Buy the look of these key trends for 2012 by Dulux

In my last post (Valentine’s Day interview with Red Candy) I mentioned that Fire Cracker red is Dulux’ key colour for 2012. This ties in well with Pantone’s colour of the year, Tangerine Orange, and sets my sights firmly on all things buzzing with passion, heat and positivity for spring/summer 2012.

Here I showcase the Fire Cracker red look, Dulux’s micro colour trends for spring/summer, and how to recreate the different styles:

Fire Cracker Red

Dulux predicts that this juicy, lively and vibrant colour will be the shade for spring/summer 2012. It provides a radiant burst of colour and an optimism to uplift our spirits during hard financial times. It gives balance as well as energy; it’s dynamic but soft; dramatic yet easy to live with. mydeco.com supplier Red Candy has been championing this colour since its conception and offers the perfect selection of red accessories and appliances to decorate your home in this blushing colour of 2012.

Living Scrapbook

See my Red Living Scrapbook Wishlist to get the look at mydeco.com

Dulux say: ‘Our preoccupation with documenting and sharing our lives has become multifaceted with the likes of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and a myriad of blogs all allowing you to invite people into your personal, self designed zone. This culture of showcasing ‘who I am’ has crossed over into the physical world and influenced how we present ourselves through our homes.’

This look is modern , eclectic, customised and personal. Use a bold colour as a canvas and layer montages of accessories on the walls, group vases in odd numbers and display accessories on top of one another. Items needn’t have their own space; they can share areas and compete for space to reflect your busy life and myriad of memories.

Delicate Mix

This style aims to keep us calm, quiet and still in times of turbulence and chaos. We can think back to the riots in August, with mass looting and arson blazing unexpectedly through Manchester and London, to name just two cities affected; or the financial instability we’re all experiencing during this era of austerity; and we can draw upon our own personal lives where relationships, marriages, careers and desires can break down.

Get the Delicate Mix look with my Wishlist of home accessories

This may sound a little too depressing for a Friday afternoon, and you’re right, it is. So lets look again at Delicate Mix; to the luxury of simple lines, geometry and design, the refined tangerine orange, cashmere grey, charcoal, and metallic colourways. The contrast of textures and materials – rough brick, shiny metallics, shag rug, clear glass, polished walls – demonstrates attention to detail and the care it took to juxtapose them effectively. Dulux say: ‘If you’re feeling elegant and understated, these might be the colours for you: refined neutrals, warm caramels, blushing corals paired with polished concrete, wood tones and a hit of copper orange to add spice.’

Get the look with mydeco.com supplier Another Country who are heavily influenced by the English country kitchen style, using woods and earthen tones.

One Small Seed

Spring is coming and we can look ahead to the warmer climes, longer days and budding flowers with fresh whites, natural woods and lush greenery. Create a new life by planting one small seed and nurture its growth and health. And you shouldn’t restrict yourself to house plants; growing herbs and vegetables helps your own finances and makes you feel pro-active, reconnecting you with nature and nurture. ‘Plants are no longer simply decoration but a vital part of our interior environment,’ say Dulux. ‘Nature inspires a palette of watery greens, fresh sky blue and earthy neutrals with deeper accents of dark soil, leaf green and bright pink and red blooms.

Recreate the One Small Seed look with my Natural Trend for spring/summer Wishlist, full of clean and refreshing home accessories and furnishings.

Rediscovered Heroes

Get the look with my Rediscovered Heroes Wishlist

In these days of penny pinching we’re more aware of our surroundings, what we already have to salvage and find new uses for. Milk bottle tops are being turned into watch faces; seatbelts and necklaces used as curtain ties, old doors become table tops; and broken stool seats turn into lap trays. Dulux comments that the Rediscovered Heroes palette rejoices in the down to earth colours of our industrial heritage. Denim blue, metals and rust tones, threadbare shades, concrete grey, brown leather and animal hide evoke times and lives gone by.