In announcing enigmatic ultraviolet as the colour of the year, Pantone has decided it’s going to rain purple in 2018.
Known as the worldwide authority on colour, U.S.-based Pantone predicts design trends, from fashions to interiors, which then influences the consumer market.
Soon you will notice purple packaging, fruits and veggies, fashion, home décor and cosmetics popping up everywhere.
Pantone’s latest colour pick draws inspiration from musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix who brought shades of ultraviolet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality.
Enigmatic purples have long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance, according to a Pantone press release.
“Nuanced and full of emotion … ultraviolet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.”
West Vancouver interior designer Debbie Lee Evans explains how even the greenest decorator can inject a pop of colour, such as ultraviolet, into their personal space. A bonus: you don’t have to break the bank to be on trend, because soon enough the style will change again.
“A lot of the times these colours are more for accent or to just to liven things up,” says Evans. “Even just adding flowers in a vase, honestly.”
Toss pillow and throws are always an easy colour injection, she adds. Ultraviolet accessories or accent pieces set within a neutral palette can make an interior space pop. Just avoid a purple explosion.
“You don’t have to be too bold,” explains Evans.
But you can if you want to. Consider reupholstering a side chair in a luxurious feeling fabric, with ultraviolet as the inspiration.
“Purple always looks good in velvet,” advises Evans.
Complementary colours which pair well with ultraviolet include red-violet, blue-violet and gold, says Evans.
“And gold is hot,” adds Evans, who is currently redesigning a West Vancouver home with plans to implement “a lot of gold.”
Evans, who travels to Italy a lot for design shows, says it’s funny how Europe is always ahead of the curve. It can also be frustrating for her as a designer on these shores.
When designing vacation homes in Whistler, sometimes her European clients will ask for a particular colour of fabric that isn’t ubiquitous here.
A colour might be hot in Europe but hasn’t made it over to our shores yet, leaving Evans and other Canadian interior designers stuck dealing with that trend time delay.
Since 2000, the Pantone Color Institute has declared a colour of the year.
Twice a year the company hosts, in a European capital, a secret meeting of representatives from various nations’ colour standards groups.
After deliberating for two days, the Pantone colour council makes its pick for the following year and watches it saturate all the different retail markets, from fashion to interior design to automotive.
In the fashion world, according to Pantone, ultraviolet is an enchanting purple that provides a theatrical linkage for both men’s and women’s styles.
And ultraviolet is easier to pair with all colours on the spectrum than one might think, promises Pantone.
“With golds or other metallics, ultraviolet becomes luxurious and dazzling; with greens or greys it evokes natural elegance,” states the Pantone press release.
“Similarly, ultraviolet takes on distinct appearances with different materials. Lush velvets in the color suggest intrigue for evening, but are also unexpectedly modern in athleisure or sneakers. In accessories, jewelry, and eyewear, ultraviolet suggests the complexities of natural gems, textures, and florals.”
When it comes to beauty products, ultraviolet can be spellbinding.
The complex and deep nature of the colour is well-suited for beauty looks created by combinations, blends, and ombres.
Ultimately, ultraviolet complements and emboldens every other colour, adding complexity and mystery, according to Pantone.
