Design Buy Build Issue 36 2019 | Page 40

ColourFutures™ - A Space to Dream In the fast pace of life in 2019, is there still the time to dream? To slow down, step off the conveyor belt and allow our minds to drift away? These are often when the best ideas are born, whether at work or at home. However, the opportunities to dream must be created by design professionals in the first place. ‘Dream’ is one of the four forecasted trends for 2019, a palette for the professional specifier, developed by AkzoNobel and Dulux Trade as part of ColourFutures™ 2019. The AkzoNobel Global Aesthetic Center has more than 25 years of experience in colour research, bringing together independent colour and design experts from around the world with their own in-house designers. During the annual trend forecasting process, this group distils its knowledge of design innovations and social changes in architecture, materials, interiors and the visual arts to create colour combinations which capture the mood of the moment. Colour is an intrinsic part of any design project with a powerful impact on how individuals use spaces and feel within them. ColourFutures™ combines expert colour research with industry knowledge so professionals have forward looking and useable colour palettes at their fingertips. When deciding on the ColourFutures™ 2019 palettes, the experts chose themes of think, dream, love and act. The ColourFutures™ palettes have been created by interpreting extensive knowledge of colour trends specifically for the paint market. Each shade can be used successfully as a broad wall colour to capture the essence of one of the four trend stories. Another key consideration when selecting the colours for 2019’s trend forecasts is that they all work with the colour of the year, so you can feel confident that whichever combination you select it will work beautifully with Spiced Honey™. These palettes are about balance and usability so professionals have access to effortless, directional colour combinations. The Dream palette is perfectly suited to the cold, wintry tones of the weather outside, allowing users of any space room to let their minds wander, without distractions from bold or jarring colour combinations. The Dream palette is about seeking stillness and silence, falling into a state of dreamlike wakefulness where people get lost in the moment and allow their minds to wander. This is a colour story of soft muted pastels that retain the playfulness of the classic brighter tints we remember from childhood, but with a touch of grey to add a little elegance. The role of Spiced Honey TM here is as a stronger accent, adding depth along with deep grey – Vintage Smoke. Degraded pastels are currently an important colour area in design and these specific shades have been selected to capture the whimsical nature of the story. This colour palette will create spaces where adults can step back from more serious matters and relax, which could be a very helpful tool in creating spaces for healthcare as well as the leisure market. 40 Relaxation and play may have once been a stranger to the workplace, but we now understand that being productive is all about invigorating the brain, feeling well in yourself (not stressed or overwhelmed) and working as a team; all things that play can provide. Google was one of the forerunners in this area, but there is now even a School of Play in the UK, where its founder Portia Tung has created ‘a pop-up school dedicated to promoting happier adulthood through lifelong play’ and ‘unleashing the play-brain’. From big brands, to workplaces, public spaces and homes, one thing is clear - we must now nurture each other and our communities in 2019. To download the Dream palette or for more information, please visit www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk/ colours