The Colors of Summer, as framed in my memories, always seem, in defiance of physical law, somehow new and fresh, not faded. More than just simple green, blue, and gold, this season seems to bring out the more ethereal tones of man and nature. It is pleasant to reflect on the summer hues of “cherry red” coatings on soft ice cream, garden plots of “red tomatoes and green beans,” fields of “shiny red” pick-your-own strawberries, and the omnipresent “sunny yellow dandelions”. This imagery adds to our capacity to consider summer color schemes from a more nuanced design plan perspective.

Let’s set odes to summers freshly remembered aside and consider for a moment the relevance of The Colors of Summer 2017 in fashion forward design plans. To that end, we recently discovered a fine European site, fashionisers.com. Clearly their focus is on another segment of fashion. However, it is cool to see their point of view on trending colors for the summer 0f 2017.

These Valencia-based color fans riff around a bit playing with the Pantone Spring/Summer thoughts.  As indicated below, via Pantone, there is plenty to discuss.  So why is a stone and tile site getting this far afield? Because we are very much in the color business!

Colors of summer

via Pantone

Over the years the use of color has been a constant topic in the world of stone, tile and glass across America. We have spent a good deal of time in this space discussing color and mood. For today, let’s simplify the task of choosing a color scheme by thinking in terms of “disposable” colors versus “durable” colors.

Ask yourself this: Will Pink Yarrow, Flame, and Greenery, to name three from above, always fit your design plan? Maybe not….so let’s think of them as “disposable” colors. Use them in paint, soft goods, and accessories—design elements that can easily be updated to give that fresh look as new color trends emerge. On the other hand, despite the “fancy” names, we can easily interpret the likes of Niagara, Lapis Blue, Hazlenut, and Kale as “durable” in stone, glass, metal, and tile. Therefore, we should consider such “durable” colors for more permanent surfaces, that once in place, have a more significant shelf life. Note the use of a version of “Hazlenut” below.

via Altaeco

Perhaps I have gone on a bit here. Be kind. It is, after all, nearly high languid summer and a degree of whimsy is tolerable under these conditions. Check out more from the Fashionisers here. Thanks for reading!

**the amazing image at the top of this post is “Summer Evening on Skagen Beach” by P.S.Krøyer via WikiCommons.