Colour Futures International Colour Trends 2016
TM
colour
trends
2016
looking
both
ways
akzonobel
global
aesthetic
centER
presents
colour
futures
2016
contents
research 04-11
foreword
colours future
colours past
the overriding trend
Colour of the year 12-23
colour of the year 2016
roomsets
colour palette
Trends 24-77
Heritage&future
words&pictures
dark&light
the grid&letting go
resources 78-80
before & after images
image librarY
insert
Colour palette guide
Special thanks to the professionals involved in bringing this book to life.
05
akzonobel
global aesthetic center
foreword by
heleen van gent
creative director
2016
colour trends
research
ColourFutures: Translating research into a future we all recognise.
Every year, AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center brings together a group of
international experts and trend watchers from across the globe and from various
disciplines of design – architecture, textiles, product design, graphics and research.
We invite them to dis
cuss what they think will be the major global developments
in the coming years, based on global social and design trends. This process allows
us to nominate a number of trends, with one overriding idea that captures the
mood of the moment; and then consider how this will influence the consumer. From
there, developed by the colour experts at AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center,
ColourFutures provides content that can be used to engage and inspire our
customers and consumers. From the most confident opinion leaders, such as
architects and interior designers, to consumers and decorators, our imagery
communicates the latest trends and inspires the use of paint in interior design
and architecture. It is a process that ensures our research and forecasting is
firmly connected to relevant, modern-day trends. By talking with people who are
designing for the future in the same way that we are, it is possible to identify longterm, constantly evolving trends; translating theory into a future we
all recognise.
06
COTY
research
COLOURS
future
the 2016 palette
revealed
For 2016 we see a muted and sophisticated
palette which centres on soft mid tone shades. The overall feeling
continues to be warm, but with even greater subtlety. Bright colours
have moved away from primary to something more interesting. Think
coral, not orange; ochre not yellow and midnight, not blue. This is a
friendly palette but with a dark, mysterious side.
Colours of the year
04
05
06
07
09
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Key colour stories
The key colour in each colour family gives a clear direction as to where each hue is moving to and has travelled from. Gold, mustard or lemon: where will this year’s yellow take us?
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
12 13 14 15 16
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
12 13 14 15 16
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
12 13 14 15 16
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Reds: from strawberry to deep damson
this is an ever popular colour family.
From 2010 onwards their tone has been
consistent, with the exc
eption in 2014.
Oranges: we see a shift from more
yellow oranges in the earlier years to a more
red-orangey tone in the last six years.
Yellows: we have seen yellows travel the
full spectrum over the years from fresh
citrus to burnt ochre and this year’s favourite
is a beautiful soft gold.
Greens: the most diverse of all the colour
stories, green has taken us from palest,
almost yellow to deep teal and everything
in between.
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
12 13 14 15 16
Blues: in 2013 indigo made a splash as the
colour of the year but since then we have
seen deep blues with a green undertone and
this year’s is even darker.
12 13 14 15 16
Violets: the violet key colour has been deep,
dark and mysterious over the years, but for
2015 it was a pale sugary tone. This year we
pick up where we left it in 2014.
colour evolution over the years
12 13 14 15 16
Cool neutrals: the family of cool neutrals
has been “everywhere
in its spectrum.
But, after many years of gentle greys we
see a dramatic change this year.
15
14
12 13 14 15 16
Warm neutrals: since 2011 we have seen
the domination of mid tone and light neutrals
with a grey tone, but this year we return to
a more traditional warm neutral.
Each year our colour forecast offers a snapshot of trends for the forthcoming year and it is fascinating to see how tastes have evolved and changed over the years.
indicates the colour of that year.
16
12 13 14 15 16
research
colours past
A history of
colour analysis
13
12
11
10
09
08
07
06
05
04
It all began15 years ago with the Global Aesthetic Center inviting
people from the design industry mainly to help predict colour palettes that
could be relevant in the future. However, on realising the value we could
create for our customers and consumers by extending ourselves to focus
on the design trends of the future as well, we decided to invest further and
build the scale of our activity, and publish our p
redictions as a book for the
benefit of the wider audience. Each year, we identify a total of about 50-60
colours within the palettes for our trends, and nominate one Colour of the
Year that we determine to be the most important one for the coming year.
As we move into our 13th year of ColourFutures, it is vital for us to examine
how these palettes have constantly evolved, influenced by a variety of
factors, global trends and shifts in taste.
10
research
the
overriding
trend for 2016
looking
both ways
This year, we find ourselves at a unique crossroads in time.
We are at a very interesting point where we can see the advantage both
of tradition and also of modern innovation; where the importance of
weighing up opposite opinions and views has never been stronger. Digital
and modern techniques are here to stay but we look for inspiration from
the past to be able to design for the future. This theme of duality is the
driving influence for 2016. For instance, we live in overcrowded urb
an
areas where we lack darkness during the night, yet research shows that
we need the dark. Similarly we live structured lives but need to escape
the grid to remain ourselves, or for example technology is now so much
a part of our lives that we enjoy a printed book or pencil and paper.
Opposites are seen in all our trends – Heritage and Future, Dark and Light,
The Grid and Letting Go and Words and Pictures.
