Each year companies from Pantone to Etsy to Benjamin Moore assess consumer moods and color trends to name their own color of the year. Considering tastes in marketing, design, and across social media, trendsetters declare an annual color to inspire our daily lives. After a particularly tense year, for instance, Benjamin Moore’s 2021 choice is Aegean Teal, offering comfort and natural harmony. While we await Pantone’s 2021 COY, their 2020 selection – Classic Blue – imbues calm, trust, faith, and deep thought.
“’Many of us,’ [Pantone] said in a recent presentation, feel anxious, ‘completely overloaded and perpetually stressed.’ The antidote, according to Pantone’s swatch psychologists? Blue. Specifically: Classic Blue.”
The New York Times, Dec. 4, 2019
COLOR TREND ANALYSIS
Color trend assessments begin more than a year in advance of each announcement. Social media data, consumer reports, and designer input are gathered to understand trending expressions in art and industry. Eventually, large-scale patterns present guidance toward the annual declarations of color aficionados.
“…several factors are taken into consideration by the color pros, including pop culture, architectural, and technological trends. Think about it: The ’80s had its splashy neon, the ’60s rocked pastels, and the ’90s, well, that could be defined by Monica and Rachel’s living room on Friends.”
Better Homes & Gardens, June 14, 2019
INFLUENCE
Color of the year influences professionals in industries from interior design to product engineers adding a splash of color to complement the consumer’s mood.
“While blue-colored toast is unlikely to catch on anytime soon, Eiseman hopes that the exercise will encourage designers and consumers alike to rethink color in the decade ahead. ‘The more you talk about it, the more you realize how intrinsic color is in our psyches,’ she reflects. ‘I mean, my husband’s barber wanted to know what the color of the year was.’”
Architectural Digest, Dec. 5, 2019
INTERIOR DESIGN
Interior designers keep up with the latest color trends to add flare and thoughtful accents to our everyday environments. Whether decorating your bedroom or renovating a commercial property, interior design professionals allow us to feel comfort and engagement wherever we go.
CLOTHING/FASHION
Vogue magazine publishes a yearly article describing how to use Pantone’s color of the year in your daily style choices. When 2020’s Classic Blue was announced, Vogue weighed in:
“Earlier this year, color therapist Constance Hart told Vogue that this shade of blue also poses psychic possibilities. ‘If you have enough exposure to this color over time, you can begin to notice that you’re going to be tapping into some of the higher realms of the mind,’ she said.”
Vogue, Dec. 5, 2019
KITCHEN & HOME GOODS
Blue cabinets against neutral walls or a teal backsplash against natural wood countertops give a soothing sense of creativity to your kitchen. Likewise, adding utensils, a vase, or appliances with a splash of pigment incorporates life into the room where we prepare our daily sustenance.
ARCHITECTURE
Architects design space for optimum end-user experience. It is especially important, then, that the environment has the right appeal to end users, so naturally various color schemes must be considered. Whether an apartment building where tenants would like to feel at home, or an industrial plant where workers will fabricate finished goods from raw materials, use of color can instill each inhabitant with an appreciative connection to their environment.
OFFICE
Many hours of our lives are spent in work environments. We owe it to ourselves to create a space that helps relieve career stress. An easy way to achieve this is with desks, carpets, walls, and lamps of energetic hues. With mindfulness and work-life balance an ever-growing necessity, we’ve never been more aware of the need for decor to improve our quality of life.
MANUFACTURING
From auto parts to computers to clothing and textiles, manufacturing design must incorporate color. When browsing store shelves and auto lots for an appealing purchase, physical appearance is one of the first elements that catch our eye. Manufacturers are wise, then, to consider trends in consumer preferences to boost their products’ popularity.
MATERIALS
With advancements in technology, paint is not the sole material for sprucing up your project. Wall coverings with either permanent or temporary adhesives can be custom printed for professional decorators and DIYers to splash their walls with their preferred treatment. Glass windows and partitions are a canvas where printed window film offers privacy and aesthetic appeal. For creative interior design collaborations, visit our sister site, www.digitalprintspecialties.com.
Our custom prints on fabrics, window and wall coverings have enhanced offices and art shows across the continent. Have an idea and need some input? Get in touch via phone or email, and share your inspiration below:
