INTERIORS
COLOUR TRENDS cont.
1970 Twenty years later and blues and greens were out. They were seen as old fashioned and part of the previous generation, and the young movers and shakers of the 70s favoured orange, yellow and brown for their interior design schemes. They also liked big, bold designs – flowers and geometric shapes were pasted onto innocent walls everywhere. It was bright, it was loud and it was there to be noticed. The 1970s was about stepping out from the shadow of the war years and proving to the world that the future was where it was at.
1980 Once the excitement and showy nature of the 70s calmed down a little, the 80s arrived in a flurry of big hair, big shoulder pads and big egos. The decade of‘ me’ had begun, and it was something to behold. Houses were scrubbed of their flowery, bright interiors and harsh lines and corners replaced the big beanbags and soft furnishings. Red, white and black – perhaps with a side ordering of grey – was the pallete du jour of the 80s, along with an injection of fluorescent colours and angles. Angles were important. Comfort was, apparently, not.
2000 and beyond Since the beginning of the new millennium we’ ve been keen on looking back. The past had some beautiful fashions and interior design ideas, and today’ s popular choices are a mixture of them all. We will embrace pinks and yellows, enjoy deep reds and greens, and although there may be a preference for white walls and light furnishings, we still enjoy showing our personalities with splashes of bright colour wherever we can.
WHY CHRISTMAS COLOURS?
Red, gold, green, silver, sometimes a splash of blue … the colours of Christmas. But why? These colours have been traditionally associated with the festive season for centuries, but what is it about them that makes them Christmassy? What began the tradition? Each colour has a reason and a story behind it.
The colour red is perhaps the most well known and most used Christmas colour( along with its partner, green). Red is the colour of holly berries, which are a staple of Christmas decorations now and in the past. And why are holly berries so important? It’ s because they are meant to represent the blood of Christ( it is also the colour of bishops’ robes, which is why St Nicholas – Father Christmas – is always wearing red).
Green is all about nature. For thousands of years, mistletoe, holly and ivy were used to decorate homes for the yuletide season( even before it became Christmas). The Romans often exchanged evergreen branches at this time of year, and the ancient Egyptians brought palm fronds into their homes during the midwinter celebrations. This tradition has remained with us( we decorate Christmas trees), and the green is a representation of that natural element. But there is a dual purpose for the green colour to be used at Christmas; it is a reminder that spring is on its way.
For Christmas, gold is meant to represent one of the gifts that the Three Wise Men gave to baby Jesus. But in pagan festivals it was a symbol of light and represented the sun. This was extremely important – it was another reminder that warmer, lighter, better days were coming.
Silver is a more modern addition to the palette of Christmas colours, but it has a story nonetheless. Silver is meant to represent the star that the Three Wise Men followed to find little lord Jesus.
Finally, there is blue. It is used much less than the warmer, cosier reds and golds of tradition, but a touch of blue tinsel around the tree and, more recently, blue twinkling Christmas lights, always looks beautiful. It’ s about more than looks though – this‘ new tradition’ comes from the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, and represents the colours of the Israeli flag.
138