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2020 Memorial Day Official Colors + Design Ideas

May 2020May 2020Peter Salerno Inc.

2020 Memorial Day Official Colors + Design Ideas

Memorial Day is more than a long weekend and a holiday. It’s a chance to honor America’s military veterans and heroes who laid down their lives for the security and stability of the United States.

There are many ways to remember America’s finest and show honor and respect on Memorial Day. As any great designer will tell you, color can represent thoughts, feelings and emotions beautifully.

With so many reasons to stop and reflect in 2020, this may be the perfect year to really take our time and properly honor our heroes and our history.

The official ribbon color of Memorial Day is yellow. But why? The earliest roots of the tradition tie to the poem “She wore a yellow ribbon”, which has been in existence for roughly 4 centuries. In it, a woman wears a yellow ribbon while waiting for a man she loves to return from a great test or trial. The tradition carried on through Protestant England, where the Puritan Army wore yellow ribbons and sashes during the English Civil War.

Yellow became the official color of the armor branch of the U.S. Army, and was first brought into popular culture by the artist Frederic Remington.

The poem “She wore a yellow ribbon” was updated into song and first published in 1917 as a military marching song by George Norton. However, the yellow ribbon’s popularity and tie to the U.S. military became entrenched during World War II, when the song was re-written and released in the 1949 film “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”. Versions of the song were released by the Andrews Sisters, Mitch Miller and others.

Modern Americans are much more familiar with the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree”, although it will surprise many to know it was not written until the 1970s.

What other Memorial Day colors are appropriate besides yellow?

Variations of red, white and blue are always welcome on Memorial Day. We also love the idea of using military shades of green to signify respect and remembrance of American soldiers and military members.

We’ve included six official Pantone colors that we think are great options for Memorial Day.

What colors do you use to observe Memorial Day? Leave a comment!

Memorial Day Design | Official Pantone Colors

Pantone Yellow C

Pantone American Beauty

Pantone Star Sapphire

Pantone Navy Peony

Pantone Star White

Pantone Military Olive

Memorial Day Official Colors + Design Ideas

May 2019May 2019Peter Salerno Inc.

Memorial Day Official Colors + Design Ideas

There are many ways to remember America’s finest and show honor and respect on Memorial Day. As any great designer will tell you, color can represent thoughts, feelings and emotions beautifully.

Yellow became the official color of the armor branch of the U.S. Army, and was first brought into popular culture by the artist Frederic Remington.

Modern Americans are much more familiar with the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree”, although it will surprise many to know it was not written until the 1970s.

What other Memorial Day colors are appropriate besides yellow?

We’ve included six official Pantone colors that we think are great options for Memorial Day.

What colors do you use to observe Memorial Day? Leave a comment!

Memorial Day Design | Official Pantone Colors

Pantone Yellow C

Pantone American Beauty

Pantone Star Sapphire

Pantone Navy Peony

Pantone Star White

Pantone Military Olive

The Cooler Colors of Fall 2017, According to Pantone

September 2017September 2017Peter Salerno Inc.

Pantone Fall 2017 Color Collections Include These Cooler Shades

Beautiful blues and purples. The cooler shades of the color spectrum aren’t necessarily the dominant ones in Pantone’s dual Fall 2017 color collections. (That distinction belongs to the neutral palette.)

But the set of cool colors in the Pantone Fall 2017 New York and London color collections are engaging nonetheless. We’ve discussed the versatility of Navy Peony (which anchors both collections) at length in previous articles, but that’s just the beginning. Two airy shades of blue, a mysterious blue-green and a regal shade of purple make this season’s “cool tones” attention-worthy.

The blues and purples in Pantone’s Fall 2017 color collections lack a bit of cohesion, so don’t expect them all to work in the same design palette. (The reds and pinks are much better for that.) But with a wide variety of cooler tones comes the ability to play and expand your options.

From Shaded Spruce to Blue Bell, Marina to Royal Lilac, these five colors in Pantone Fall 2017 New York and London collections each present their own strengths and opportunities.

How will you choose to design with them? At the bottom of this article, VOTE on your favorite blue/purple shade from the Pantone Fall 2017 color collections!

Pantone Blues and Purples For Fall 2017

1. Navy Peony

2. Blue Bell

3. Shaded Spruce

4. Royal Lilac

5. Marina

Pantone London Fall 2017 Color Combinations That Sizzle

August 2017August 2017Peter Salerno Inc.

