The Pantone Colour of the Year
The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2020
Just before the beginning of a new year, colour company Pantone selects its Colour of the Year for the 12 months ahead. Taking inspiration from trends in culture, travel, society and especially in design, they carefully choose what the next year represents. The verdict is in, and the Pantone colour for next year is Classic Blue.
This has not come as a surprise to anyone. It’s a fresh yet familiar hue, timeless and calming. Classic blue takes us into a new decade. At the same time, it takes us back to classic designs and colour schemes for some familiarity.
What is Classic Blue?
Noting the classic design, Pantone nodded to the suggestion of the dusk sky, a warm and gentle hue. It’s come exactly two decades after another popular blue shade – cerulean. Back then, nobody knew who Pantone were, why they were selecting a colour of the year, or who they were aiming this information at. Nodding to the uncertainty that many people feel right now, Pantone pointed out that the world is in a state of unrest. Classic Blue is valued so highly because it’s ubiquitous – in areas as diverse as creative industries (art, photography, and even marketing), automotive, technology, and even beauty products. Therefore, where there is a need for something familiar and certain, Classic Blue provides. Blues are psychologically calming, and few are as calming. It’s a world away from the coral that took us into 2019.
Classic Blue in Interior Design
Classic blue is all too familiar to interior designers. Traditionally used on accent wall, as shading, or to draw attention in a living space to a prime feature such as a sofa or preloved cabinets in complementary colours. It’s popular in classic Americana styles and colours, and in chinoiserie. Pantone predicts predicting a resurgence of what makes blues so special – velvets and taffetas particularly. However, they have advised interior design professionals and home residents to expect a few surprises too.
Interior Designers Recommend…
Accent Wall
The time is long gone where interior designers and homeowners painted an entire wall. Now, it’s all about the accent wall. A single wall painted in a bold colour in a room where the other walls are calmer, lighter, and less bold. Classic Blue makes for a great accent wall in any room. Accent walls draw attention as a room’s focal point. Therefore, it complements other features on it or around it. Consider painting a wall in a home office in this shade and see the difference.
Furniture Pieces
Looking at ways of working with this year’s in-vogue colour? There are plenty. For home décor lovers, most designers are already recommending you add Classic Blue in the form of a large piece of furniture. A couch is usually the biggest and boldest statement you can make. If you’re not in the market for a new couch, look at recovering if your current soft covering looks tired, faded or otherwise worn out.
Storage Units
A blue unit or other bathroom focal point really draws the eye. In a sea of white with variations of off-white, the bathroom is not the most exciting of areas. We don’t spend a lot of time there although a pleasant bathroom is an inviting environment. That is why your white bathroom is ideal for a Classic Blue unit piece. Stepping out of the bathroom, a kitchen island will perform much the same function in the food preparation space. In a kitchen, a blue unit will draw attention and the eye. Couple with a dark top unit and you have a space with that wow factor throughout 2020 and beyond.
Soft Furnishings and Accessories
Many modern homes have an open space comprising the kitchen and living area. Classic Blue rugs can easily separate these two spaces when put in the right places, such as beneath a dining table. It acts as both a dividing space and a focal point. Complete the look with Classic Blue throw pillows on your couch. Alternatively, try blankets in strategic places to guide the viewer throughout the property. Not that you should limit your accessories to only soft furnishings. As Classic Blue is a returning colour, you will find plenty of lighting options. Lamps and shades don’t just act as convenient ways to light a room, they are great decorations too.
