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 .
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