Colour trends 2015

ARTICLE Karen Warman

The trends have come around to perennial favorites – deep blue reds, the striking tone of black and near black, the soothing restlessness of duck egg blue and greyed blues, and the bold pops of orange and yellow to add a touch of upbeat liveliness.
Remember your childhood – that playful streak, your willingness to embrace the new, and the joy and wonder in the smallest of things? Embrace your inner child (it’s still in there somewhere!) and be spontaneous. Add that bold happy colour you’ve always loved for a touch of fun. Sure, it might not last 10 years but the enjoyment you’ll get out of it in even a short period will far outweigh feeling trapped by safe choices. Colours should inspire you, help you feel at home and reflect who you are.
There is a sense of rejuvenation and reintroducing happy memories of the past to the present, bringing the favorites from our childhood into the lives of our own family.
Blues become mutable, crossing over to stormy sea-washed tones, such as Resene Dusted Blue. Fresh blues, like Resene Skydiver, ground the more powdery tones; such as Resene Frozen. Ever-popular duck egg blue, such as Resene Duck Egg Blue, bridges the gap between neutral and coloured with just a touch of colour to lift it away from monochromatic greys.

Use colour blocking and stenciling to combine favourite colours and really show off a space. Stripes, once strictly only for wallpaper, are increasingly being painted on in a range of hues and widths for a personalised look. While vertical stripes have been traditional, they’re finding themselves reinvented and rotated into the horizontal. No longer limited to just walls, stripes have found themselves onto the floor and more recently even ceiling areas, making the rest of the canvas available. Transform all your surfaces into the artwork, don’t let your creativity stop at the wall.
Reds are strong and powerful, with influencing blue tones, such as popular Resene Pohutakawa and Resene Poppy, Fire engine red is not to be ignored with hues such as Resene Havoc. Equally bold is the frivolity of hot magenta pink captured Resene Scrumptious.
Browns are turning more yellow toned, making them more complementary with wood. Warm dark browns, such as Resene Sambuca and the lighter Resene Rough N Tumble, are sought after; an excellent sophisticated pairing with timber or to contrast other colour choices.
Grey has hidden depths; sometimes blue, sometimes green. Once the complement, it’s now a feature. Deep grey, such as Resene Gumboot and Resene Half Bokara Grey, appeals to those who yearn for density and depth but don’t want to commit to the starkness of black. We’re seeing the tones of beige turn ‘greige’ as they cool into greys and lose some of their warm beige edges.

Beige is still big, but greige, such as Resene Triple Rakaia, offers a new sleeker alternative for those looking for something new.
Ceilings, once pure white, are increasingly at least tinted to neutral hues and increasingly being painted to complement or accent the wall colour. In bedrooms and living areas, wall colours that extend from the walls onto the ceiling create a sense of cosiness and a relaxing cocoon of colour. Bold feature colours on ceilings are the next frontier for colour lovers, a new twist on a feature wall.
There is a new palette of dusty and smoky colours coming through, such as Resene Mesmerise, Resene Soulmate and Resene Abercrombie that feel timeless.
Easy to live with and coordinate, they’re a sophisticated alternative to cleaner pastels. They bring with them a sense of being more grounded and less airy than the pastels of recent years.
When it comes to green, the coming trends are diverse. On the dark side, there are the earthy camouflage and nature-inspired shades that would look right at home in the deepest jungle with hues such as Resene Seaweed. On the lighter side, there are the striking bright ‘look at me’ greens, such as Resene Kakapo and Resene Curiosity.
For something a little more restful, there are fresh mints and airy greens, such as Resene Secrets, light on the senses.
Neutrals, as always, are the balance. The backdrop to the brights, your favourite accessories, the respite from busy life and the soft cocoon you can use as a launch pad as you progress down the path to bolder choices.

Blackened neutrals such as the Resene Black White and Resene Alablaster colour families are on the upswing, and work well with the deep grey accents.
For many natural surfaces, the look is pared back and minimalised. Rather than covering up the raw beauty, the key is to enhance it. Natural materials tend to show their age very quickly, so the trend is to finish them in clear finishes so they keep their natural good looks for longer. Think concrete wax on concrete floors and benchtops, clear finishes on timber and water repellents on exterior concrete. It’s about protecting the surface but not changing the aesthetic; keeping the look true to the original character.
Where walls once used to be just a pretty colour, now they are becoming part of the function of the house, particularly in the heart of the home or office where people congregate. Think a write-on Wall Paint painted onto your office meeting room or your kitchen wall for reminders, notes and sharing information. Or for the more nostalgic, a blackboard wall in Resene Blackboard Paint taking you back to the days of your childhood, where life was all about being hands on creative, rather than being tethered to technology.
Where once there were rules, guidelines and boundaries, now there is free will, free choice and endless possibilities. The only limit is your imagination.
For more information, visit the Resene website.

Not ready for bold colours for your next paint job? Read, “Choosing the right white for your walls” to help you make an informed decision about your wall colour choices.

This article by Karen Warman featured on page 110 of Issue 014 of New Zealand Renovate Magazine. New Zealand's first and only magazine solely dedicated to home renovations.

 

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