The Hottest Colors for the New Year

Maybe it is because of the winter weather, or maybe it is simply because it is a new year, but I always get the urge to do some redecorating when Christmas is over and I am finding myself staring at a new year with tons of new opportunities and new experiences waiting to be had.

But what are the colors that decorators are using the most right now? The top colors for decorating are blue, green, purple, red, brown and beige. These are the colors that are cropping up everywhere, from home décor to fashion. Each of these colors says something different, and each imparts a completely different feel to a room. So what does each of these colors say about you?

Blue has always been a popular color. It is a perennial favorite, and you can find it in nearly every home Maybe because it reminds us of water, or maybe because it is simply such a clean, relaxing color. The choices with blue are endless. You can go with a light cornflower blue to accent the white in your kitchen décor, or you can choose a deep periwinkle blue for the walls or linens in your daughter's room. With blue, it is very hard to go wrong, and most people find that there is a shade of blue that they really, really like.

Brown is a color that some people think is too dark. For me, however, it brings to mind sinful chocolate, a delicious hot cup of coffee, and all things rich and decadent. The best thing about brown is that it can be traditional or modern, depending on what you do with it. You can choose dark woods for floors or furniture, or paint a wall or two a deep, chocolate brown. Brown adds warmth, substance and a welcoming feel that invites you to come in and enjoy yourself.

Red is for the bold! I painted my dining room a deep red and love it! It is warm, it is daring, and it gives my dining room just the feel I was looking for. Red symbolizes many things, luck, passion, ambition, love, heat and lots of other good things. Red is great for small accent pieces to make a room more interesting, or you can go for it and use some shade of red on one or more walls. Go for it!

Green is another one of those colors I love. A lot of people use a shade of green to decorate their bedroom or a bathroom. Green is soothing, and reminds us of nature. Especially when it is winter, the green of a room can bring to mind those summer days filled with green grass, green trees and all things green that make us happy. Green is one of those colors that you can use on large surfaces without worrying too much. Green goes with just about everything.

Purple is another color that I love. It denotes mystery, royalty, and is considered the color of confidence. All of that aside, I love every shade of purple there is, from the lightest lavender to the "royalest" deep purple. Purple is about drama, about making a background for your personality to run free in a room. It is also about luxury. Lovers of purple often like those fabrics that are luxurious to the eye and to the touch.

Beige is one of those colors that people are divided about. Some say that beige is the perfect color because it is an earth tone and you can accent it with whatever color you want. Others say it is simply too boring for words. Yes, beige is neutral, but for many people, that very factor makes beige the perfect color for them. They love the easy, comfortable feeling that beige imparts. Rooms that are done in shades of beige can give the impression of elegance, or the color beige can be a backdrop for other things, such as an art collection.

All of these colors have things to recommend them. Still, if none of them fit into your decorating ideas that you have in your mind, or you simply want to do something else, in a color you absolutely love, there is nothing wrong with that. Going with what you like and what you are comfortable with is always a good thing. But if you do want to step out of your comfort zone a little, and add some fresh and exciting colors to your décor, try out some purple, red, blue, brown, beige or green . You might just be really happy that you did.

by Christena Palmer