Coatings, Sealants & Paints
Dulux Trade announces ColourFutures ™ 2020
Dulux Trade has revealed its ColourFutures™
2020 palettes including Colour of the Year for
2020 Tranquil Dawn™.
Now in its 17th year, the four Dulux
ColourFutures™ 2020 palettes have been
selected to support professionals when it
comes to colour and design in commercial and
public buildings. The new Colour of the Year,
Tranquil Dawn™ is a versatile, soft green hue
with a calming, restful quality that perfectly
supports our inclination to blur the boundaries
between indoor and outdoor spaces.
A panel of experts selected the colour to
embody the nation’s mood on the approach of
a new decade. 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.
The almost ethereal dimension of Tranquil
Dawn™ creates an illusion of space and
perspective, a nod to the biophilic design
values that espouse the benefits of a greater
connection to nature, natural materials and
daylight. The natural colour is reflective of
a need to disconnect from technology and
bring the outside in, with the varied supporting
palettes allowing architects, specifiers and
designers to select from a complementary
range of subtle but contemporary colours. An
eminently usable shade of green, it will happily
stand alone in a space, creating a restorative
overtone or pair with other colours within
each of the four supporting palettes - acting
as a soothing anchor to pops of richer, more
dynamic shades.
Tranquil Dawn™ is a superbly adaptable
option for design professionals for a range of
environments, from education and healthcare
facilities to residential homes and offices.
The ColourFutures™ 2020 palettes were
selected by an expert panel of colour designers,
trend forecasters, design specialists, architects
and editors from around the world, chaired by
Heleen van Gent from the AkzoNobel Global
Aesthetic Centre.
Heleen explains: “We live so chaotically that
our homes, workspaces and other parts of the
built environment really need to be safe spaces
where we can feel both relaxed and creative.
“We want to be able to unwind and separate
ourselves from the chaos that goes on around
us and have time to regroup and find peace.”
The four trend palettes capture the essence of
being human and show how Tranquil Dawn™
can be used to create spaces which enhance
what occupants need and want in the year
ahead: to seek Meaning, to Care, to Play, and to
encourage Creativity.
Heleen adds: “When you look at how our
ColourFutures™ palettes have evolved over
the years, you can chart the fluctuations in
our consumers’ appetite for different colours
and spot connections with what is going on in
the wider world. For example, in 2017, when
consumers felt a need for balance and calm, the
palette was dominated by cooler shades of blue
and grey. While in 2019, there was then a greater
sense of uncertainty which was reflected in
a desire for warm, comforting colours that
provided solace and refuge.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director, Dulux
UK, continues: “We understand the importance
of creating future proofed spaces that have
tangible occupant outcomes and as a new
decade heralds a new dawn, the hazy pale
green tones of Tranquil Dawn™ are calming and
comforting just when occupants need it most in
their lives. When paired with neutral pastels and
rich jewels it becomes incredibly powerful at
creating spaces that encourage making better
human connections, enhancing wellbeing and
productivity as a result.”
The Global Aesthetic Centre has been
responsible for the ColourFutures™ trend
analysis, colour research, colour design and
art direction at AkzoNobel for the past 17
years. Led by Heleen, the unit continuously
monitors social, cultural and design trends as
they emerge all over the globe. By connecting
these unique
insights to
everyday life, the
team provides
informed trend
direction.
To see how
ColourFutures™
2020 can be
used in client
projects, click
here.
Earthborn’s historic paint colours
Earthborn have collaborated with
Lincoln Conservation, specialists in
the conservation and restoration of
listed and historic buildings, to create
a range of colour palettes suitable
for different eras of property.
In the Victorian era, decorative
inspiration often came from nature.
The colours used reflect this; rich
greens, blues, turquoise and homely
yellows, terracotta and brown.
Traditional Victorian paint colours
still work well for modern living.
Although deep shades are
synonymous with Victorian interiors,
dark doesn’t have to mean drab!
Colours that work especially
well in today’s Victorian homes
include opulent blues and greens,
vivid earthy reds and yellows, and
luxurious greys. Be bold in living
rooms or dining rooms by painting
the whole space in Earthborn’s
Hobgoblin, or use Humpty Dumpty to
create a beautiful bedroom space.
Earthborn’s Claypaint is a unique,
clay based emulsion. Its advanced
technology maximizes the natural properties
of clay to create a high performance, highly
breathable paint that covers exceptionally
well and gives a distinctive, ultra matt finish,
especially suitable for an historic colour palette.
Being free of oils and acrylics, Claypaint is
Earthborn’s Claypaint in Hobgoblin. Evocative of nature, Hobgoblin charms and rejuvenates.
virtually VOC free and does not give off any
toxic emissions.
If you prefer a lighter, airier feel, a flash of
colour against a neutral backdrop gives a
contemporary feel to a Victorian property,
with a subtle nod to its past.
Earthborn and Lincoln are looking at more
historic paint colours, including for Georgian
and 20th century paint colour schemes.
See the Earthborn blog at
earthbornpaints.co.uk/blog/
www.refurbandrestore.co.uk - 17