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Taking brave ground
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very year, the Global Aesthetic centre works with colour representatives from 80 markets around the world. To ensure that the trends are right for the future, it gains insights from acclaimed international design experts and unpacks the latest global trends that will affect every area of people’s lives. This research is then translated into insights that inform one key colour that reflects the mood of the moment for that year – a tone that’s set to have an impact on homes all over the world. Dulux colour expert, Palesa Ramaisa unpacks the process that goes into these colour insights and looks back at some of the most memorable colours and trends of the past decade. “We started working with over 100 colours in 2004 to show the breadth
Dulux Colour of the Year for 2021 is ‘Brave Ground’, but how did it come out on top? This is a look at colour trends through the years and how this year is braver than ever.
of our colour expertise. Every Colour of the Year marks a moment in time and, viewed collectively, they can help tell the story of our age. The evolution of our ColourFutures palettes charts the changes in our consumers’ appetite for different colours, and also reflects what’s going on globally. You’ll notice that neutrals are becoming increasingly important, with a continuing interest in shades on the grey scale and warm neutrals that serve as the perfect canvas for most homes. Nearly two decades on from the very first ColourFutures, we’ve honed our colours down from 100 to 37, creating a curated selection that takes the complexity out of colour choice and makes it far easier for our consumers to select the shades that are right for them,” says Ramaisa.
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If we look at the past decide we see clear trends of how people gravitated to certain shades: • 2004-2007 cooler blues: Calming blues and purples played a dominant role in the colour palettes of this period. • 2004-2021 neutral grow: We’ve seen an increasing interest in neutrals, with earthy tones making more of an appearance. • 2007-2013 optimistic yellows: Sunny shades became more prevalent, with people looking for positivity in their interiors. • 2013-2021 muted tones: The last few years have seen a growing desire for more neutral shades, with an increase in the popularity of greyish tones.
