Caliente AF-290 is Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year!
Benjamin Moore is my go-to paint brand, and I am always excited to see their choice for Color of the Year. Red is not my usual choice of color, but Caliente’s inviting warmth catches my attention. It is sexy, and has cinnamon undertones that make it livable; it is a red that shows confidence rather than aggression.
The inspiration
I love the inspirations from the Benjamin Moore design team.
By drawing upon what’s happening in society, design, and fashion around the world, the design team chose a color with voice. In fact, they cite the spectrum of red at the Million Woman March in DC as inspirational. In these difficult times, Caliente brings much-needed passion and warmth.
Signature is another word to describe Caliente. Red certainly is a signature color. Diana Vreeland, the legendary Vogue editor, saturated her rooms in it. The Bar Vendome at the Ritz Paris layers the walls and furnishings in rich hues of cinnamon. And Gucci on 5th Avenue in Manhattan excites the shopper with its bright crimson walls. We all admire the perfect red lipstick on a woman… A glossy red high heel… a flowing, merlot-hued gown at the Oscars… Red is signature because it is timeless, and adaptable.
The Bar Vendome is an inspiration for the Benjamin Moore design team. Elegant and sexy.
How to use Caliente
When it comes to Caliente, the options seem endless. I recommend using it in a flat finish, and it is a great choice for interiors and exteriors. The overall key to success, when using reds, is proportion and ratio.
Caliente is the perfect red for bedrooms, and accent it with crisp white.
Note that the Benjamin Moore design team looks at how colors shift from year to year, so that colors from the past several years can be used together. The Color of the Year is chosen for its staying power.
Dare to be bold
For wall-to-wall color, whether an accent wall to the entire room, Caliente is the perfect red because of its warm undertones.
key to success: Pair it with a neutral trim and furnishings — bright white is an obvious and popular choice. I love it with warm woods as well.
Caliente turns this front porch into a welcoming entry.
Caliente mixes perfectly with other bold colors and patterns.
Key to success: Keep the red to just one item, such as a wall, door, or piece of furniture.
Caliente is powerful against this ultramarine wall. The neutrals here are black and white, which are still bold; soften it all with lots of greenery.
Delightfully demure
Accent.
It is interesting that metallics become neutrals when accented by red. For example, Benjamin Moore’s Silver Marlin becomes a neutral when paired with Caliente. Try pairing golds or platinum with a red.
Warmer hues of gray are coming in, speaking to the gray trend of the last several years. Caliente is the perfect choice for those warm grays. Take a look at Benjamin Moore’s “Color Trends 2018” — The neutrals on the palette enable Caliente to shine.
Red is a color that is mystifying and polarizing, so if red scares you yet intrigues you, I encourage you to layer it into your room through textiles, flooring material, or accent décor.
