“Intensity is a survival strategy in crisis times,” explains Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager, The Voice of Color, PPG Pittsburgh Paints. “For some, it means seeking out extremes of sensation, rebelling against the bland existence that comes with cynicism and disenchantment. For others, it means ‘unplugging’ in order to re-connect with a life they feel is passing them by.”

Sensation-seekers will amp up the chromatic density of their lives with vivid hues. They’ll go for colours that stir the senses and set them in motion. Their choices will be the vibrant, optimistic colours that pack a punch, colours that can’t be ignored, that vibrate, colours that are pure joy on the wall. Their spaces will be full of strong contrasts -- heavy and weightless, shadow and light, hot and cold.

Those who feel their lives have become a race to the near future at the expense of the present will turn inward and unplug. They have been living in a state of permanent agitation for a long time – moving from list to list of things to get done. Now, they will put their activities on a diet and carve out time to be truly and deeply present in the moment and to pursue inner lives put aside for too long.

Their path to intensity means slowing down, simplifying, unburdening; eliminating useless “stuff.” They will gravitate towards quiet, understated palettes accented by deep, rich colours that bring mystery and invite intimacy. They will opt for calming neutrals that create the space they crave to think; colours that soften the edges of the day and quiet the chatter. They want simple straightforward design and technology that “feels.”

The quest for intensity is not just the search for euphoria. It can also be a search for oneself. In either case, it’s recognition that we only live once and there’s no time to waste. When we achieve the intensity, it’s fleeting, ephemeral, transitory – but positive. It brings energy and impetus; a self-sustaining enthusiasm. Living intensely spices up the taste of the world, reconnects us with its beauty – the “minute pleasures” and modest instants of happiness – like the smell of moss in the underbrush, the feel of wind around us, a brilliant sky at sunset, the laugh of a child.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ key trend colours are presented in signature five-colour palette cards that offer colour opportunities for all the design elements in a space, from paint to window treatments to flooring to fabric. “A trend is never about just one colour. It’s about the combination of all the colours in a space,” Schlotter notes.

The four trend palettes in PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ The Voice of Colour® program for 2011-2012 will be available at PPG Pittsburgh Paints dealers across Canada. They are:

Local Revival
Closer, simpler, less distant and in the end, less expensive! This trend is about unplugging a complicated life and living more simply and in harmony with one’s community. It is in part a reaction to the economic crisis - self-reliance and auto-production – rooftop gardens, beekeeping, community gardens in vacant lots, vegetable co-ops – an agro-attitude in major metropolises. It’s about reconnecting to the rhythm of the seasons and the materials of the region. Craftsmanship is valued. Materials are strong and honest classics: leather, wood, aged metal. Design forms are simple and familiar; antique-industrial and retro-mechanical. Folkloric patterns tell the stories of generations.

The palette is a mix of red berries, stone grey, and solid brown refreshed by a creamy white. PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Rum Punch (231-7), Burnt Red (133-7), Pralines and Cream (117-3), Earl Gray (522-5) and Poppy Pods (526-6).

Beauty Queen
This palette speaks to the unapologetically confident woman. It’s the return of glam finishes with a disco sophistication. Beauty Queen strikes a feminine note but doesn’t exclude her man. It’s high-intensity colour that can turn light and airy on a dime. Lush and mysterious, soft and fresh, girly but not – the built-in contrasts sensation-seekers want. Ultra-slick surfaces like Lucite and mirrors capture the best spirit of the 70s.

Sharp fuchsia pink and juicy purple are softened with cosmetic pink and freshened with this year’s brighter teal and white. PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Grape Juice (240-7), Tutti Frutti (138-7), Whirlpool (202-3), Candlelight Beige (216-1) and Brandy Alexander (535-3).

Quiet Tech
It’s impossible to unplug without a place to escape to, so minimalism is the foundation of this trend. Rooms have visual interest without complication. Details and embellishments are kept to a minimum. Pale and mid-tone wood tones don’t overpower the space. Shapes are rounded and tactile to keep rooms from feeling barren or cold.

In the palette, ink blues play with earthy and calming neutrals.  PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Gray Stone (517-4), Blue Tang (449-7), Chinese Porcelain (449-6), Earthy Ocher (315-5) and Spice Delight (215-2).

Deco Candy
Bringing together vibrant colours and fun design, Deco Candy transforms a home into an intensely joyful playground. A vivid harmony of citrus accented by this year’s bright blue, clean green and tangerine, the colour scheme is irresistibly optimistic. Stripes and colour-blocking bring a sense of organization to what could otherwise be too boisterous a spectrum of hues.

