Fifth Avenue

Hollywood makes us want it, and Target puts it within reach. The calm opulence of today's Fifth Avenue palette settles down the Ritz ostentation of old, smoothes lines, and seduces the eye with light-dancing materials such as velvets and silks, mirrors and metallics. You're tempted to tag it "minimalist," but its sensory experience is too lush, its edges too soft.

Traditionally, "luxurious" or "glamorous" executions dripped with old-money declarations - overstuffed damask chairs, gilded detailing, Florentine tapestry. Thanks to Target, IKEA and their design-forward kin, the masses now have access to this new spin on sophistication. "Everybody wants luxury and glamour in their lives," says Sheri Thompson, director of Sherwin-Williams' Color Marketing and Design department. "Consumers are demanding good design and color at all price points."

The palette veers toward jewel tones, but not those from the 1980s, which shared one look and value. Today's Fifth Avenue hues are about stark contrasts: from very pale Gray Screen to seriously dense Quixotic Plum and Turkish Coffee. The latter foretells black's likely homecoming, says Thompson.

Fifth Avenue is an extremely strong influence, agrees Michelle Lamb, senior editor of "The Trend Curve," which forecasts trends in color and design for home furnishings. It's a direction that lends itself to interesting combinations, she notes. "While some color trends call for matte surfaces, Fifth Avenue will be especially compelling because of its mix of light sheen and matte surfaces used together."

To Lamb, home interiors are due to be a bit less slouchy. "Think about how casual we've been in the past," she says. "Fifth Avenue reintroduces elements of tradition and formality."

Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect Sherwin-Williams paint colors. To confirm your color choices, visit your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store and refer to our in-store color cards.