By now it is quite possible that you know the colours that Pantone selected as the Colour of the Year. For 2016, the world is embracing the two complimentary hues Rose Quartz (a soft, crystal like pink) and Serenity (a pale ice blue) as the two leading hues to influence product development and purchasing decisions in the fashion, beauty, interior and graphic design industries. To be frank, there are not colours I would immediately turn to if designing a grown-up living space however I am seeing more and more spaces popping up on Pinterest that are incorporating these hues, and I must admit, I’m kind of sold.
This is the first time Pantone – the world’s leading colour institute – has ever introduced two colours as their Colour of the Year. These two tones will be a huge game player in all visual and aesthetic fields and I am really noticing it’s influence in the world of interiors. This year’s selection is a delicate balance between warm and gentle Rose Quartz with soothing, cool and tranquil Serenity and it all feels a little sweet to me, but what I do like about this combo is their take on gender neutrality.
“This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumer’s increased comfort with using color as a form of expression, a generation that has less concern about being typecast or judged and an open exchange of digital information that has opened our eyes to different approaches to color usage.” I can get behind that. No more pink for girls and blue for boys, let’s mix it up!
ROSE QUARTZ
Warm, innocent, delicate, compassionate, feminine | Rose Quartz is a beautiful tone that lends itself easily to interior decorating as it is neutral enough to treat as a neutral (splash it over your walls, buy a pink sofa or a huge rug as a central piece in your living room) but it packs enough of a punch to add a whole new dimension to a space, and not only the little girl’s room kind – the strong and sophisticated, feminine yet strong kind that I am seeing in the images above. I’ve been a fan of this delicate shade of pink ever since I styled Nienke Hoogvliet’s beautiful blankets with By Mölle‘s Almond linen bedding.
MAKE IT WORK
To avoid going to girly with this hue, pair it with varying shades of wood, whites, natural textures and contrasting black. I prefer this hue used as an accent – in a rug for example, that is bold enough to really ground a space with lots of texture and graphic prints but laden with soft pink – or as a feature, such as a pink painted front door as seen above, but by all means paint the walls in it too. Just balance it out with lots of earthy texture and a neutral colour palette.
SERENITY
Calming, relaxing, cool, rich || Serenity is everything it’s name suggests and more. It is quaint yet elegant, cool yet enveloping. I love how it can look country and old school in one second and then sleek and sophisticated the next, and how an entire wall covered in Serenity from floor to ceiling can have just as intoxicating an impact as door frame and skirting boards painted the same hue and framing a room to perfection. I’m big on this colour, and have been ever since I designed this tablescape in 2014.
MAKE IT WORK
I’m a blue girl so I’m pretty much happy to see it in any way, shape or form but just like Rose Quartz, I am happiest when I see it paired with high woods, neutrals, naturals and bucketloads of texture to warm it up a bit. This lovely, fresh ice blue looks amazing with cognac and brown tones, with a generous dollop of white to balance out the warm and the cool. I also adore this shade used in high contrast, very contemporary setting as a statement colour, and styled very minimally.
What do you guys think of these two colours? Would you use one of them in your home? Or both?
I must admit I was fond of last year’s Marsala and felt more comfortable using it in my home and wardrobe, but I am excited to play with pinks and blues too this year in some of my projects after gathering these inspiring images.
H x
Image links: 1. Bedroom | Studio bedroom | Kids room | Pink kitchen | Mixed dining | Lofty pink bedroom | Pink front door | Living with blues and black floor| Kitchen with leather handles| Bedroom with ice blue linens| Tablescape | Collected Living room | Kitchen blue and white| Blue kitchen | Blue dining room | Framed living from a home featured in The Kinfolk Home
Love both these colors! Probably not for decorating MY house, but a touch of it here and there or maybe in a few photos. 🙂
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Love both these colors! 🙂 I’d totally use them to decorate my apartment! I prefer white and wooden furniture, but I’d love to add some decorations in these colors like on the photographs above. Great post!