-kooLookgning
htoboth
syaways
13
colour of the
year 2016
an
OCHRE
GOLD
In identifying a colour that would connect with the overall trend
of looking both ways, we noted that all the key trends for 2016 had an
element of gold in them. It’s the ‘golden hour’ of Dark and Light; it’s the gold
that appears in Heritage and Future – both in the paintings of old masters
and also in modern design trends. Out of the broad palette of yellows we
identified, we have carefully selected the one yellow that best represents
the golden influence of the coming year’s colour trends. W
e have selected
a gold influenced ochre which is both bright enough to attract attention
and combines well with other tones. Gold and gold tones are being used
everywhere in the design world. It is a recurring colour and material at
design fairs and in graphic design as well as in architecture, fashion, beauty
and interior decorating. We feel that this is a beautiful next step, a natural
evolution and transition from the coppery orange that was the colour of
the year for 2015. We’ve designed a colour palette to work beautifully
with the Colour of the Year 2016 to create a tonal effect, a relaxed neutral
combination or something more surprising.
14
gold
and
gold tones
ARE being
used
everywhere
in the
design
world
colour of
the year
© KME
colour of
the year
18
F4.67.63
P7.08.76
E8.34.50
G6.04.66
AN.02.76
N0.03.77
E2.17.58
F8.12.71
E1.15.37
E5.09.13
the
colour
of the year
F1.34.58
and the
colour
of the year
paletTe
colour of the year 2016 | F1.34.58
22
25
th
e trends
Heritage&future
words&pictures
dark&light
the grid&letting go
26
heritage
&Future
Driving the foundations of our identity. The starting point
of our CF16 brainstorm was; ‘You need to know about your past in order to
design for your future.’ Today’s global brands place great value on exploring
and displaying their past history. At the design fair in Milan for example,
many of the companies were showing their timelines alongside their future
products. Why? Because their heritage lends them an authenticity and
credibility that cannot be faked, provides a sense of longevity and also
helps to shape their future. By looking both ways, they are able to take
inspiration from the past, to demonstrate the foundations of identity, and
gain confidence in their next steps forward. Vintage and antique references
may be contrasted with – or support – the modern-day; and there is a sense
that by appreciating one’s history, both as a person or a company, we build
value and bec
ome more fully shaped and prepared for designing the future.
Translated into a colour palette, we see the reds that reflect our rich heritage,
but also have a bright contemporary feel that points to the future.
By
looking
at the
past
we are
able
to
design
for
the future
heritage
&Future
&Future
heritage
30
B8.38.44
B7.25.50
D3.32.55
F0.20.61
DN.03.86
C3.13.14
C9.13.37
D5.12.55
C8.04.67
C9.03.77
heritage
Photography: olivierpolmichel.de Architecture: motorlab.de
&Future
34
heritage
&Future
Anticipating
the future and
appreciating
the past
39
Words&
PIctures
Documenting our lives. We live in an age of visual
saturation, where our every moment is recorded and posted on social media.
As a result, we see quantity over quality, with imagery becoming devalued
through its overuse. The old phrase ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ has
now almost become reversed, since words – whether spoken or written – are
forever being squeezed in our fast-paced lives.
They are restricted and shortened on social media, while we increasingly communicate using pictures
alone. (Which of course can be photoshopped, so we don’t always trust them.)
As a consequence, there is a new found power in words, especially when used
in the right context. In China, the art of traditional oral storytelling is back in
fashion – and we are beginning to see clubs and societies devoted to this in
the Western world as well. The trend for words can also be seen in the use of
lettering in interior design and architecture; but rather than words and images
being in opposition, one completes the other. The corresponding colour palette
uses the blue of ink and grey of graphite in contrast to tones familiar with
smartphone and social media filters.
Words&
PIctures
42
On.00.88
V2.04.78
C0.03.77
Yn.02.45
U6.09.35
F6.14.78
G5.07.73
N0.03.77
R6.06.73
S2.11.63
© MVRDV
47
Words&
PIctures
Project by TETRARC architects Photographer © S.Chalmeau
A picture may p
aint
a thousand words but with
so much imagery
overloading us, do we trust
the written word more?
51
there
is a
new found
power
in GRAPHICS
AND
STATEMENTS
Words&
PIctures
53
dark
&Light
Celebrating the night. One of the key trends for
2016 is the importance of darkness. The introduction of Earth Hour – where
millions of people around the globe all turn their lights off on the same
day, has highlighted how much light pollution effects us all. Research has
proven how important it is that we have a restful sleep, to recharge and
regroup without the disrupting influence of light. It’s not only about humans:
research shows that light pollution can also effect the nighttime biological
activity of plants and wildlife. Just as we need darkness in order to see the
stars in the night sky more clearly, the Dutch masters of the 17th century
showed how their techniques at capturing lustre and the play of light was
best portrayed in contrast to dark hues. Many of the colours in this pal
ette
blend seamlessly together, recalling the tones of both dusk and dawn
during the ‘golden hour’.
