Design Uncensored with Andrea Magno
Ready for another inspiring discussion on trend & design with Stacy’s weekly live series Design Uncensored? On the tenth episode, Stacy hosts an intriguing conversation with Director of Color Marketing & Development for Benjamin Moore, Andrea Magno. As someone who plays a key role in further positioning Benjamin Moore as a color and product leader for both professionals and consumers, she gives some juicy insight you won’t want to miss!
SEE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE CONVERSATION BELOW:
1. PAINT TRENDS TO LOOK FORWARD TO
Paint sales continue to increase as people have begun embarking on projects in their home, while we’re all stuck in them. In fact, more increasingly than any other categories within the home market. It’s because paint is perhaps one of the least costly ways to completely transform a space, giving it a refreshing new look. If you don’t like the way it comes out, then you can simply paint over it and no one would even know. Some paint trends Andrea is seeing right now includes painted trims in either an off white, black or navy paired against a white wall, resulting in a look that reverses the norm. Another trend she is seeing is only for the brave and bold – a dark exterior shade of either deep navy, charcoal, or if you’re really brave, a true black paint. However, one of the most exciting trends is that we are bringing back color! She says, “not scary colors, but colors that complement neutrals”.
2. BENJAMIN MOORE STRATEGY
At Benjamin Moore, they take a very inspirational approach to their process of determining yearly color palettes and the color of the year…which is “First Light” for 2020. Team members attend countless shows and events throughout the year, taking note of anything that catches their eye. Even when on personal vacations, many will snap a photo of something that inspires them to bring back to review with the group. By the time late December rolls around, the team pins up all of their findings and they find where there are similarities within them. Once narrowed down, this will become their forecast for the upcoming year. They then use this knowledge to help guide customers in picking paint palettes for their home. Andrea says, “we like to encourage clients to have one dominant color”, and then they will choose color that complements it to create a cohesive story throughout the home. One thing employees at Benjamin Moore always highly recommend is to test it out in your home and live with it for a day before going all in.
3. TURNING TECH
Benjamin Moore is excited to be announcing their brand new app called “Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio” featuring every single one of their fan decks. Here’s how it works: you simply snap an image of your space, tap the surface you want to paint, apply the color of your choice, then save the image to compare with other options. They have also just recently created another small device sold separately which connects to the app and is used as an “on-the-go color reader”. You simply hold it up to the color you like and it will tell you the three closest paint colors. So if you are trying to match with one of your favorite blankets or décor pieces, you can get pretty spot on!
Walls & Cabinets: White Heron OC-57. Island: Oxford Gray 2128-40. Photo credit: Benjamin Moore
Andrea Magno is the Director of Color Marketing & Development for Benjamin Moore, North America’s favorite paint, color and coatings brand. As part of the Benjamin Moore Color Studio, Andrea plays an integral role in the development of color tools, and color and design research that further positions Benjamin Moore as a color and product leader for both professionals and consumers.
During her tenure at Benjamin Moore, Andrea has been intimately involved in various aspects of color, interior design and the paint industry. She has played an integral role in the development and advancement of designer and architect-focused events, educational programs and trend research. Andrea serves as a reference on color and design inspiration for a variety of publications, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes, Chicago Tribune, Country Living, Durability & Design, Family Circle, HGTV Magazine, Refinery29, Real Simple, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and more.