’s winners The Olde Bell Inn (pictured) and Carbon Bar (both featured in Mix magazine) set the standard high but if you think your design practise has what it takes, then check out the website below; the opening date for entries is the 2nd November 2009.

www.retaurantandbardesignawards.com

Upcoming Mix Colour Trend Seminars

If you are interested in understanding the process of colour forecasting and keeping up to date with the latest trends, we are present at most major international design exhibitions where our seminars are usually open to the public. If required, we can also organise private colour trend seminar presentations for you or your clients.
 

Our next seminar sessions will be at:

11 January 2010 - 2pm, Seminar Area, Printsource, New York. 

Colour - Bringing Textiles to Life.

Colour Trends for Spring/Summer 2011 by Mark Woodman, Global Color Research™’s USA colour expert.

www.printsourcenewyork.com

14 January 2010 - 1.45pm, Seminar Area, Heimtextil, Frankfurt.

Justine Fox will be speaking about forthcoming colour trends.

www.heimtextil.de

January 2010 - Interiors Birmingham, Birmingham.

Colour trends presented by Justine Fox and Hannah Malein.

www.interiorsbirmingham.com

For further details please visit our website at www.globalcolor.co.uk

Global Color Research, publishers of Mix Publications, provides accurate color trend information and bespoke color solutions.

Mix Publications provide a comprehensive package to keep you ahead of your competitors and products work together as an essential source of inspiration.

Mix Trends color trend book Spring/Summer 2011 forecast available now, click here to purchase

Mix trend & design magazine. Click here to purchase issue 17.

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