Zoomers, not boomers, driving color, design trends

"The truth of these days is not that which really is, but what every man persuades another man to believe." Montaigne (1533-1592), French Renaissance writer, "On Giving the Lie," essays (1580-1588).

We're all interested in the latest trends in design and color, so I thought I would use this week's column to pass on the latest gleaned from the recent Las Vegas Market event. Three trend experts presented some very interesting views on what to expect. Keep in mind that while these are opinions, they certainly carry more weight based on research and past experience than, say, mine.

I always learn new and interesting things at these market events, and this one was no different. I learned a new word, too -- zoomers.

Maxine Lauer, president of Sphere Trending, a company dedicated to converting consumer insights into product innovations, used the term when she was describing categories of buyers. The term was coined by gerontologist Dr. David J. Demko. He used the term to define boomers (those of us born between 1946 and 1964), who are "breaking new ground, redefining aging and reinventing retirement." I like it a lot!

Back to Lauer and her explanation of categories:

Gen Xers are not afraid to mix and match; they prefer more tailored than the traditional looks of the past; love to entertain; are entrepreneurial; and blend work and home -- think IKEA.

Now more on zoomers.

"Zoomers are fueling the luxury market and are buying second homes. They are decluttering; are increasingly environmentally conscious; and expect beautiful design merged with sustainable or recyclable materials," Lauer said. Seventy-six percent of the nation's net worth is in the hands of zoomers." Wow, that's impressive.

According to Lauer, all of us are looking to "segment our homes into public and private spaces." We are living in smaller spaces, but want big style. And, we've talked about this before, smaller-scale products are expanding at a record pace to please the small-space dwellers. We also want furnishings that multitask, and we're not into excess just for the sake of excess. That's refreshing.

Christine Chow is a director with The Color Association of the United States. She shared the Association's predictions. Chow said, "There will not be one or two hot colors but, rather, there will be a more varied approach to color.

"As Americans embrace more color in everyday lives," she said, "they're more adventurous about color combinations and unusual color effects.

"A cool, clean Asian-influenced aesthetic is inherent in the forecast."

Chow advises to watch for blackened hues, indigos, deep plums and purples. Yellow, she says, is a rising color in many variations, including mango and wheat hues.

Another specialist, Michelle Lamb, senior editor of The Trend Curve, began her discussion with the color wheel. Some highlights include:

* Blue is here to stay, Lamb says. "Water-based and saturated midvalues of blue will be best-sellers in everything from bed and bath to upholstery and even Christmas and holiday. Navy blues are being pushed to the side along with denim-inspired blues."

To Lamb, consumers will see purple with red casts, pinks will stay cool and hot coral will remain.

* Browns and oranges will stay the same, as well.

As for apparel, the colors there segue with what we are doing in our homes.

Lamb explained, "Parallels with apparel are becoming more evident. Home and apparel are coming closer and closer all the time. One of the biggest trends for both is metallics."

Gold is the freshest metallic, where Lamb advises to look for warm grays and skin-tone neutrals; paisley is back; stripes are reborn; art nouveau is hot; and the crown icon is everywhere.

"Wood remains the leader in materials right now," she said. "Buyers also should be on the lookout for glass in bumpy textures or those reminiscent of water or ice. There is a shift away from plain, smooth glass toward glass with facets, scoring and hand-carvings."

All three experts predicted that our fascination with Asian and African styles will continue, and these cultures will remain huge influences in our design world.

While trends are fun and interesting to read about, remember that you are still your own "trendsetter." Certainly, use these themes as guidelines, but at the end of the day, pick those colors and styles that work best for you.

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home & Garden section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.