The colors of $!

Do colors make people happy?  Or do happy people choose to be around color?  This is the chicken or egg question I have been thinking about the last couple of days.

I remember reading a design article (I think in the ASID Icon) a couple of years ago about color trends for interiors.  It discussed how color trends throughout the decades have usually reflected what is going on politically and economically.  Let's explore:

In the 60's and 70's the back-to-earth movement produced the earthy palette of avocado green, harvest gold and pumpkin that later left many homeowners wishing for appliance upgrades.  Although this particular homeowner seems pretty darn pleased....

(photo by GE appliances)

The manic 80's produced crazy neon bright colors and the never-to-be-forgotten salmon pink and teal combo.  The economy was starting to boom and the population in whole was definitely acting like someone with new money.

One of my favorite cartoons EVER!! 

(photo from g4tv.com)

Oh and let's not forget the waterbeds!

(from uglyhousephotos.com)

The 90's were all about beige (very stoic and proper like a family with old money).  Color, what's that?

(from leonfjord.com) 

And now, after it seems we have avoided an economic meltdown on the scale of the great depression by the skin of our teeth, am I seeing another color revolution?  I just bought a pair of pants for my daughter that appeared to be pink on-line.  When they came they were NEON hot pink.  I haven't seen a color like since I gave up my favorite, worn to shreds, t-shirt that I owned in the Jem era (see above)!  Not to mention the severe color beer goggles that I am suffering from after being saturated in the Missoni for Target collection (see my previous blog post Oh Missoni- you make me feel like a kid on Christmas morning!)!  Suddenly, beige just seems boring and color seems amazing.  What does this mean?  Am I unique in this feeling?  Or are we on the verge of another "Material Girl"era?  Who knows, all I can say is that I am enjoying it for now.

Our design for a pre-teen girl's hangout that we designed for the Washington post-

 see the rendering of the room in the paper in a couple of weeks!