After seeing the bold colors of red and gold during the Olympics, more of the same continued at Fashion Week. No surprise to see the 2009 color trends reflect the synergy of commerce and culture. The bold and saturated hues remind us of summer and beaches while connecting us to influences and themes of other places such as Russia, East Asia and Latin America. As Thomas Friedman expresses, the world is flat.

Interpreted for your home, orange becomes an appealing color for interiors but is not crayon orange but toned down with a touch of yellow and called ‘tiger-eye’. Likewise red receives a hint of orange and becomes tropical and lush. In a room setting this ‘Moorish’ red is enhanced by complements of tangy lemon accents.

From Project Runway to Fashion Week, vivid blues and purples are combined with neutrals. Blue promotes optimism and it’s grounded with nature’s neutrals; think natural fiber, wool, and wood. This combination of fresh blues with gorgeous gray grounds the palette and promotes stability – a perfect combination for a master bedroom suite.

The Green movement is mainstream so certainly green is a star whether on the runway or in the home. Spring inspired daffodil yellow pairs with a muddier gold green and adds freshness to the interior. An old friend, olive green, becomes a sophisticated companion. One color that combines with all of the above colors is slate grey providing a visual ‘weight’ to the overall color scheme.

Finally, I believe color is LOCAL. Explore your locality, see how the colors are nuanced at your local markets and store display windows. Spin the color wheel with local hues for a timely update.