Color Scheme — Trending Colors for the New Year

When it comes to color trends, there truly are no limits.  Every event is unique unto itself, and often times the colors are dictated by an organization’s branding materials or company logo. Weddings tend to be trendier, but still are usually all about the bride or groom’s favorite color or personal sense of taste.

Keeping this in mind, the way I approach using color at an event is by starting with the complexity of layered tones of white. That’s right! Starting with no color at all is how I end up with some of the most colorful events. I consider different layers and shades of white to be a beautiful blank canvas upon which I can either add pops of color, or leave as is, for a clean and modern ambiance.

Color is what determines the mood of the room and how your guests are going to feel when they step inside the world you have created. If your client’s logo is red and they tell you the event has to be red, try using several different shades of red with a white background to create something visually interesting. Red can be very energizing, especially when you add dramatic contrasts of sharp yellow or vibrant orange. Using layers of the same color is the trick to really creating a unique environment, whether utilizing your client’s signature colors or Pantone’s color of the year.  

Don’t be afraid to try your hand at this year’s trends. Use several layers of colors that you wouldn’t necessarily think of pairing together, or for an incredibly powerful effect, use no color at all and decorate your venue in crisp, clean white.

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Pete Nelson, Event Designer | Event Lab | pnelson@eventlab.net

Pete Nelson has held several positions throughout the past 23 years. He began his career as Director of Entertainment for a large national events company. He soon found a passion for creative writing which led to a National Sales Manager position, followed by positions as Creative Director, Floral Manager, and Event Designer in Minneapolis and Las Vegas.

Pete has hosted several episodes of “Your Holiday Home” on HGTV and is the proud recipient of The Special Event Gala Award for Best Entertainment Concept & Execution, along with eight Minnesota STAR Awards for “Best Design & Décor”(2), “Best Social Event Planning”, “Best ISES Team Effort”, “Best Creative Solution”, “Best Specialty Décor,” and “Best Use of Floral”(2). He was nominated for the coveted Esprit Award in 2008 and was the Director of the Minnesota STAR Awards in 2010. Pete was inducted into the Minnesota Meetings+Events Magazine's Hall of Fame as Best Special Event Planner and was a finalist for the International Spotlight Award for Event Producer of the Year.

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