Pantone London Fall 2017 Color Combinations That Sizzle

As the summer of 2017 winds down, we’ve been taking a look at Pantone’s Fall 2017 color reports. This year, Pantone divided its autumn color reports into London and New York, signifying slight variations in runway and home design trends on each side of the Atlantic Ocean.

You’ve seen the full collection of New York colors for Fall 2017. Now, let’s take a deeper look into the London color report from Pantone for the Fall of 2017.

Which colors are the most versatile? Which are the hardest to potentially work with? And which color combinations – both classic and bold – could be winners in your personal style and/or home design?

Pantone London Fall 2017: The MVP

Navy Peony

What can you say about the only color to appear on BOTH of Pantone’s Fall 2017 color reports (for New York and London)? The most versatile blue we’ve seen in years on Pantone reports, Navy Peony (Pantone 19-4029) can do anything it’s asked.

Need a stabilizing neutral? What about a feature tone in home design, or an anchor shade in your wardrobe? Navy Peony can truly cover it all.

Pantone London Fall 2017: The Wild Cards

Copper Tan

We like to think of Copper Tan as less of a “real color” and more of a nod to metallics as a real option in home design. Copper and brass fixtures, appliances, and decor are brilliant additions to your 2017 home design strategy, and Copper Tan (Pantone 16-1338) is Pantone’s nod to that trend.

Lemon Curry

Lemon Curry (Pantone 15-0751) is a head-scratcher at first. Staid, conservative designers will instantly avoid the mustard tone as garish or “too unusual”. But Lemon Curry is for the bold, and if properly utilized with a few color combinations (see below), can deliver dramatic results.

Pantone London Fall 2017 Color Combinations: The Classic

Blue Bell and Toast

One of the most versatile color combinations available in Pantone’s London Fall 2017 color palette, the airiness of Blue Bell and the warm sturdiness of Toast combine for brilliant effect in home design, wardrobe, and basically anywhere. Think “blue skies and warm sand” – this color combination will keep your mind “on the beach” as the months get cooler.

Primrose Pink and Otter

A dark brown neutral and a faint blushing pink equal a beautiful blend of colors. Primrose Pink and Otter work brilliantly in fashion and in decor, especially if you’re trying to create an inviting, youthful vibe.

Lemon Curry and Navy Peony

Let this somewhat nautical blend grow on you, and you’ll realize how naturally Lemon Curry and Navy Peony flow together. Perhaps more a wardrobe play than a home design scheme, a mustard-yellow top and classic denim pants make for a head-turning fall 2017 look.

Pantone London Fall 2017 Color Combinations: The Daring

Golden Olive and Royal Lilac

A muted green and a vibrant purple provide a “natural” feel to autumn 2017 design. Golden Olive keeps the trend of “natural greens in 2017” fresh, while Royal Lilac evokes a field of fresh flowers.

Copper Tan and Navy Peony

Don’t think of Copper Tan and Navy Peony as the “only two colors” in a home design. Plant a very muted neutral between these two and watch the possibilities unfold. Utilize the copper tone of brass kitchen fixtures, a custom range hood or copper appliances alongside a steady navy color in cookware, range/oven, and furniture.

Lemon Curry and Flame Scarlet

Not for the faint of heart, Lemon Curry and Flame Scarlet is a color combination reserved for head-turners only! If you want a “va-voom” factor in your fall wardrobe, why not go for broke with this “scarlet and gold” approach? If your sitting room is a basic white or off-white, adding pops of these two colors in your decor will add a bold flare of color.

Top 5 ‘London’ Shades from Pantone Fall 2017 Color Report

August 2017August 2017Peter Salerno Inc.

Top 5 ‘London’ Shades from Pantone Fall 2017 Color Report

The Pantone Fall 2017 Color Report is split into 2 series: the New York Collection, which we profiled in an earlier column, and the London Collection. With 19 colors (one repeat between the 2 collections) between the New York and London Pantone series, there is a wide variety of options from which to draw design inspiration in the upcoming season.

The reason for the 2 separate collections is the “individuality” noted by Pantone experts in the New York and London Fashion Week color palettes, respectively. As Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, notes on their website:

“[I]ndividuality is evident and we are seeing a distinct difference between the shows in the two cities in the way these same colors are being combined.”

So what sets the London Color Report apart from New York? Pantone notes a distinct blend of “strong classics” and “unpredictable shades” in their Fall 2017 London collection.

