Pantone Colours 2016: Throwback or Forecast?

Pantone Colours 2016: Throwback or Forecast?

In January Pantone announced that their colours for 2016 were to be a gentle duo of Rose Quartz and Serenity, a pale combination of pink and blue. This is a move away from the former, more vivacious colours we have seen promoted throughout the last six years.

Pantone explains that this choice is partly influenced by a desire to  ‘disconnect from technology and unwind’ at a time when we are all becoming digital junkies this rational certainly seems to be a well timed visual antidote to our digital ailments.

“With our culture still surrounded by so much uncertainty, we are continuing to yearn for those softer shades that offer a sense of calm and relaxation.” – Pantone Colour Institute

As a Designer, I often spend hours researching different colour combinations, and the subtle psychology behind them trying to find just the right colour combination which will go onto represent a brand personality, a feeling, or a mood.

So I was intrigued to explore where the Pantone colour forecasters might have got their influences from when choosing the colours, Rose Quartz and Serenity.

These colours have become the covetable  ‘brand’ for 2016, and are now an important influence for a myriad of creative and cultural uses, from fashion, textiles and decor through to events, advertising, packaging and the digital landscape.

Would the colour forecasters have looked to the past, when determining the colours for the future? I decided to look a little deeper into the use of pale blue and pink throughout history.

I found these pale colour combinations have indeed had a former hay day in the early 19th Century. Pale Pink or ‘Blush’ was previously a colour of the season in 1802. This era is known as the Georgian period (1714-1837).

Influenced by new ways of thinking and an affinity with nature and travel, pale colours were widely used during this time across decor, fashion, ceramics and textiles. They gradually developed lighter and lighter versions of the original colours and over the years, this colour palette was to become defined as the ‘Regency Style’ (1811-1820).

Above all Robert Adams perfectly exhibited the magnificent effects of the colours of the era. He was an Architect, Interior Designer and Furniture Designer who combined Rose Quartz and Serenity in interiors, to stunning effect. His work can be seen across Britain such as the Osterley Park dining room.

“These pale colour palettes were favoured because they represented harmony and symmetry, airiness and space, light and delicacy." – Period Style BBC

These are some of the same qualities for which Pantone choose to re-introduce these colours. Colours, like many aspects of design, are cyclical and it seems that we are again embracing the pale hues which inspired an era some 200 years ago.

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References:

BBC Georgian Period Style: http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_georgian.shtml

The Georgian Period 17-14-1830 ref: http://www.gpwu.ac.jp/~biddle/THE%20GEORGIAN%20PERIOD.html

Pantone: http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr/?season=spring&year=2016&pid=11

Classical Addiction: http://www.classicaladdiction.com/2011/07/the-genius-of-robert-adam-his-interiors/adam-osterley-park-dining-room/#.VqZYLVLljE5

Yvonne Beale

Owner & Designer at www.crafted.ie

8y

Thanks Laura, enjoyed your article. Yes, I am always looking at colours that are forecast with trends & for sure colours are turning more "gentle" for the coming Summer. No doubt that the growing appeal of mindfulness & self-relaxation has been an influence here. Looking forward to this softness.

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Love this!!

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Clare Lynch

Creative Director at Clare Lynch Creative, Graphic Design Services Dublin

8y

Great article! Yeah there seems to be a great drive towards mindfulness at the moment and switching off from devices. It's interesting to see that it's driving the colour trends this year.

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