Month: March 2018

And the Pantone Color of 2018 is….

Ultra Violet?

You heard that right: Ultra Violet. According to Pantone’s website, Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that “points us toward the future.” On the color, Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, has said:
We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level. From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”

Reflecting Pantone’s commodifying, pandering spirit, the Associated Press has said the color “speaks to rebellion.” They posit, “the color wasn’t chosen because it’s regal, though it resembles a majestic shade. It was chosen to evoke a counterculture flair, a grab for originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking.”

We’re not buying it.

If you’re not a fan of this one, you’re not alone. Designers and media outlets have clung to this Pantone choice as a source of comedy in the first few months of 2018. At Bedrooms, Designed, we think the color is far too much; though bold, Ultra Violet commands the attention of anyone in a room. Better than last year’s vomit-tinged “Greenery,” we are very unimpressed with Pantone’s choice. The online publication Jezebel said it better than anyone on the internet:
It’s pandering to the fashion set, the music set, the wellness set, the crystal enthusiasts, and those that consult a horoscope and a natal chart before they put on a pair of shoes. In short: it’s trying to do a lot for everyone, slightly panicked, but with a smile, like a frenzied host at a party who really wants everyone to just leave, already.

Top Bedroom Design Trends for 2018

Design trends change every year. The speed throughout the twelve-month period varies between episodes of punctuated equilibrium and gradualism, but the world of bedroom designs is consistently changing. We have entered a new year, which means the top 2018 design projections are already disseminated around the internet. Realtors, in particular, won’t let the beginning of spring go by without offering tips about bedroom design trends. Below, we have listed our contribution to those projections.

Four-Poster Beds—This year, beds themselves are having a moment. Often, bedroom designs shift around colors, floor materials, and lighting. This year has already proven to be different; the four-poster beds of our childhoods are coming back with new, cleaner lines and grown-up colors. We recommend opting out of the curtains on each side; the lines themselves provide a romantic charm on their own.

Metal Lamps—2017 saw a metal resurgence in the kitchen and the bathroom; now, it has moved into the bedroom. Metals lend an industrial character to spaces, and in the bedroom, they create a beautiful contrast with the lightness of a duvet. Copper and gold are some of the most popular, but pretty much any style fits the bill—hanging, reading, wrap-around, &c.

Low (or non-existent) Headboards—We think this trend might have to do with the current trend-setting group: millennials who, incidentally, don’t have much money. A headboard will cost a lot of money, and younger people are beginning to prefer simple box springs or cheaper IKEA fames. We see a lot of low-headboard frames combined with a low, overhead shelf or a brightly-colored wall.

Velvet—Velvet, though timeless, has struggled in the twenty-first century. Finally, eighteen years after its turn, the fabric is in vogue. Incorporating this material into your bedroom design is easier than you might think; one or two decorative cushions are all you really need.

Creative Bedside Tables—We aren’t quite sure what to do with this one. People are beginning to use old chairs, antique furniture, and stools as bedside tables—anarchy! We have a feeling it has to do with the recent antique-leaning trends and developments, but the cause might be similar to the current headboard situation; millennials are opting to utilize stuff they already own rather than purchasing an expensive, new piece of furniture.