Kerry Pianoforte, Editor05.09.16
Color popularity goes in and out of style. Colors that were popular 30 years ago now appear dated and stodgy. For 2016 the trend is freshness and simplicity with many major paint companies choosing neutral colors as their color of the year.
White Shines
Several coatings companies selected neutral white tones as their color of the year. Sherwin-Williams named Alabaster (SW 7008), a hue symbolic of new beginnings, as the 2016 Color of the Year. Drawn from Pura Vida, one of the four palettes in Sherwin-Williams colormix 2016, Alabaster represents the prominent use of light, which is a key element for traditional Nordic design. The color experts at Sherwin-Williams noted that it also pairs nicely with other popular Scandinavian décor influences including sleek lines, copper metallic finishes, marble and wood grain materials. Alabaster’s naturally flattering, barely-there undertones make for an attractive option when selecting a neutral color for spaces where people interact, such as lobbies, restaurants or retail settings. In healthcare spaces or a hotel spa, the color promotes a setting for healing and relaxation. The hue stands alone as a monochromatic statement, or forms a yin and yang harmony with contrasting dark colors, such as Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) or Gray Area (SW 7052).
Benjamin Moore chose Simply White OC-117 as its color fo the year for 2016. The company unveiled its Color Trends 2016, a corresponding palette of 23 colors to illustrate how white works within the color spectrum.
“The color white is transcendent, powerful and polarizing – it is either taken for granted or obsessed over,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore creative director. “White is not just a design trend, it is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top ten best-selling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots. It was inevitable that we would ultimately recognize white as our Color of the Year.”
The Benjamin Moore Color Studio forecasts color trends after a year of research attending major industry shows around the world, while also taking cues from standouts in architecture, fashion, textiles, home furnishings and the arts. White transcends style, and is seen in traditional, transitional and modern interiors. The color also presents attractive exterior looks for the home, from colonial to contemporary and virtually everything in between. The Color Studio arrived at Simply White OC-117 after careful review of the company’s more than 250 white selections. According to the Color Studio, it was the most neutral, level and constant in the various light sources used in today’s design environments.
PPG Industries unveiled its 2016 Color Palette of the Year, which showcases colors from the company’s leading paint brands: the GLIDDEN Paint, OLYMPIC Paints, PPG PAINTS and PPG PITTSBURGH PAINTS lines.
At the time, the company cited consumers’ desire for “journey, newness and discovery” as inspiration for Odyssey, the theme of the 2016 PPG Color Palette of the Year. It represents the adventurous experience of life in a fast-changing world.
Glidden Paint named Cappuccino White (45YY 74/073) the brand’s 2016 Color of the Year. A calm, sensitive and creamy neutral, Cappuccino White creates a sense of delicacy and graceful design that promotes wellness, purity, mindfulness, balance, privacy and peace. It is the color of seashells and ocean-smooth rocks. The elegant white pairs well with delicate pastels and light neutrals.
Blue Cloud (D48-5), a loud celebratory blue, is the 2016 Color of the Year for Olympic paints. An unapologetic blue that is easily noticed, it is impactful, self-expressive, social and glamorous. The tone is sparkling and deep, and it resembles the ocean on an impossibly clear day. PPG’s color experts recommend mixing this dazzling bright blue with softer, neutral tones.
PPG THE VOICE OF COLOR program, the color platform for the PPG Paints and PPG Pittsburgh Paints brands, named Paradise Found (PPG1135-5) as its 2016 Color of the Year. It is a serious green that is nurturing as well as sturdy and protective. While Paradise Found appears quiet and muffled, it provides a sense of strength and organic energy that is reminiscent of the military and natural environments. Keeping in mind the conscious awareness in society of an increasing need for security and development of personal strength, consumers who prefer this color likely wish to create a space that is naturally beautiful and reassuringly safe. It is edgy, yet still comforting, and it inspired by the urban militia trends seen on fashion runways.
White Shines
Several coatings companies selected neutral white tones as their color of the year. Sherwin-Williams named Alabaster (SW 7008), a hue symbolic of new beginnings, as the 2016 Color of the Year. Drawn from Pura Vida, one of the four palettes in Sherwin-Williams colormix 2016, Alabaster represents the prominent use of light, which is a key element for traditional Nordic design. The color experts at Sherwin-Williams noted that it also pairs nicely with other popular Scandinavian décor influences including sleek lines, copper metallic finishes, marble and wood grain materials. Alabaster’s naturally flattering, barely-there undertones make for an attractive option when selecting a neutral color for spaces where people interact, such as lobbies, restaurants or retail settings. In healthcare spaces or a hotel spa, the color promotes a setting for healing and relaxation. The hue stands alone as a monochromatic statement, or forms a yin and yang harmony with contrasting dark colors, such as Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) or Gray Area (SW 7052).
Benjamin Moore chose Simply White OC-117 as its color fo the year for 2016. The company unveiled its Color Trends 2016, a corresponding palette of 23 colors to illustrate how white works within the color spectrum.
“The color white is transcendent, powerful and polarizing – it is either taken for granted or obsessed over,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore creative director. “White is not just a design trend, it is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top ten best-selling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots. It was inevitable that we would ultimately recognize white as our Color of the Year.”
The Benjamin Moore Color Studio forecasts color trends after a year of research attending major industry shows around the world, while also taking cues from standouts in architecture, fashion, textiles, home furnishings and the arts. White transcends style, and is seen in traditional, transitional and modern interiors. The color also presents attractive exterior looks for the home, from colonial to contemporary and virtually everything in between. The Color Studio arrived at Simply White OC-117 after careful review of the company’s more than 250 white selections. According to the Color Studio, it was the most neutral, level and constant in the various light sources used in today’s design environments.
PPG Industries unveiled its 2016 Color Palette of the Year, which showcases colors from the company’s leading paint brands: the GLIDDEN Paint, OLYMPIC Paints, PPG PAINTS and PPG PITTSBURGH PAINTS lines.
At the time, the company cited consumers’ desire for “journey, newness and discovery” as inspiration for Odyssey, the theme of the 2016 PPG Color Palette of the Year. It represents the adventurous experience of life in a fast-changing world.
Glidden Paint named Cappuccino White (45YY 74/073) the brand’s 2016 Color of the Year. A calm, sensitive and creamy neutral, Cappuccino White creates a sense of delicacy and graceful design that promotes wellness, purity, mindfulness, balance, privacy and peace. It is the color of seashells and ocean-smooth rocks. The elegant white pairs well with delicate pastels and light neutrals.
Blue Cloud (D48-5), a loud celebratory blue, is the 2016 Color of the Year for Olympic paints. An unapologetic blue that is easily noticed, it is impactful, self-expressive, social and glamorous. The tone is sparkling and deep, and it resembles the ocean on an impossibly clear day. PPG’s color experts recommend mixing this dazzling bright blue with softer, neutral tones.
PPG THE VOICE OF COLOR program, the color platform for the PPG Paints and PPG Pittsburgh Paints brands, named Paradise Found (PPG1135-5) as its 2016 Color of the Year. It is a serious green that is nurturing as well as sturdy and protective. While Paradise Found appears quiet and muffled, it provides a sense of strength and organic energy that is reminiscent of the military and natural environments. Keeping in mind the conscious awareness in society of an increasing need for security and development of personal strength, consumers who prefer this color likely wish to create a space that is naturally beautiful and reassuringly safe. It is edgy, yet still comforting, and it inspired by the urban militia trends seen on fashion runways.
