What are the colour themes that are going to define our environments next year? Helen Grange finds out.
“Man needs colour to live; it’s just as necessary an element as fire and water,” said the famous French painter Fernand Leger.
Indeed, colour influences every aspect of our lives, from fashion and decor to art and design; and, each year, these hues change as the world’s colour experts tap into the zeitgeist.
So what are the colour themes that are going to define our environments next year?
Kansai Plascon, South Africa’s largest paint manufacturer, revealed its latest annual colour forecast at the recent Decorex Joburg show, so expect to see these palettes being slowly introduced to home, office and leisure spaces all around you.
These colours were conceived by the Plascon colour team, together with WGSN, a global leader in trend insight.
“The world is in flux, but with uncertainty comes possibility. As a result, we’re seeing a global design scene characterised by eclectic combinations to create something new from the familiar.
“Taking its cue from this tendency, the colour stories for this year were all inspired by this mixing of diverse elements, filtered through local sensibility, so they’re curated to South African lifestyle and taste,” said Plascon colour expert Claire Bond.
Four “colour stories” were presented.
The first is “Exotic Euphoria”, a palette full of jungle-inspired brights that are almost phosphorescent, especially against the backdrop of lush natural hues.
You have a fuchsia, tangerine, stormy blue and a green called “Caribbean Current” among these.
“The overall feeling is a little wild and overgrown, and it’s perfect to create living spaces that feel connected and natural, but energetic at the same time,” says Bond.
The second colour story is called “Soft Composition”, a palette of muted shades and a couple of bold accents, imbuing a calm, contemplative feel.
“This palette feels familiar yet contemporary.
“It’s a warm take on minimalism for the way we live today,” says Bond.
The third colour story is called “Craft Spirit”, inspired by cultural craft heritages from the north, south, east and west.
This rich global mix is expressed in a palette of pigmented hues, fruity accents and watery blues.
“The overall feeling here is one of connection, and it’s ideal for creating rich, textured living spaces,” she says.
Plascon’s fourth colour story for next year is “Hi-Glo”, which was inspired by how the digital space allows people to express new identities while, at the same time, embracing colour as a physical presence in our lives.
It’s a palette of citrusy sorbet tones, soft pink, mid-toned primaries and grounding earthy colours to hold it together.
“This palette is a perfect way to create youthful and more experimental spaces, lending itself well to artistic colour treatments and paint effects,” says Bond.
Each year, Kansai Plascon also chooses a neutral of the year, a hue that’s on trend and directional, but also one that’s easy to incorporate in a range of colour schemes.
This year, it’s an earthy, yellow-tinted hue called Amadeus, picked from the Soft Composition colour story.
“This colour will bring warmth and life into a space, and the earthy edge provides the grounding people need in uncertain times,” says Bond.