The Dulux brand has unveiled its 2014 paint trends forecast. The colorful palette is filled with rich, invigorating hues that represent renewal and refreshing change, according to the leading Canadian paint brand.
“After four economically-difficult years, people are starting to let out their collective breath and are ready for new beginnings, which is translating into a movement towards fresh and creative colors,” said Martin Tustin-Fuchs, brand manager for Dulux paint. “As a result, we’ll see novel shades and unexpected combinations of colors in the year ahead in all areas of home decor.”
From delicate pastels paired with soft neutrals, to playful fusions of bold and bright tones, to sophisticated pairings of dramatic darks and elegant neutrals, the 2014 colors all have an element of renewed energy and vibrancy. For example, “reds are more tangy, oranges are more expressive, greens are more jeweled, and blues are more tropical,” Tustin-Fuchs explained.More specifically, here’s what’s trending in each color family.
Reds: The berry tones of the past few years are being replaced by vibrant reds with orange undertones. Think tomato red, a tangy attention-grabbing colour that pairs well with warm browns, spicy oranges and golden yellows. The new reds also work nicely with elegant darks, jewel tones and other bright tones. The top red pick of the Dulux brand for the year is Tender Rose (10YR 16/407).
Oranges: Terracotta and spice hues will be all the rage in the coming year, moving away from the melon and pink-orange tones of seasons past. Lively and expressive, the new oranges are both soothing and eclectic, warmed up with pastel pinks and greys, or cooled down with turquoise or dark blue. Oranges of 2014 – including Pagoda (60YR 36/468) from the Dulux brand – work particularly well on an accent wall.
Yellows: Trendy yellows for 2014 range from gentle pastels to cheery brights to antiqued golds, all exuding an air of warmth and optimism. Most popular will be a delicate, buttery yellow – such as May Yellow (50YY 75/254) from Dulux paint – that coordinates well with many of the year’s stylish colours, including rusty oranges, muted neutrals and warm browns.
Greens: Building off the growing popularity of emerald and teal, the 2014 greens, such as Sea Isle (10GG 57/307) from Dulux paint, take their cue from lavish jewel tones. Leaning more towards blue than yellow, the hottest green shade for the year is cool mint. Playful yet delicate, this hue pairs well with more intense greens, as well as blue, pink, soft neutrals and pale khaki.
Blues: Oceanic blues will take centre stage in the blue family over the coming year. From deep Mediterranean Sea-like colours to tropical Caribbean tones and the airy, ethereal hues reminiscent of the earth’s atmosphere, the new blues take on a natural dazzle. Used easily as a feature color or bold accent, the key blue from Dulux paint for 2014 is Huckleberry (70BB 10/275).
Violets: Purples will move in two different directions in 2014, towards both red-purples and blue-purples. Those with reddened undertones are vibrant and daring, while blue-tinged violets are soft, diluted and retreating. Popular Dulux paint purple choices for the year ahead are Deep Aubergine (13RR 06/179) and Picton (10RB 36/082).
