2016 Colours of the Year

Here are the 2016 colours of the year.

Pantone

Pantone has introduced its colour of the year for 2016. For the first time, it has selected a combination of two colours: Rose Quartz and Serenity. The colour authority responsible for making colours universally accessible to all industries in a unified way has long set colour trends not only in home and design, but in fashion as well.

The two complementary colours were selected to bring peace and serenity into homes during these hectic, stressful times. According to Pantone, the decision was based on emotion: “A symbolic colour selection; a colour snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.”

“Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times,” Pantone said in a press release.

Benjamin Moore

The fashion-forward paint company has gone with an unexpected and welcome colour of the year that purists and minimalists worldwide will appreciate: Simply White.

According to the Benjamin Moore website, “Surrender to the complexity of white. The interplay of whites and light creates nuance and subtle beauty.” Benjamin Moore takes a contemporary line with its choice and suggests a pairing with black for high contrast.

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams has merged the concepts Pantone and Benjamin Moore have introduced. Its colour of the year, Alabaster, combines the feel of serenity and peace with the simplicity and brightness of white.

According to Jackie Jordan, director of colour for Sherwin-Williams: “Alabaster represents a straightforward and necessary shift to mindfulness. It provides an oasis of calmness, spirituality and ‘less is more’ visual relief. Alabaster is neither stark nor overly warm, but rather an understated and alluring white.”

Glidden

Glidden has followed its fellow paint manufacturers in making white a powerful colour statement again. Its colour of the year is Cappuccino White.

According to Glidden paint colour expert Misty Yeomans: “As legendary fashion designer Tom Ford said, ‘Time and silence are the most luxurious things today.’ In an age of constant interruption and chatter, Cappuccino White offers a soft backdrop that helps defer distractions and creates a calm lightness in the home to encourage a relaxed mind.”

How to Incorporate These Colour Trends Into Your Home

Fortunately, the 2016 colours of the year are soft, fashion-forward shades that can work in many rooms, colour themes and styles. Some good ways to incorporate these serene colours into your home include:

• An accent wall colour

• Throw pillows

• A rug

• Candles or other decor

• China or linens

If you love Pantone’s colours of the year but are concerned about how to tie in the shades with your existing decor, you’ll be happy to know that both Rose Quartz and Serenity work well with the new whites, earth tones, greys, navy and indigo.

All three paint manufacturers that chose a shade of white suggested a pairing with blush tones and wine undertones similar to Pantone’s colours of the year, creating a complementary colour trend palette across the board for 2016.

If pastels aren’t for you, take inspiration from the shades and work with richer tones of the same hue. Some other colours that are derived from Rose Quartz and Serenity include wine hues or richer shades of blue with cool or violet undertones.

Add a little modern serenity into your home with these colours of the year. For the first time in many years, they are likely to be enjoyed and appreciated by most design enthusiasts.