This time of year is exciting for many reasons. One being that everyone in home design and decor is waiting with baited breath for the industry elite to announce their favourite colour trends for the new year. But this year came with a few twists from the design trend experts.
First, a bold and confusing prediction from two rival paint companies. For 2016, both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams have forecasted a strikingly similar non-colour. Surprising design experts and enthusiasts alike, both companies have decided white will be a huge trend this year!
While this lack of colour may seem a strange choice for two industry competitors, white is definitely on trend. This clean backdrop creates the perfect neutral canvas for your furniture and decor to make a real statement. A fresh white gives your home a gallery-esque feel where your life and style are the works of art on display. Keep your space from feeling sterile by selecting a white paint with a bit of warmth- both Simply White and Alabaster are excellent choices.
Not quite ready to jump on the all-white bandwagon? Then Pantone has some good news for you. In an unprecedented move, this industry giant has announced not one but TWO colour predictions for 2016!
With previous colours of the year including Marsala, Radiant Orchid and Emerald, this years’ soft hues are both a surprising and refreshing departure from the intense, heavily saturated selections of years past.
Pantone explains that “As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to the stress of modern day lives, welcoming colours that psychologically fulfill the yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent.”
Insert Rose Quartz and Serenity, two quietly soothing pastels for those seeking refuge from the chaos of the day-to-day. “Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure,” says colour-authority Pantone. “Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.” While the implications of these colours go beyond decor and accent walls, the real message seems to be one of balance.
Keeping with the theme of tranquility and relaxation, another colour mogul takes its turn at the colour of the year bat. PPG Industries announced a sage-y, blue-green as their selection for 2016. PPG describes Paradise Found as “an organic, aloe green with an undertone of blue that offers at once a subtle, but serious sense of ease and rejuvenation.”
This colour fulfills a growing need to get back to basics; blending indoor and outdoor spaces in an effort to undo the effects of the overstimulation of modern technology. Interested in what it takes to select an annual colour trend? Find out more about PPG’s process here.
A blend of warm whites, soft pinks and blues and refreshing aloe-greens will leave your home inviting and on-trend in 2016. Wondering how you can interpret these trends in your own space? Come visit our showroom where our knowledgable design professionals can help you create the perfect palette. Stay in touch with us by liking Birchwood Furniture Galleries on Facebook and remember to sign up for our monthly newsletter for more insider information.
