Fall 2009: Colour trend report

Colour has such a strong impact on mood. Whether we notice it or not, colour influences how we feel about things and how we react to certain situations. A wall colour can lift your spirits in an instant or can calm your frazzled nerves at the end of the day. So choosing colours for your home isn’t just about what matches with what. The colours you’re surrounded by can soothe or energize you, uplift or depress you, depending on what you choose. So choose wisely and follow your gut reaction to colours.

What’s hot for 2009? We checked in with Toronto designer Cheryl Torrenueva to find out what’s on trend for the season and what colours will bring your home to life.

Q: What colour trends are leading the way for fall 2009?
A: Going back to basics. Black and white accented with rich jewel tones; deep teal blue, emerald green and amethyst. Remember to think in threes! By picking one vibrant jewel tone and combining it with classic black and white, your space will be re-energized with a jolt of new life.

Enough of the soft neutral palette! It's time to express yourself and make a statement! For some people, this is a difficult transition as we've become accustomed to an 'all-taupe' home. So, just take a deep breath and begin with the perfect foundation of black and white and slowly add hits of the jewel tone that speaks to you.

Q: What colour combinations are hot this year?
A: Some of the hottest colour combinations this year have come from mixing metallics (i.e. gold and silver) with really vibrant colours like fuchsia, orange, purple, green, or, my favourite, electric blue. You can also take inspiration from the metallic hues and use yellow as gold, and  grey in place of silver to provide a 'neutral' backdrop to make the vibrant colours pop!

Q: What is your favourite colour right now? How do you like to use it?
A: White is my favourite colour these days as it provides a pure and balanced element to all of my designs. There are a million shades of white and I love layering them within one space.  Creating a flat pure white palette is easy but it's important to take it to the next level and create depth and dimension to a room. I use a lot of Statuario marble in bathrooms because of its creamy white background and I find that by adding white glass tile and translucent elements, it enhances the marble and brings out its natural beauty.