By Tammy Adamson-McMullen
Colour experts are starting to reveal what we can expect in the 2020 home fashion palette.
As colour experts predicted, the home fashion palette this year is full of natural, complex and peaceful colours. A deep teal currently holds the No. 1 spot in the palette, followed in no particular order by hazelnut, mushroom, grayed lilac, mustard, icy blue, blackened green, light pink and coral.
Several leading colour experts already have announced their picks for next year’s top colours. What we know, based on these announcements, is that 2020 also will be a very colourful year, with many of the same colour families at the front of the pack.
However, individual hues within these families are taking on some rather unusual characteristics, creating colours with a “twist.” What is bringing about this colour change? Colour experts point to our increased concern over the environment, the march of technological innovation and our collective vision of the future.
Here are some of their predictions for 2020.
Blues Reign Supreme
Many colour experts once again are putting complex blues at the top of the palette. But these don’t look anything like the deep teal that was popular this year.
An example is PPG paint brand’s recently announced 2020 Colour of the Year. Called Chinese Porcelain, the colour is a beautiful blend of cobalt and inky blue. Reminiscent of ancient Chinese pottery, the colour pairs well with whites and with metallics like copper.
According to PGG, Chinese Porcelain is calming and meant to offer a respite from our busy lives. “The need for simplicity and escapism from technology is, in part, the reason that consumers are craving blues like Chinese Porcelain …” says Dee Schlotter, senior colour manager, PPG paint brand, noting that the colour creates serenity in any space.
The Pantone Colour Institute hasn’t officially named its 2020 Colour of the Year, but many industry watchers surmise that it will be an oceanic blue. A Pantone representative earlier this year was reported as saying that the colour will come from the sea; however, this isn’t much of a clue since Pantone’s top 2019 colour, Living Coral, also claims that distinction.
Pantone’s oceanic blues include a complex colour called “Baltic,” which is a lovely turquoise that leans more toward blue than green. Could this be the top colour? Stay tuned …
Purple-Touched Pinks
Next year’s palette also will pay homage to pink, but the colour will be a fusion of pink and purple. Called “Millennial Pink” or “Cassis,” the colour is reminiscent of the dusty pink that was popular in the 1980s but with an ethereal and more sophisticated hand.
A global trend authority, WGSN, is among those putting Cassis at the top of the palette. WGSN specifically says to watch for “Cassis-type purples,” which suggests that the colour may lean more toward purple rather than pink.
Like the soft pinks that are popular this year, Cassis will pair beautifully with hazelnut and other brown-based beiges. As more paint companies announce their 2020 palettes, look for at least some form of a complex pink to be at the top of the heap.
A New Green
Green is always an important colour in the forecast palette. This year, the colour was dark and velvety. In 2020, WGSN predicts that green will lighten all the way to mint. This isn’t the pastel colour that was popular decades ago. Instead, this mint green will look somewhat digitalized, or “neo-minty.” What’s interesting is that the emergence of Neo Mint isn’t a backlash to technology but rather an embrace of it. But at the same time, the colour also is reminiscent of the natural world.
“Neo Mint is an oxygenating, fresh tone that harmonizes science and technology with nature,” explains WGSN on its “Insider” blog. “It has a cool, futuristic tech feel but also connects with plant life and nature.” WGSN says we will start seeing this colour before the end of 2019.
Complex Yellows
Yellows have shown bright for a couple of years now. Benjamin Moore named Lemon Sorbet the top colour in 2018. This yummy colour has continued its popularity in 2019, along with a range of other mid-tone yellows, like mustard.
Colour experts predict that yellow in 2020 will continue its ascent but take on an earthier quality. The top contender, according to the Colour Marketing Group (CMG), will be a green-influenced gold called “Electrum.” CMG predicts that Electrum not only will rise to the top of the yellow colour family but also to the top of the North American colour palette. Its appeal lies in its ability to shift between green and gold, depending on the other colours in the decorating scheme.
Additionally, CMG believes Electrum will be popular because it speaks to our growing environmental awareness and rekindled love of gold metallics in the home. It’ll be interesting to see if the colour overtakes blue in the coveted top spot of the 2020 palette.