Celebrate the night
by enjoying the mystery
and beauty of the dark
dark
&Light
&Light
dark
56
E8.29.46
F8.37.27
C3.13.14
T3.04.12
M9.18.13
PN.00.81
U6.09.35
W9.10.13
T9.26.21
S0.16.22
dark
&Light
63
We have
long been
obsessed
with light,
but NOW
REALISE we
also need
the dark
for a
healthy,
well
rested
life
dark
&Light
66
the Grid
&Letting go
Freedom within a framework. We are increasingly
seeing the appeal of going ‘off grid’ in order to find oneself in the modern
world. Office workers go to morning dance parties before going to work.
Digital agencies organise knitting clubs, valuing the chance to produce
something physical and tangible. But it’s impossible to talk of going
back to the wild and living offline without a frame of reference. We
need boundaries in which to live, even if we seek to rebel against them;
freedom is only understandable withi
n the context of a framework. Or, to
put it another way: you can’t break the mould if you don’t have a mould
in the first place. The Folk Circus in Brooklyn, New York is evidence
of how the modern, urban lifestyle yearns for such controlled chaos.
The use of organic forms in product design is another case of allowing
the imagination to flourish by not feeling bound or restricted by grids.
Hence the colours in this palette are vivid and playful, yet still held back
by the black and white of the grid.
69
URban
lifestyle
yearns
for
controlled
chaos
the Grid
&Letting go
the Grid
&Letting go
© MVRDV
75
the Grid
&Letting go
Lack of control
can be scary
but it’s how we find
ourselves
the Grid
&Letting go
76
Sn.01.87
F4.67.63
D0.39.55
D5.13.72
X1.04.83
T3.04.12
S2.11.63
Q3.16.65
G2.41.72
F4.04.73
Before & after IMAGES
79
Below is a selection of before images which reveal the dramatic effect of paint. For the online version, please go to colourfutures.com
Col
our of the year
cf16-COTY-3-Before
Heritage & future
words & pictures
cf16-COTY-3
cf16-H&F-2- BEFORE
cf16-D&L-10 - before
cf16-H&F-2
cf16-W&P-3- BEFORE
cf16-COTY-4-BEFORE
cf16-COTY-4
cf16-W&P-5 - BEFORE
cf16-H&F-8- BEFORE
cf16-COTY-6-BEFORE
cf16-D&L-10
cf16-G&L-2- BEFORE
cf16-G&L-2
cf16-G&L-8- BEFORE
cf16-G&L-8
cf16-G&L-9 - BEFORE
cf16-G&L-9
cf16-G&L-10 - BEFORE
cf16-G&L-10
cf16-W&P-5
cf16-D&L-11- BEFORE
cf16-D&L-11
cf16-D&L-12- BEFORE
cf16-D&L-12
cf16-W&P-11
cf16-H&F-10
cf16-COTY-6
cf16-W&P-12- BEFORE
cf16-COTY-15-BEFORE
the grid & letting go
cf16-W&P-3
cf16-H&F-8
cf16-W&P-11- BEFORE
cf16-H&F-10- BEFORE
dark & light
cf16-COTY-15
cf16-W&P-12
Image LIBRARY
Here you will find an index of the pictures that have been used in this publication. For the online version, please go to colourfutures.com
p38-50
cover
p67-77
cf16-research-12
p12-23
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-3
cf16-cover
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-10
p27-37
cf16-COTY-11
p3-8
cf16-W&P-6
cf16-W&P-12
cf16
-D&L-6
p52-65
cf16-H&F-6
cf16-G&L-6
cf16-COTY-6
cf16-research-6
cf16-COTY-12
cf16-G&L-1
cf16-W&P-1
cf16-CONTENTS
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-4
cf16-COTY-1
cf16-D&L-7
cf16-W&P-7
cf16-G&L-7
cf16-H&F-1
cf16-H&F-7
cf16-research-7
cf16-COTY-13
cf16-COTY-7
cf16-research-1
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-5
cf16-D&L-1
cf16-W&P-2
cf16-G&L-2
cf16-G&L-8
cf16-D&L-8
cf16-COTY-2
cf16-H&F-2
cf16-W&P-8
cf16-research-2
cf16-D&L-2
cf16-H&F-8
cf16-research-8
cf16-COTY-14
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-6
cf16-D&L-9
cf16-G&L-9
cf16-research-3
cf16-G&L-3
cf16-W&P-3
cf16-COTY-3
cf16-COTY-8
cf16-H&F-3
cf16-COTY-15
cf16-H&F-9
cf16-D&L-10
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-7
cf16-D&L-3
p24
cf16-W&P-9
cf16-research-9
cf16-G&L-10
cf16-COTY-4
cf16-COTY-9
cf16-D&L-4
cf16-research-4
cf16-H&F-4
cf16-H&F-10
cf16-W&P-4
cf16-D&L-11
cf16-G&L-4
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-8
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-1
cf16-research-10
cf16-W&P-10
cf16-research-5
cf16-research-11
cf16-COTY-5
cf16-COTY-10
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-2
cf16-TRENDSINTRO-9
cf16-H&F-5
cf16-H&F-11
cf16-W&P-5
cf16-W&P-11
cf16-D&L-5
cf16-D&L-12
cf16-G&L-5
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