Some of the London shades closely mirror those in the New York collection (compare Flame Scarlet and Grenadine, Toast and Butterum, and Primrose Pink and Ballet Slipper), while others step apart entirely. As with the New York series, we enjoy the Pantone Fall 2017 London Color Report for its reliance on some great brown-based neutrals and a handful of strong warm tones.

The London collection sits a bit closer to overall 2017 color trends, including natural greens and a pretty intriguing metallic tone (more on that later). There’s also one strong tone that appears in both the London and New York Pantone collections.

Out of the 10 colors featured in the Pantone Fall 2017 London Color Report, we’ve narrowed the field to our 5 favorite shades. Our selections are based on colors which exhibit versatility and lend themselves well to home design, particularly kitchen and bath design.

Pantone Fall 2017 London Color Report: Our 5 Favorites

1. Navy Peony

How could we not lead with the most popular, sturdy and versatile color of Fall 2017? Navy Peony is an anchor shade in both the New York and London Pantone color reports for the autumn of 2017. Navy Peony has the ability to operate as a featured color and a neutral, offering a great option if you’re tired of browns, whites and off-whites in your design arsenal.

2. Otter

We’re really into Otter Brown, a grayish-brown neutral with a ton of possibilities. Otter is a great secondary color design option to offset a bright shade in your design, or an intriguing woodsy option for flooring, counter space, or even an accent wall in a natural-themed room.

3. Copper Tan

Copper is one of our favorite feature metallic shades in 2017 design trends, and Copper Tan stood out to us immediately as an intriguing way to present a “metallic tone” in pure color. This warm, brassy reddish-brown is lighter than most tones in its family and can be used to great effect as a featured color – either in accessories or main design elements.

4. Royal Lilac

A stately and timeless shade of purple, Royal Lilac is perfect for Fall 2017 designers who want a touch of reliability in their design scheme. From accent walls to tile, decor to furniture, Royal Lilac is a great color that manages to beautifully bridge the gap between eye-popping and relaxing.

5. Lemon Curry

Easily our most audacious choice from the Pantone Fall 2017 London Color Series, Lemon Curry is a take-no-prisoners hue that borrows from the “natural” trend in 2017 color design. Unlike Greenery or Golden Lime, however, Lemon Curry is an unyielding mustard color that draws the eye without being overly garish. Try it as a secondary color in your kitchen design!

Pantone Fall 2017 New York Color Series: VOTE on 5 Great Pairings

August 2017August 2017Peter Salerno Inc.

Pantone Fall 2017 New York Color Series: 5 Great Pairings

In our previous article, we previewed the “New York” set of colors in the Pantone Fall 2017 series.

Themes of individuality, warmth and classic shades permeate the collection. Bold colors like Grenadine and Marina jump out between bright neutrals Butterum and Autumn Maple, while the gorgeous Navy Peony begs to work with intriguing shades like Ballet Slipper and Golden Lime.

For those who missed it, here is the full list of 10 colors in the Pantone Fall 2017 New York series:

PANTONE 17-1558 Grenadine
PANTONE 19-1725 Tawny Port
PANTONE 13-2808 Ballet Slipper
PANTONE 16-1341 Butterum
PANTONE 19-4029 Navy Peony
PANTONE 17-4402 Neutral Gray
PANTONE 19-4524 Shaded Spruce
PANTONE 16-0543 Golden Lime
PANTONE 17-4041 Marina
PANTONE 17-1145 Autumn Maple

It’s a balanced yet unconventional mix of 3 reds, three blues, a green and 3 neutral/gray tones. The balance provided by Neutral Gray and the brown neutrals give design enthusiasts plenty of color combinations to play with, and the rich deeper tones like Tawny Port and Shaded Spruce hearken back to the jewel tones that spiced up Pantone’s Fall 2016 color palette.

But which color combinations did we immediately fall in love with for the fall of 2017? We’ve pored over the possibilities and come up with a list of 5 color tandems that we think will liven up your autumn design.

We played a bit of a game with the color combinations to make it more interesting: we had to use all 10 colors in the Fall 2017 New York palette, and each color could only be used once. So we ended up with 5 unique color combinations that showcased the entire color collection.

Of course, some design choices (especially home design, kitchen and bath design) are much more difficult choices than others – so make sure you consult an award-winning expert before you jump into those decisions!

Here is our list of 5 favorite color combinations from the Pantone Fall 2017 New York Series.

VOTE BELOW on which color combination is your favorite!