Blue is North America’s favorite color family and a perpetual bestseller. Companies like Robert Allen confirm that there is, “an unending appetite in the home for blue.” Dicey Fabrics says that blues and teals are not going away.
But knowing which blues to highlight in your basic assortment, and which ones are right for your trend assortment, can make all the difference in the world to your sales.
At the recent Showtime textiles market, the largest decorative-fabric show in the U.S., new upholstery fabrics showed off a wide range of blues. Here is The Trend Curve‘s rundown of those blues, and how each one can help you elevate your sales from good to great.
- Navy: This hue is an absolute essential in core assortments. In the coming two years, most classic blue-and-white color stories will feature navy—and consumers love blue and white together!
- Indigo: When you add an inky character to navy, the result is indigo. While indigo is often interchangeable with navy, it will stand apart from its blue cousin in 2018 (and perhaps beyond) for one important reason: its association with a palette The Trend Curve is calling Moody Deeps. This range is a reflection of the dark and melancholy feeling that many consumers have about 2016. It will remain a factor throughout 2018, making indigo the better dark-blue choice for trend assortments next year.
- Mint Blue: Alluding to both spa and mineral (two of this color family’s greatest hits from the past), mint blue is a cool-and-complex pastel value. Part of a barely there palette of neutralized pales, mint blue will have its greatest impact in 2017 trend assortments.
- Denim: Basic. Enough said.
- Periwinkle: Like all red-cast blues, periwinkle is now showing up in the rear-view mirror of trend. There are still a few introductions featuring red-cast blues, but they are a fraction of what we saw a year ago. Proceed with caution in 2017.
- Teal: While this color stands firmly in the basic column, it is still worth our attention. Why? Because teal is positioned as the on-ramp to a new group of warmed blues (read on).
- Peacock: The same is true for peacock, which has less green in it than teal. But this shade will get another boost from returning peacock birds (and peacock feathers and peacock-feather “eyes”) for both Holiday and everyday décor. Put the warming trend for blues together with the return of peacocks themselves, and the color peacock gets nudged back onto the trend radar, where it will stay throughout 2018.
- Aquamarine: This mid-tone blue comes with a slight tinge of yellow. It’s not enough to make the color look distinctly yellow-cast, but definitely enough to create a bridge between teal and even-warmer blues. Home Fabrics says it works well with darker woods and brushed brass, both of which will have a strong following this year. That’s part of the reason why aquamarine rates trend status in 2017.
- Aegean: By early 2018, yellow’s influence will be more pronounced, and trend assortments will gravitate toward colors like Aegean that feature the warmer side of blue. Between now andA then, use this blue in your most directional assortments.
Look below for even more of the directinal warm blues introduced at the Showtime textiles market.
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