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Summer 2004
PaintChips By Erika Rasmusson Janes
THINK PIÑA COLADAS AND PALM TREES ARE
limited to tropical vacations? While you can’t bring the
pink-sand beaches of Bermuda into your home, you can
import the color palette of the Caribbean to your walls.
Tropical colors—ranging from soft neutrals that recall
sand and seashells to purely corals and teals—are leaving
the islands and heading inland."When grouped together
they do give off an island feel, and evoke warm, fresh feelings
in a room, like being at a beach," says Silver Spring,
Maryland-based interior designer Deborah Wiener.
At Dutch Boy, colors from the Hope Springs Eternal
collection fit the trend, including Peach Tree State #9D-4,
a peachy shade; Campfire #12D-5, a dark, reddish coral;
and Nantucket Sound #12-F, a bright swimming-pool
blue. “Tropical colors are very saturated and cheery,” says
Peggy Van Allen, the company’s color services manager.
At Benjamin Moore, tropical colors include Antiguan
Sky #2040-60, a light, misty green; Island Sunset #1346, a
deeper, mid-tone pink; and Caribbean Teal #2123-20, a
deep sea-glass blue. In addition, neutral shades such as
Barbados Sand #1094, a creamy beige and Pale Straw
#2021-70, a soft, pale yellow, play into the palette.
“It’s a very popular look right now,” says Dawn Stoecklin,
senior associate color marketing manager at Benjamin
Moore. “It can be vibrant or calming.” Stoecklin attributes
its popularity to the retro appeal of the 1950s— “People are
reminiscing about those times,” she says—along with a
desire to bring nature into the home.
According to Wiener, these work best on walls when furnishings
are neutral. She suggests accenting one wall with
the boldest hue and then painting the remaining walls a
softer shade. "A teal wall, with golden yellow or apricot on
the other three, would be striking," she says, "especially
with white and sand-colored upholstery."
Still, she warns against incorporating the tropical palette
in your home just because it’s trendy. "Homeowners should
start small, painting just one wall in a tropical tone or adding
a little color on the ceiling," she says. "Then add accessories
like decorative pillows and sculptural glass objects in more
tropical colors. In other words, take baby steps."
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