After months of painstaking research into interior trends and consumer behaviour, Dulux has announced their Colour of the year for 2018. Heart Wood. A subtle and warm tone of grown-up pink, it draws from the tactile qualities of natural wood and leather, conveying comfort and ease in response to consumers wanting to nestle down more and create a “Welcome Home”. The creation of three further palettes, Comforting Home, Inviting Home and Playful Home, reflects recent trends but also the emotional investment everyone has in their home.

The research was conducted by the colour team at Dulux’s Global Aesthetic Centre, together with a group of 11 international experts. It revealed a strong trend of consumers wanting to transform their homes into spaces of retreat from the outside world.

“As life gets faster, now is the time to press pause,” said Heleen Van Gent, Creative Director at the company’s Global Aesthetic Centre. “Our home needs to be a place where we can turn down the noise, where we can nurture our values and recharge. Colour can play a significant role in addressing the balance between outside clamour and inner calm.

“Our 2018 Colour of the Year truly captures the mood of the moment. Heart Wood and its four complementary colour palettes will help consumers achieve a home that is truly and uniquely theirs, bringing a feeling of safety and reassurance, creating a welcome home for all.”

A Welcome Home is a place of harmony, comfort and ease for all. It combines gentle shades of grey-pink, blues and soft cocoa flowing into bolder shades of ink blue and purple. It takes inspiration from the tactile qualities of materials that customers are known to turn to during times of unpredictability. Calming and restorative, Heart Wood gives a sense of connection between the inside and outside world. The Heart Wood home palette blends harmoniously with the materials from which the hero colour takes its inspiration.

The Comforting Home creates an environment in which to truly recharge and reset the mind. A cocooning space which acts as a restorative embrace. Warm earth tones permeate this home, bringing together clay and blush pink tones to calm the mind, soothe the senses and shut out the noise. Rich, welcoming textures such as silk and velvet create a highly tactile space.

The Inviting Home brings comfort and convenience to life for those seeking to strengthen bonds and bring family and friends together. Cool shades of blue encourage a clear-headed approach to life, while neutrals and fresh green support the need for connection with the outside world. Softer pastel shades are enhanced by coal and ink blue.

The Playful Home creates a space to be inspired and invigorate the senses. Yellow-toned green and gold help spark the synapses and encourage a creative approach to life. Pops of colour add a sense of fun and energy, while clever use of colour can help create different zones within smaller spaces.

Create a true sanctuary with our Colour of the Year Consumer needs for certain colours ebb and flow with how they feel about the world around them. With the 2018 Colour of the Year and its four contemporary colour palettes, customers around the world can now create spaces within their homes that are truly theirs and up-to date with their everyday needs.

To find out more about ColourFutures™ and the Colour of the Year, visit Dulux at dulux.co.uk/articles/colour-futures-2017