It’s that time of the year when global paint and colour giants announce their colour of the year (COTY), tempting you to toss out the mood boards you’ve been obsessing over to make room for a whole new palette. We’re looking at calming hues in 2020, so get ready to rest your eyes on a lot of cool tones, muted shades and chalks paints.
Usually inspired by cultural context, the colours of the year are a great way to see where we’ve collectively reached and where we are likely headed. So it’s both obvious and a relief that we’ve arrived at a palette that helps (re)create human connections, by finding pause in increasingly tech-dependent spaces. The focus is also to reconnect with nature, with soothing influences like the sea, the sky, the light at dawn.
1. Pantone: Classic Blue
Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2020 is Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052). "Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.” Classic Blue is psychologically associated with peace, tranquillity, clarity, resilience. We could all use some of that in the coming year! Introduce Classic Blue into your home or the office by colour blocking a wall, through furniture trimmings, or statement-furniture.
[Photo credit: Hipcouch]
2. Benjamin Moore: First Light
A soft blush that comes with the promise of hope and happy days. FirstLight has been described as "blooming with potential" and is the "backdrop for a bright new decade." A rosy hue that remains neutral enough to work in almost any room in your home or office, it is also super easy on the eye.
[Photo credit: Benjamin Moore]
3. Dulux: Tranquil Dawn
At once soothing and refreshing, the right shade of green can be like a tonic for the mind. Expect to see lots of mild greens in the coming year, with Dulux calling it for 2020 with Tranquil Dawn. Explaining their colour, the paint brand said, "It reflects a growing desire to understand what it is to be human at a time when advances in technology are making us feel increasingly disconnected from each other.” Goes well with neutral pastels and rich jewel tones.
[Photo credit: Dulux]
4. PPG Paints: Chinese Porcelain
Another escape from a technology-driven world, where chaos is aplenty, and sanctuaries for the soul hard to come by. PPG’s COTY takes straight aim at the restorative powers of sleep, and an urgent reminder to find ways to still our minds. Can Chinese Porcelain do that? They certainly believe so. “The shade is a blend of cobalt and moody ink blue that imparts calmness and restful sleep while also offering the spirit of hopefulness – a precious commodity in a restless world.”
[Photo credit: PPG Paints]
5. GHTV Home (by Sherwin-Williams): Romance
A bolder blush than Benjamin Moore’s First Light, with a slight apricot influence, Romance is "a soft and dreamy blush hue that evokes serenity while simultaneously making a statement”. Take it out of the bedroom and into kitchens and drawing rooms for instant glamour.
[Photo credit: Sherwin-Williams]
6. Behr: Back to Nature
Behr also nod to the healing powers of green for 2020 with 'Back to Nature' S340-4 as their COTY. "It perfectly captures the essence of subtle and effortless green that can be found in a wilderness landscape or an indoor garden. Back to Nature all about awakenings and is especially appropriate at the start of a new decade.”
[Photo credit: Behr]
7. Sherwin-Williams: Naval
Sherwin-Williams’ pick is a rich navy that "creates a calm and grounding environment infused with quiet confidence”. Sure you’ve seen deep blues plenty in interior design, but in 2020 we go boldly where we have never before? "Naval fuses the striking and bold opulence of Art Deco with the awe‑inspiring power of nature – from the infinite night sky to the mysterious depths of the sea – bringing navy out of its comfort zone to usher in an empowering new year and a fresh decade of change.” Just another way to bring a little bit of the outdoors into your home or office.
[Photo credit: Sherwin-Williams]
Feeling inspired? Get in touch with Hipcouch with your wish list, and let us do the rest.