The Dulux colour of the year 2020 is Tranquil Dawn a soft green hue to embody the nation’s mood on the approach of a new decade.
Choosing the Dulux colour of the year
An expert panel of colour designers, trend forecasters, design specialists, architects and editors from around the world gathers to select the colour of the year.
Now in its 17th year, the panel includes former Editor in Chief of Elle Decoration UK, Michelle Ogundehin. It is chaired by Heleen van Gent from AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre - identified the nation’s overwhelming desire for reconnection.
According to the press release the expert’s colour selection…
“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.
Mass production, digitisation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are part of society, and while digital connections have improved aspects of living, the lack of human connection has made life poorer - and all the more chaotic.
Fuelled by a greater understanding of the impact society is making on the planet, the panel identified the universal theme for 2020 as a desire to create more opportunities to experience ‘A Human Touch’ in our lives and in our homes.”
To be honest I’m not a great fan of all of these metaphors for the human experience. I feel like I've heard them all before. The Dulux Colour of the year 2019 Spiced Honey is said to reflect a new mood of positivity and optimism - a desire to let the light in.
Whilst Living Coral the 2019 Pantone colour of the Year is described as life affirming and reflecting a need for
"optimism and joyful pursuits... In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy…”
Is it me or does this all sound very familiar? In relation to interiors I actually find it much more interesting to think about the colour and how it relates directly to the environment that we live in. The visual solutions rather than the idealogical ones.
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK, has a simpler explanation for the colour's connection with our world.
“A new decade heralds a new dawn and the hazy pale green tones of Tranquil Dawn™ are calming and comforting just when we need it most in our lives. When paired with neutral pastels and rich jewels it becomes incredibly powerful at creating spaces that encourage making better human connections.
“The colours within all palettes including Tranquil Dawn™ have been inspired by the changing sunrises that paint the sky in different seasons and have been designed to make decoration with Colour of the Year simple."
Indeed Dulux has made this very simple to envisage the new colours in our lives. The colour of the year 2020 has four supporting trend palettes to show how Tranquil Dawn can be used to create spaces that enhance what we need and want in the year ahead.
The Meaning Palette - A home for meaning
Inspired by a cold winter’s dawn, this minimalist palette features icy green, warm cream and charcoal hues, creating a feeling of calm and contemplation.
The Creativity Palette - A home for creativity
Inspired by a warm autumnal day, a sumptuous palette with maroon and tobacco hues, pale and moss greens provides a sumptuous space for self-expression and storytelling.
The Care Palette - A home for care
Inspired by a hazy spring horizon, this palette evokes a feeling of deep relaxation and peace thanks to a blend of earthy neutrals, muted greens, dusky pinks and pale blues.
The Play Palette - A home for play
Inspired by the horizon of a hot summer morning, this palette features vivid reds, alongside baby blue, cream and pale green.
These ready-made templates help us to easily envisage how to integrate Tranquil Dawn into new and existing decor schemes alongside other colours that are currently on trend. It is interesting to see how the play palette mixes with soft beiges and yellows. The play palettee mixes with the earthy pinks and terracottas. Both beige and terracotta feature in the list of colours that I picked out as my top 3 colours for 2019 and beyond.
Decorating with pastels is also a trend that I picked out earlier in the year. Plenty of inspiration here for decorating with the softer colours of nature.
Overall I'm a fan of this year's colour choice. I think it works as a soft neutral background to deeper colours. However the natural earthy tone also stands alone as a feature colour in its own right. Essentially colour choices are very subjective and the same colours can have very different effects from person to person. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new colour. Leave us a comment about what you think.