Colours awaken the senses. Come play! PPG Pittsburgh Paints colours in this palette are Mother of Pearl (513-1), Persian Blue (153-5), Hearty Hosta (208-5), Tangerine Dream (123-7) and the incredible Citrus Spice (110-7). 

The 2012-2013 trend colour palettes, as well as the other 2,000 colours from The Voice of Colour, are available in any of PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ paint lines, including PPG Pure Performance®, Manor Hall® and Manor Hall® Timeless®. PPG Pure Performance is a premium quality paint that has zero VOCs in the base paint and minimal odour during application and drying.  

To learn more about PPG Pittsburgh Paints and The Voice of Colour, and to find the dealer nearest you, please visit the PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour website at www.voiceofcolor.com.

PPG Colour Leadership
PPG employs more than 20 colour stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and colour trends for the home, electronics and automobiles. PPG's unique position as a colour leader in multiple markets allows it to observe and translate emerging global colour trends for its customers' applications—from consumer goods to automotive colour, from residential to commercial to industrial design.

About The Voice of Colour
The Voice of Colour program is a design system based on the premise that every colour has an emotional association and that individuals are drawn to different colours for reasons inherently tied to their unique personalities. The Voice of Colour offers an engaging online experience to help homeowners discover a Harmony colour family and palettes that reflect their personality and complement their style. Palettes are presented in signature five-colour Harmony chips to coordinate colours for all the décor elements in their space. The Voice of Colour also features exclusive colour collections that offer style inspiration (e.g. Hacienda Style, Historic Colours, Fallingwater®-Inspired Colours), designer favourites and expert advice (e.g. Atmospheric, Janice Lindsay – Coming Home). For more information, or to order colour tools and resources, visit www.voiceofcolor.com.

“We are rediscovering the joy and beauty and optimism that we need to overcome adversity, and our colour choices for home will reflect that,” says Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager, The Voice of Colour, PPG Pittsburgh Paints.

In addition, two societal trends are at play, says Schlotter. First, design has been democratized. According to Schlotter, the fact that we gather and assimilate information in real-time means that instead of being told by designers what we should like, we discover the look we like and ask designers to help us achieve it. The second trend is the quest for authenticity. It’s a reaction to the pervasive and instantaneous knock-offs that come with our real-time world, but it also flows from an embedded environmental sensitivity. That drives us to simplify, to get back to basics, and to live more sustainably.

“It’s really important for designers to stay on top of colour trends,” says Schlotter, “Because their clients will demand it. Consumers are much more design-savvy than ever. They notice the aesthetics of their environment – from their favourite coffee shop to the airport they pass through to the tissue box they buy.”

Schlotter sees an ongoing design evolution in our homes, pushing towards what’s truly personal and incorporating clever new home technologies. “We “decurate,” meaning that rather than starting from scratch, we keep what works and edit out what doesn’t to create new looks,” says Schlotter. “Our colour choices are more and more about what makes us feel happy – a hit of ruby red behind a piece of art, teal in the kitchen or citrus on a ceiling.”

Schlotter explains that trends are never about one colour in isolation, but about combinations of colours striking new harmonies. Each of PPG’s trends is presented in a signature five-colour card that captures the colour trends in furniture and accessories, as well as paint colour. “What woods are being used with those wall colours? What are the new accents being thrown into the mix?” she asks. “Our trend Harmony cards answer those questions as well, to help people achieve the look.”

The four new “Wow Colour Now” palettes in PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ The Voice of Colour® program for 2011-2012 are:

INstinct 
The soul of this trend is warm and authentic. Fusing the raw and primitive with a technical aesthetic, INstinct is a mature style that appeals to a citizen of the world – a mix of ethnic exoticism and modern sophistication.

The palette conjures the natural beauty of wood grains set against mineral finishes, the subtle variations of deep brown leather and the varied and deep greys of ancient stone. It is organic and unadorned; the most muted and grounded of the trend palettes.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour references include Cracked Slate, Silver Bells, Gypsum, Oregon Trail and Chaparral.

Glamour
With a focus on the “amour,” Glamour is mysterious, sensual, rich and complex. A sense of déjà vu imbues the atmosphere. Glistening metallics and intricate motifs connect this trend with the past. Glamour’s take on pattern is bold and sharp, with plays on negative space that surprise and delight. It’s audacious and challenging, the look slightly theatrical: Sleeping Beauty with a bite, Paris classic with an edge.

