• Interior Design
• Interiors

Dulux announce the Colour of the year 2019- my thoughts!

Even though I protest so much about the dictatorship of trends, and how we shouldn’t feel pressurised to have our homes look any certain way, I must admit that at this time of year I always feel rather thrilled to see what’s been heralded as the next big thing that we are all going to buy into anyway!

So last week, to much speculation, Dulux announced there Colour of the Year for 2019. I’m not going to beat about the bush… at first I was massively underwhelmed but a week later, thoughts have percolated, and now my enthusiasm is a little peaked. Read on, as I’d be fascinated to know your thoughts too.

Spiced Honey by Dulux creates a warm and cosy wall colour. Use whites for a crisper more contemporary look. I especially love these sheepskin upholstered armchairs!

So drum roll the colour that all the best-dressed homes will be rolling out on their walls is called Spiced Honey. And its kind of a yellow/ brown buff envelope kind of colour. Buff as in brown rather than buff as in phwoar. Are you amazed I’m still standing? I agree when I first saw it I scoffed and though per-leeese! It’s beige!

But then you read a little bit about the intensive research into why this colour has been chosen and my interest perked up…a bit! Dulux is part of the global giant Akzo Nobel and their ColourFutures panel of experts is made up of people from all over Europe. Their lofty aim is to match a colour to the mood of the moment for the year ahead.

Spiced honey adds depth and warmth but pairs well with softer lighter pastel shades.

Once again the trends forecasters predict that we are overwhelmed with the weight of the world, fast moving technology and politics make us want to retreat and cocoon and the warm soft tones of Spiced honey certainly create a cosy vibe. But it’s not all doom and gloom. By it’s very nature yellow is THE colour of positivity. Hélène van Gent, Head of the Global Aesthetic Centre, who chairs the ColourFutures™ panel comments:

“In 2019, as a society, we want to reach out, engage with our communities, make things better and ‘be the change’ – anything from supporting charities to small acts of neighbourly kindness. It’s time to act and Spiced Honey enables transformation inspiring a positive, emotional change.”

But when we shrink that down onto a smaller scale and how we want to make our homely spaces feel, then this very raw, warm shade of beige works well with it’s warm yellow undertones. Yellow is the colour of happiness, it uplifts and energises. Yet in it’s vibrant form it can be draining and over exhausting so not ideal in my view as a wall colour for main living areas. However I love it as an accent. But the more rustic beige tones of Spiced Honey makes for a mellower mood. And look to fashion and you can see the trend reflected there with the love of soft wool knits, trench coats and camel being a very fashionable palette. There is also a distinct retro vibe about this hue and I think looking back for inspiration and also reassurance I’m sure isn’t a coincidence.

I love the way a pastel blush pink and dirty mauves help to soften and feminise the strong tabacco wall colour. Living room painted in Spiced honey by Dulux

I love the way the designers at Dulux have created palettes with Spiced honey including blush pink, navy and aubergine- it suddenly becomes a much more edgy design palette. All palettes offered up by Dulux fall within the autumn personality (in terms of Colour Psychology), which is a great palette to design your home with. Warm, reassuring, solid and with a sense of authenticity, it really helps to support that sense of homeliness. And in this flaky fast moving trend obsessed world that a very refreshing trend indeed!

Think outside the box when introducing colour to your home. And don’t forget the ceiling is the fifth wall! Hear the dark warm hue has been rolled out on the ceiling which gives this pretty pastel bedroom some warmth. I think this would only work on a high ceiling though.

To find out what your colour palette is and what hues and styles support you psychologically then a still have a few spaces left on my London Colour workshop on the 2^nd October. We’ll work together throughout the day to look past the trends and the designer paint charts to form a palette that you can then decorate any room in your home with confidence. You can grab one of the last spaces here.