Dulux's Colour of the Year 2017 announced
Dulux has announced Denim Drift as its Colour of the Year 2017.
Experts at the leading paint brand have developed the annual forecast based on emerging trends that shape the way people live, and they've chosen blue as the defining hue for next year, under the theme 'Life in a new light'.
Denim Drift is a versatile and neutral palette that allows different textures and materials to take centre stage.
But why blue? 'Blue is the colour of life; it is the clothes we wear, the sky we gaze at and the water that revitalises us,' say Dulux.'Blue has been, and will continue to be, a constant in every aspect of our lives. From the deepest ink blue, to the palest misty blue, this colour spans every spectrum of life; it is a royal colour, but it is also used for workers' blue jeans.'
To complement the Colour of the Year, Dulux have developed a family tonal colour palette featuring a spectrum of blue tones. While the rich and sophisticated shades will bring your walls to life and exude energy, the lighter tones will be cool and calming with a crisp and airy feel.
Rebecca Williamson, Dulux colour and design trend expert, says: 'With denim blue set to dominate the interior and fashion trend agenda for 2017, Denim Drift is the perfect fit to reflect the times we live in, that real desire for simplicity. Designers love it and so do we.'
Dulux has also revealed four sub-trends - New Romanticism, Shared Individualism, The Working Home and Considered Luxury - all inspired by the Colour of the Year.
Williamson adds: 'Denim Drift and its complementary colour palette of tonal blues shows the growing importance of this colour area which we are constantly surrounded by. It's even the world's favourite colour. There is a colour combination for everyone's taste and preference, but with that soothing denim blue being our firm favourite, just like in our wardrobes.'
'A sign of the times, a colour of the times' - Dulux
2017 colour trends and how to decorate using Denim Drift
The tonal 10-colour palette, developed specifically to complement Denim Drift, features a spectrum of blues and complimentary blue-hued tones. While there are five muted and atmospheric tones, the remaining five are cleaner, brighter hues that pack more of a punch.
'The whole collection has been designed to be used in combination across different elements of an interior from the walls to the furniture, furnishings and accessories,' explains Marianne Shillingford, creative director at Dulux. 'You can turn the visual impact up with the brighter blues and down with the muted blues to suit the style and personality of a room and can be sure that none of them will ever look out of place.'
Get some decorating advice with the sub trends below:
New Romanticism
What is it about? The way we live and our priorities in life, with sustainability and responsibility front of mind. Being closer to the planet reconnects us with our spiritual self with a healthy mind and soul. It can be translated easily into homes in a boho, eclectic fashion that immerses you in the natural world.
Decorating advice: 'Lush greens and smoky violets team cleverly with wicker and natural wood, which really come back into their own as affordable materials reconnect our homes with the earth and nature,' says Shillingford. 'The look is rooted in the found, revamped and restored rather than the pristine new, and plants are everywhere, improving the air we breathe while they fill a space with life, colour and texture. Use strong colour to connect pieces of painted furniture that don't match and add small clever touches of sharp cool green alongside broader areas painted in warmer verdant shades.'
Shared Individualism
What is it about? A sense of belonging in the changing world we live in, and how we come together to create a network or wider community of like-minded people to share ideas, dreams and spaces. This colour palette is fresh and playful, perfect for creating a shared space to enjoy together.
Decorating advice: 'Use the strongest colours in blocks, circles and graphic patterns. Chalk in the circles and paint by hand rather than worry about getting the shapes perfect,' advises Shillingford. 'The hand painted is much more authentic and appealing than crisp graphics in this very human centred trend. The palette isn't bound to paint alone so in spaces where you want a more relaxed feel, you can combine the colours you are using to decorate the walls with pops of other shades from the palette in the soft furnishings. Combine with pure white and pale woods in furniture and don't be afraid of a bit of black to ground the look.'
The Working Home
What is it about? The boundary between work life and personal life is shifting as we seek a more balanced way of living and working. The home has become an office, and similarly, offices are becoming more like homes. This palette helps you create different zones in your home. Whether you like to take your laptop to the kitchen with a coffee, or carve out a specific area for working, you can be comfortable, relaxed and focused within your living space.
Decorating advice: 'Work spaces can be defined by painted blocks and circles of contrasting colour which at once become both zones for activity and focal points of interest,' says Shillingford. 'Use the cool neutrals in the palette as a backdrop to bursts of warm colour in graphic shapes which can either be dynamic and curved or more restful and in blocks. Horizontal bands of colour instil an element of tranquillity which allows you to think clearly as well as relax and connect the working home interior together.'
Considered Luxury
What is it about? A subtle and modest luxury, this is a new way of living and a new consumerism where value is placed on experience rather than possessions. It's about creating priceless memories and looking at the world with fresh eyes, not adding clutter but experiences instead: buy less, choose well and make it last. This is a palette of sophisticated neutrals that have the quality to subtly change in different light conditions, giving a greater flexibility on how a space looks and feels at any given time.
Decorating advice: 'In this look, everything counts and everything is meaningful, even different sheen levels of the same colour can be used to make an impact that is whispered and memorable,' reveals Shillingford. 'The experience you have of the space should be as important as the way it appears, so resist the temptation to fill it with stuff that looks great but has no back story. A nice chair is just a nice chair, but one that you had specially made, or made yourself is something that provides lasting joy.
'Feel the space as well as see it by extending the palette into tactile materials and fabrics that delight your fingers and toes and tell stories through the art you hang and objects you display.'
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