Glamour’s black is moody and deep, the red, strong and sexy. Rich neutrals are inspired by materials with a past – limestone, bronze, black marble.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour references are Dark as Knight, Timber Beam, Angel Food, Almond Cream and Rum Runner.

New Bohemia
With a sense of whimsy and an appreciation of craft, this bucolic trend updates vintage for a new generation. Rooms become personal scrapbooks that integrate quirky secondhand objects with memory pieces. It’s gypset, fusing the ease and carefree lifestyle of a gypsy with the sophistication of the jet set. Floral, fairytale and fantastic inspirations mix it up with modern for a look that is untamed and original, still charming, but more adventurous.

Pink nurtures the creative spirit and aqua refreshes. Both are anchored in the palette by craft-paper beige and the warm dark wood tones that play predominantly in hard goods.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour references are Red Cedar, Happy Trails, Hat Box Brown, Green Wave, and Aqua Fiesta. 

UPcycle
UPcycle appeals to the optimist who values craftsmanship and rejects waste, who values things with a history. It embodies simple living, keeping only what is functional and personal.

The palette is warm and welcoming, settling on wood tones and the quiet hues of undyed yarns, untreated metals and tone-on-tone ceramics. Bright blue colour blocks inject the dose of “up” into this trend, lighting up pale wood tones.

PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour references are Brown Basket, Allspice, Gold Buff, Chalkware, and Adventure. 

“Wow Colour Now” colours can be tinted into any of PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ paint lines, including premium zero-VOC PPG Pure Performance® and ultra-premium, low-VOC Manor Hall® Timeless®.

To learn more about PPG Pittsburgh Paints and “Wow Colour Now” colour palettes, and to find the dealer nearest you, please visit the PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour website at www.voiceofcolor.com

PPG Colour Leadership
PPG employs more than 20 colour stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and colour trends for the home, electronics, and automobiles. PPG's unique position as a colour leader in multiple markets allows it to observe and translate emerging global colour trends for its customers' applications—from consumer goods to automotive colour, from residential to commercial to industrial design.

About The Voice of Colour
The Voice of Colour program is a design system based on the premise that every colour has an emotional association and that individuals are drawn to different colours for reasons inherently tied to their unique personalities. The Voice of Colour offers an engaging on-line experience to help homeowners discover a Harmony colour family and palettes that reflect their personality and complement their style. Palettes are presented in signature five-colour Harmony chips to coordinate colours for all the décor elements in their space. The Voice of Colour also features exclusive colour collections that offer style inspiration (e.g. Hacienda Style, Historic Colours, Fallingwater®-Inspired Colors), designer favourites and expert advice (e.g. Atmospheric, Janice Lindsay – Coming Home). For more information, or to order colour tools and resources, visit www.voiceofcolor.com.

Based on responses to questions that probe all five sensory preferences, the Color Sense Game 2.0 presents users with two families of five-colour palettes that coordinate walls, trim, accent areas and other décor elements (furniture, pillows, window treatments, flooring).

“Colour preferences are unique, and choosing colour is a very personal exercise. Many times, we’re unaware of our responses to colours, the reasons why we like a colour, or why certain colour combinations make us feel the way they do. Color Sense 2.0 can surface those preferences and bring us to a better understanding of why we gravitate to colours,” said Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager for The Voice of Colour. “And homeowners can begin their personal colour journey with the ease of going online.”

According to the Home Improvement Research Institute’s 2010 Product Purchase Tracking Study, the Internet is among the most popular resources for DIY painters who have an interest in colour. 

“People may be surprised to learn that their reaction to the touch of baby-soft skin or to the texture of sand has something to do with their colour preferences for paint,” said Schlotter. “In fact, our visual perceptions are integrated with our other senses, and the Color Sense Game 2.0 utilizes new interactive triggers to engage those other senses.”

The Color Sense Game 2.0 mixes new visual and text cues to uncover deep-seated colour preferences. Some questions connect directly with home décor, while others probe psychological or emotional perspectives.  According to Schlotter, “The results will help owners find their true allegiance to colours and colour families − the colour harmonies that will make them feel most at home in their homes.”

Colour preferences identified through the Color Sense Game 2.0 are presented in two Harmony Collection colour families – a primary and secondary. Colour families include the vibrant Desert Spice; the more neutral and grounded Leather, Stone & Wood; and Water Beads, a tranquil palette based on blue. Each of the eight colour families features a signature colour (e.g. orange for Desert Spice), as well as coordinating colours, and the palettes can be rearranged proportionally to suit individual preferences.

