Knowing which colours are the next ‘in’ thing is a science. Inspiration is a balance of drawing on nature, fashion design and workshopping with trend-forecasting mediums.
According to three of our biggest paint suppliers, bold is in with shades of pink and green set to energise consumers. Haymes Paints’ Kylea Wilson, colour and commercial assistant, says the supplier’s five 2015 colour forecast themes were established in consultation with Maison Objet Paris, Future Lab and the forecasting website Stylesight.
Dulux says its colour experts study trends from around the world to develop their forecast, attending trade fairs in Europe, studying product and design innovation, colour and finishes and emerging global designers. Colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr says the team sources information locally and from overseas, analysing influences such as fashion, media, world events, technology and science, social fundamentals, financial economics and politics. Based on its trends research, Dulux has released four palettes.
Wilson says the fashion market was a predominent factor in influencing the change of colours and interior trends from one year to the next. “We conduct a lot of research into the interiors, accessory and fashion markets. We are led by what we see emerging across all markets and combine these to specify relevant paint colours and schemes that we believe will provide inspiration for use in Australian interiors,” she says.
“We look at these trends with an open mind and don’t have a set number of themes for a year and try to reflect the colours as we see them emerging in the overseas markets.”
Wilson says the selected materials and colour palettes reflect the concept of consumers wanting to feel safe and relaxed within a space, providing a tranquil and soothing setting.
“As trends continue to transform, following a cyclic pattern, so do our perceptions as consumers. We begin to modify our values, becoming more aware of how we spend our money and our attitudes towards various lifestyles changes,” Wilson says. “Consumers today are busy; they have demanding lifestyles and have a tendency to clutter their lives. When all is said and done though, the home is considered an escape from reality, a sanctuary away from the hassles of everyday life.”
The popularity of natural tones has led to the development of lush greens and dusty pinks, which echo the diversity of nature, Wilson says. “In stark contrast, Relaxed Replay brings together feel-good vibrant brights like brilliant yellow and hot pink, which takes us back to the retro era.”
Greys have been on trend for the past few years because they are perfect for pairing stronger more vibrant colours with
- Haymes Paints' Kylea Wilson
Taubmans brand ambassador and colour creative director Shaynna Blaze agrees bold is definitely on the horizon.
“As we head from spring into summer we’re seeing the emergence of bold, energetic colours like teal, turquoise, emerald green and corals like in interior schemes,” Blaze says. “The use of these colours in combination with white give a fresh, crisp feel to an interior space which will reflect the brighter, warmer days we’re about to experience.”
Lucena-Orr says partnering pink hues with pastels will dominate interiors and add an air of sophistication to a space. There will also be lots of colour on the horizon with bright, bold unexpected blends to more relaxed neutral combinations.
“We are going to see a lot more pink being used daringly as people become adventurous and have fun with colour,” she says. “You can use a bold pink to create maximum impact or in small quantities to soften a space. Soft mushroom pinks such as Dulux Salmon Grey create a subtle, neutral scheme while a vibrant pink such as Dulux Pink Papaya can really liven up a space.”
Wilson says nature was inspiring the shift to lighter palettes next year. “The natural colours of marble, wood and slate see the paring back of colours to reflect these.The pinks and oranges in the 2015 forecast are softer than in previous years, with the introduction of colours such as Kendall rose and Dusty Beige.”
But the future isn’t all pink, Lucena-Orr says, with nature delivering a raw and rustic earth-inspired influence next year. Greys will continue to be important going forward.
“Natural landscapes, raw elements and minerals, fashion and the connection between digital and rediscovering our offline lives are the most influential factors for 2015,” she says. “Natural colours such as greens and neutrals with green undertones will be pivotal. This includes earthy greens, such as Dulux Grape Leaf and mineral greens, such as Dulux Porpoise Place.”
Wilson agrees that the adaptability of certain colours or shades will ensure their longevity to stay on trend longer than others.
“Greys have been on trend for the past few years because they are perfect for pairing stronger more vibrant colours with,” she says. “Over the past three years the shift to greys as the preferred new neutral has been key in the trends with subtle shifts in tones from the cooler grey, which is now finding its way to a warmer-based grey.
“These new greys that we are seeing are perfect to style and you will see them represented in the Haymes palette in colours such as Organic 1. We usually see most of the colour hues present in each of the trends in some form. Blue is always a popular hue in any forecast and often a full trend is dedicated to this hue. Blues have drifted from warmer red based blues with almost a purple undertone to slowly becoming greyer. The blues in 2015 still reflect enough colour that the colours appear ink like in their darkest tone (Stormy Blue) and more like faded denim in their lightest hue (Trempealeau). These colours are classic tones and are easy to live with and use.”
But it’s all about mixing and matching to get the right look and feel for your room, the experts say. “The Haymes colour forecast themes are usually contrasting. They are developed as individual themes to represent what we see emerging in worldwide and Australian trends,” Wilson says. “The most usable colours for people’s homes in the forecast are the warm and natural tones of the ‘Raw’ theme. A stark contrast are the vibrant, retro colours in the ‘Relaxed Replay’ theme, bringing fun and excitement to a home for the more adventurous decorator.”
