The Art of Color Forecasting: An Inside Look at Selecting Global Color Trends

Where do color trends come from? It’s a common question among designers, architects and paint and coatings professionals who are challenged with making color decisions nearly every day.

The answer is quite simple: everywhere.

Inspiration for color trends can come from a combination of elements found in nature, technology, fashion, media, consumer preferences and more. Color selections are also strongly impacted by the current – and projected – global economic climate.

Often, an even more prominent question among professionals is: How do color trends impact my business goals?

The answer to this question has several facets to consider.

Color provides avenues for individual expression and creativity, while also being a profound business vehicle. Color psychology, or the meaning and feeling associated with a specific color, is proven to have a significant impact on consumer purchase decisions. In fact, research from The Journal of Genetic Psychology has shown that color is such a powerful marketing tool that it accounts for 85 percent of the reason someone decides to purchase a product.