Just for fun, or to collaborate on colour choices for a shared space, users can now share their colour personality with friends and family using Facebook and Twitter functions integrated within the game. “Colour in the home or workplace is a shared experience, so we’ve made it easier to share,” said Schlotter.

The Color Sense Game 2.0 is the foundation of PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ The Voice of Colour design system, which is built on the premise that every colour has an emotional association, drawing individuals to different colours for reasons inherent to their unique personalities.

To learn more, to play the Color Sense Game 2.0, or to view the nine Harmony Colour Collection Families, visit www.voiceofcolor.com.

PPG Colour Leadership
PPG employs more than 20 colour stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and colour trends for the home, electronics, and automobiles. PPG's unique position as a colour leader in multiple markets allows it to observe and translate emerging global colour trends for its customers' applications—from consumer goods to automotive colour, from residential to commercial to industrial design.

About The Voice of Colour
The Voice of Colour program is a design system based on the premise that every colour has an emotional association and that individuals are drawn to different colours for reasons inherently tied to their unique personalities. The Voice of Colour offers an engaging on-line experience to help homeowners discover a Harmony colour family and palettes that reflect their personality and complement their style. Palettes are presented in signature five-colour Harmony chips to coordinate colours for all the décor elements in their space. The Voice of Colour also features exclusive colour collections that offer style inspiration (e.g. Hacienda Style, Historic Colours, Fallingwater®-Inspired Colors), designer favourites and expert advice (e.g. Atmospheric, Janice Lindsay – Coming Home). For more information or to order colour-specifying tools, please visit www.voiceofcolor.com.

Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager for The Voice of Colour, says the complexity of these new neutrals will allow them to blend seamlessly with a wider variety of fabrics, flooring, furniture and complementary colours.

“Sometimes you are looking for a soft, ambiguous colour –  like a veil across a fresh green or a mist filling in a lilac hue to give it that smoky appearance, or a gray to soften,” said Schlotter. “Atmospheric offers homeowners and designers a full range of veiled tones and misty shades that bring that elusive, refined elegance to a space.”

While Atmospheric includes a full slate of the grays, khakis and beiges most people associate with neutrals, the palette also includes a soft blush pink (Adorable ATC-3), Pinot Noir (ATC-75), and a signature background colour used by Frank Lloyd Wright in designing Fallingwater^® – Cherokee Red (ATC-5).

“Homeowners and designers alike will appreciate the chameleon-like qualities of Atmospheric’s complex neutrals,” predicts Schlotter. “They allow the designer great flexibility to work with other colours in a room and they seem to adapt to the changes in light throughout the day.”

To develop this palette, colour experts at PPG Pittsburgh Paints examined the hues found in current and historic home fabrics, including furniture, curtains, carpeting, and more. They also looked to their global colour forecasters to take into account future trends. “The research helped us to produce a beautiful palette that will remain current. By looking back as well as forward, we created a palette that homeowners and designers can turn to whether they are refreshing an existing room with today’s colours or designing one from scratch to stay fresh for years,” said Schlotter.

With the introduction of Atmospheric, there are now over 2,000 colours available in The Voice of Colour palette and all of them are available in any of PPG Pittsburgh Paints' product lines, including premium zero VOC Pure Performance® and ultra-premium low VOC Timeless^®.

To learn more about Atmospheric and PPG Pittsburgh Paints, and to find the dealer or store nearest you, please visit the PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour website at www.voiceofcolor.com.

Design Professionals: If you are a design professional and would like to receive the Atmospheric fan deck, please contact Joanne Currie – jcurrie@ppg.com.

"Frivolous choices are a thing of the past," says Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager, The Voice of Colour, PPG Pittsburgh Paints. "Today's colour trends have staying power. You renew instead of buying new. You choose sustainable colours with an environmental and economic awareness that's becoming second nature for us all."

Eagerly anticipated each year, new colour trends follow the fluid movement of the home fashion market and resonate with consumers' desire to constantly reinvent themselves and their living spaces. And because a trend is never about just one colour, Schlotter notes that each new PPG Pittsburgh Paints palette is represented by a signature Voice of Colour five-colour card that expresses the mood of the trend. Here are the four new colour trend palettes for 2010/2011:

• Canvas – Born of a deep craving for silence and space, the Canvas palette helps to create environments that allow those who dwell within them the freedom to think, to renew, to remove all boundaries and begin again. The Canvas palette is composed of:
  • The soulful dark colours of silence – a deep gray-brown and an asphalt gray-blue – convey a calm and quieting spirit.
  • The colours of space – one muted beige and a warmer beige paired with a basic chalky white – lend the harmony of minimalism to evoke space maximalism.

