I spend hours looking at color samples and making choices. Choices that may change the color of a single room or an entire product line.

There are many sample books and systems I use in making these choices but for me these are simply more than tools of the trade.

They are insight and inspiration. Potential and possibility. Creativity and comfort as I focus on the repetion of a shapes or objects in a range of colors.

I also collect color charts from the past as color reference but also because I like looking at the results of the many decisions that are reflected in the final color choices for a product.

Here’s a picture of one I found recently from the 50’s showing eyewear frame colors.

So how perfect that Lucy Commoner shares my passion and organized the exhibtion “Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product” which is currently on display at the Cooper Hewitt Museum.

The exhibition is described as follows on the Museum’s website:

This exhibition will examine sample books and other sampling formats as tools for marketing or recording designs and techniques in a wide variety of media. In use since the eighteenth century, sampling formats provide detailed views into the design tastes of their respective eras. Drawn from the Museum’s collection, exhibition objects will include sample books of wallcoverings; woven and printed textiles; ribbons, lace and embroidery; sample plates; and drawings and prints showing design alternatives.

The exhibition runs through April 6, 2008 but if you aren’t able to make it in person you can see many wonderful images and details by visiting the website.   

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Here is a well done summary of key product trends for kitchen and bath countertops that was a sidebar to the Product Trend Report at Kitchen & Bath Design News.

Kitchen and Bath Countertop Material Trends at a Glance

• Both fashion and function are key drivers of kitchen countertop trends, with designers and their clients looking for materials that look good, are easy to maintain and that will endure the test of time Likewise, hygienic and maintenance concerns are key in bath countertops.
• Because the kitchen is used for many purposes beyond just eating meals, there’s a growing trend toward mixing and matching counter surfaces in order to maximize functionality.
• Quartz is a gaining ground in the kitchen due to its easy-to-maintain reputation and variety of patterns and colors, while glass is adding a decorative element to the bath.
• Granite is still a popular kitchen choice, but some designers and manufacturers see it losing ground to quartz and solid surface due to its greater maintenance requirements and consumers’ never-ending search for “the next big thing.”
• Solid surface materials are still a mainstay in both the kitchen and bath thanks to their good looks, durability and versatility.
• As the mix-and-match trend grows, wood countertops are seeing more interest, with the product being positioned as a warm and durable addition to the kitchen.
• Neutral colors and earth tones are popular picks for both the kitchen and bath, tying into the trend toward more nature-inspired spaces, but some consumers are choosing to make a design statement with bolder, edgier color choices in order to personalize their spaces.
• Both countertop manufacturers and designers are paying greater attention to green issues, as the movement toward using recycled and recyclable materials gains a greater foothold.

Read the complete article at Kitchen & Bath Design and see the Product Photo Gallery…   

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