Unveiling our ColourFutures

Every year, Dulux Trade's parent company, AkzoNobel, publishes the industry-acclaimed ColourFutures. The trend analysis and forecast is developed by a panel of international experts who scour the globe to discover emerging trends and insights that affect the way we live.

This year's ColourFutures has arrived, and with it comes the 2018 Colour of the Year. Heart Wood is a warm neutral with a hint of heather and is set to be a popular choice in the next 12 months. Keep reading to find out more.

ColourFutures adds value to your business

This year marks 15 years of ColourFutures. Since 2003, ColourFutures has been dedicated to the expert analysis of social, economic and design trends in order to understand what people need from paint colours in their homes and commercial spaces.

Each year, the initiative builds a picture of what life will be like for consumers. The aim of ColourFutures is then to support you in the creation of colour palettes that will transform your customers’ interiors.

The findings result in the selection of the Colour of the Year and key colour palettes that subsequently presents specifiers, from architects to interior designers, with a collection of aspirational colour schemes that can be applied to both residential and commercial projects.

A good understanding of the current ColourFutures palette is important to your business. Not only can you demonstrate that you are at the cutting edge of colour trends, but sales of the Colour of the Year are also high. 2017's defining shade, Denim Drift, has been one of Dulux's most popular shades this year. Knowing what colour palettes are in vogue can help you present contemporary solutions to customers.

The 2018 Colour of the Year palette reflects the global mood

The ColourFutures research found that the 2018 mood is felt to be one of unpredictability and uncertainty. It is a world in which we don't know what the news will bring every day; a world with more expectations and more demands on our time; a world of division, and a world where we have greater access to information and choices than ever before.

Heart Wood, the 2018 Colour of the Year, is inspired by the beautifully warm wooden materials that are currently being used in all kinds of interior decorating and architecture. The trend is towards warmer, light and dark shades of red, alongside violet and pinkish woods, reflecting the comfort that we need in these uncertain times.

This year's four key colour palettes include a variety of tones which each complement Heart Wood in different ways, with solutions for residential, leisure and hospitality, commercial spaces and health care facilities.

The new Colour of the Year and its associated trends have been created to ensure daily environments can become places of calm; where the noise can be turned down and values can be nurtured.

Reflecting on the ColourFutures colours and trends for 2018, Rebecca Williamson, Senior Colour and Design Expert, added: "Dulux Trade's Colour of the Year for 2018, Heart Wood, is incredibly versatile, and connects beautifully with the accompanying trend palettes for the year ahead.

"Providing the comfort and reassurance we're all seeking, it's the perfect antidote to the mood of the moment- channelling a real sense of calm and warmth during such times of uncertainty. We can't wait to see spaces across the globe transformed into true sanctuaries."

If you want to learn more about ColourFutures, we hold a specialist course that will deepen your understanding of trend forecasting and the work of the Dulux Colour team experts. For more information, download our course prospectus or visit our website to book your place.