The palette is minimal, organic, and spacious. Canvas is a sophisticated blend of the modern and the rustic with clean and uncluttered design. It is characterized by simplified shapes, natural materials, raw textures, and rugged surfaces. Linen, cotton, hemp, and pale bleached woods complement the palette.

• Grace – Serene, elegant, and sophisticated, but never nouveau. Grace has a delicate and complex sense of style that bespeaks the knowledge of tradition and a quiet confidence in one's own personal taste. A beautiful atmosphere inspired by the ineffable elegance of Grace Kelly and the classic luxury of cherished belongings.

The palette of Grace grounds those who live within it, while providing a touch of lustre. The hues of Grace range from pale butter to golden to deep bronze-gold. Neither overtly feminine nor overly neutral, they work both in matte and mineral (slightly metallic) finishes. An essential creamy white and a soft linen convey depth and sturdiness. A restful and serene seafoam blue-green adds a touch of nature and freshness.

The palette is refined, romantic, and sumptuous. Grace embraces the look of precious metals, mirrored surfaces, shimmering silks, and soft woven jacquards. With discerning taste, Grace assuredly mixes gold tones and antique brass, sateen, cashmere, damask, crystal, and well-loved adornments.

• Pink City – Mysterious, exotic, sensual, and eclectic. Like the Indian Pink City of Jaipur for which it is named, the Pink City palette vibrates with the very pulse of life and the spirit of adventure. Pink City represents the destination on a journey of self-discovery. It is a testament to the power of creativity and the allure of warm, saturated colours.

A vibrant, profound Indian pink and a spicy rusty orange play against an off-white linen. A stony gray and a chocolate brown combine to reflect urbanity, masculinity, and a grounding place for the rest of the palette.

A mix of ethnic exoticism and modern sophistication, Pink City features leather, chenille, intricate prints, dark woods, rattan, tortoise shell, and crushed velvet.

• Zest – Playful, fashionable, spirited, and sassy. Zest is pure, concentrated happiness to rev up the décor of the home fashionista who is not afraid of making a bold statement. At once glamorous and fun-loving, Zest winks its eye to the style of Palm Springs circa 1950s as it pays tribute to the excitement of the 70s and early 80s.

A high energy yellow + a pure white + a steely gray + a sleek black = an unapologetic colour theme that leaves boring far behind.

Through a mix of geometric forms, quirky shapes, and bright finishes, Zest provokes a positive and contemporary outlook on design. Zest incorporates retro patterns, transparency, lacquer, angular and faceted cuts, and black and white high gloss objects to brighten favourite spaces. Of the new palettes for 2010/2011, Zest may not have quite the timeless staying power of the other three—but no one can deny its power to pack a punch!

The Then and Now colour palettes, as well as the more than 1,800 colours from The Voice of Colour, are available in any of PPG Pittsburgh Paints' paint lines, including environmentally responsible PPG Pure Performance®. The first paint to receive Green Seal® Class A Certification, PPG Pure Performance was used to restore the interior of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. It is a premium quality paint that has zero VOCs and features minimal odour during application and drying.

To learn more about PPG Pittsburgh Paints and The Voice of Colour's Then and Now colour palettes, and to find the dealer nearest you, please visit the PPG Pittsburgh Paints colour Web site at www.voiceofcolor.com.

PPG Colour Leadership
PPG employs more than 20 colour stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and colour trends for the home, electronics, and automobiles. PPG's unique position as a colour leader in multiple markets allows it to observe and translate emerging global colour trends for its customers' applications—from consumer goods to automotive colour, from residential to commercial to industrial design.

About The Voice of Colour
PPG Pittsburgh Paints developed The Voice of Colour program on the premise that every colour has an emotional association and that individuals are drawn to different colours for reasons inherently tied to their unique personalities. With more than 1,800 colours to choose from, the program offers their signature five-colour decorating colour chips to assist homeowners in choosing colours for all the décor elements in their space. The Voice of Colour is an integrated, comprehensive design system that offers tools and materials to redefine the world of colour. Through an engaging on-line experience, the homeowner can identify their colour personality, and find the colours that best suit their style, personality and five senses. Among The Voice of Colour elements are the Colour Sense Game, yearly colour trends, exclusive colour families and colour palettes – such as Hacienda Style and Fallingwater® inspired colours – unique decorating colour chips, wet paint sample program, and Web site: www.voiceofcolor.com.