What are the Kitchen Cabinet Colors for 2012?
Until the 18th century, food was cooked outdoors over an open fire. With advances in technology, kitchens were brought indoors and since then, color has been a meaningful constant. Even though the average American family spends inordinate amounts of time in the kitchen, many of us don’t take time to think about the affect its colors might be having on us.
The effective use of it can calm a crowd, cheer a sick patient or make an athlete pump iron harder. Studies have shown that focusing on the colors blue or green can actually cause the body to produce calming chemicals while red draws attention and excitement. Gray brings solidity to the end product. White can convey purity and cleanliness. For those of us in the profession of determining custom kitchen cabinet colors which tend to set the design motif for the rest of home’s interior, the importance of color selection should never be considered an afterthought during the designing process.
Color by Design
Ancient Egyptians are recorded to have been using color for cures and ailments. They found inspiration in nature and copied it, using green to decorate the floors of their temples and blue to represent sky and water in their living spaces. Sir Issac Newton experimented with the actual origin of color in 1666. He came to the conclusion that color is actually in the light. This is why colors change under different light sources. This is precisely why when you choose a color to decorate your home and kitchen interior, it is ideal if you can visualize it at all different times of day and night.
Color forecasters are part designer, part sociologist and part predictor. They scour showrooms, tradeshows and magazines for trends. They consider what is happening culturally and how this impacts our national mood and translates how we will be decorating accordingly. There is an interesting trend identified in the 2012 forecast according to the Benjamin Moore Colorpulse Color Trends Report and that is, preservation; the desire to connect past with future. In the midst of economic hardship, we are seeing trends toward the nostalgic in color and texture. We are finding comfort in marrying heritage and culture with well appointed bursts of color. "We're seeing bolder hues that complement stainless steel which has stood the test of time for well over a century, as well as the darker cabinet colors that are in style," explains Becky Ralich Spak, senior designer at Sherwin Williams. Warm colors like apricot, yellows and reds are going to continue to be popular in kitchens because they're comforting and happen to be appetite stimulators.
When it comes to designing or remaking a kitchen, custom kitchen cabinets become the blue print to plan and build everything else around. Maple cabinetry looks to be the front runner in 2012 but hand painted kitchen cabinets, with some distressing and natural glazing is continuing to trend in the upcoming year and is a luxury feature in the most discerning space.
Today, kitchens are dethroning living rooms and reigning as the focal point and heart of the home. It is important to consider color not only as a matter of preference, but also as a way to enhance the comfort and ambiance of the room in order to bless the family and friends who gather there.
