Pantone - Colour Of The Year
“New year, new me” is a quote we all hear at this early point in the calendar. Perhaps a more applicable quote would be “new year, new colour”.
For a bit of clarity we are referring to the “Pantone, colour of The Year 2018”. For those who don’t know Pantone are the leading authority in colour and have a range of technologies that benefit the interior design world and a whole host of different industries. Put in their own words "For over 50 years, Pantone has been inspiring design professionals with products, services and leading technology for the colourful exploration and expression of creativity.”
The colour of the year often reflects current trends in the interior design community as well as incorporating and reflecting the world as we know it. The colour of the year has a growing influence year-on-year. We now accept a link between colours and emotions, how some colours can make us feel relaxed whilst other can reflect warmth or even portray wealth.
Every year Pantone choose their “Colour Of the Year” Last year, 2017, the colour chosen was Greenery, whilst 2016 the colour chosen was Rose- Quartz and Serenity.
Many different companies associated with colour have their own awards similar to that of Pantone, for example Dulix named “heart Wood” as the colour of 2018 (They have described the colour as a beautiful warm pink), whilst Graham and Brown chose Penelope – a colour featuring pink shade and pink undertones.
The colour chosen for this year is …… Ultra Violet! Ultra violet, which is a cooler purple tone, or officially referred to by pantone as 18-3838, “communicates originally, ingenuity and visionary thinking”. For a full understanding of how colours can be associated with feeling you should read our blog on colour and moods here.
Ultra Violet also alludes to mystery and the unknown. Given the uncertainty of many on going discussions in Britain and beyond, its fair to say Ultra Violet strongly suits 2018 in that sense!
The next practical question is this: “How can we use Ultra Violet in our homes?”
It is fair to say ultra violet is a colour not to be understated. Unless for specific schemes, it needs to used carefully in order not to completely overpower the room. As a Scandinavian rugs business we love the more neutral tones and like to see these featured heavily in rooms. If you are in a similar mindset but want to introduce ultra violet into the room, we recommend adding smaller items which feature the colour.
A cushion is a perfect sized product to introduce wild, new colours previously banished from the room. The Lorna Syson Bradbury cushion, available from Woven through our partners Trouva is available for £47 in size 45x45cm. This purple cushion features angular shapes and rich colours inspired by the entangled fruits and dense hedgerows, give this geometric print cushion a contemporary yet retro feel. All of Lorna Sysons products are handmade in the UK and are of a high quality.
If the room is under development or you require a centrepiece to add some real life and enthusiasm to the space, a purple rug could fit the requirement. There are many types of purple/ultra violet rugs, some come under our modern rug category and feature more extravagant designs and colours whilst other simply reflect the description of a beautiful purple Scandinavian rug, perfect as a centrepiece to really being together a room.
It is fair to say purple rugs are fairly popular with our customers and trade clients a like and are often selected in projects. One purple rug in particular that is receiving a lot of interest at present is the Purple Bamboo rug by Scandinavian rug designers, Massimo.
The bamboo rug, as its name dictates, is constructed from bamboo. Bamboo is a similar material to viscose, however it is harder wearing and has a slightly firmer finish. The Bamboo Purple rug in particular features some fantastic imagery, which really fits the Woven brand. The image, featured below, shows the plum/purple Bamboo rug in a beautiful Scandinavian setting. It is a perfect exhibit of how a purple product can really enhance a Scandinavian setting without outshining other features of the room.
Another rug for design lovers looking introduce the colour of year into their home should consider Matrix Purple, part of the Woven Essential range. The matrix rug has a modern design, made up of different blocks in a complimentary colour palette. Made with 100% polypropylene and hand carved, this rug is available in five colour ways and is great to add some colour and warmth to any interior space.
The Matrix Purple, despite its lower price tag, could be the perfect fit for those looking to add an almost exact replica of the Ultra Violet colour neatly incorporated in a subtle yet intriguing design. The Matrix rug is available within just a few days and starts from just £69.
The Matrix would be a perfect fit in a music or film based room where you or client can relax, unwind and feel inspired – after all ultra violet has been credited as a symbol of Western musical culture, featured by the likes of the late David Bowie, Prince and Jimmy Hendrix.
The three products mentioned above outline just how different approach you can take when introducing the ultra violet colour to your home. With a multi-coloured cushion featuring small segments of the colour you can colour match and potentially match the purple to details in blinds, curtains or other furniture and keep the colour low key. With the beautiful Bamboo Purple rug you are getting a statement piece that still fits perfectly in a Scandinavian living area. Finally, the Matrix Purple rug invites the ultra violet into your interior design without dominating over other strong colours. Once again the colour in the rug can be used to match details in other products.