Two shades chosen as
Pantone Color 2016
Pantone, an X-Rite company and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, recently announced that PANTONE 15-3919 (Serenity) and PANTONE 13-1520 (Rose Quartz), are both the PANTONE® Color of the Year selection for 2016.
The color authority says the two are a “harmonious pairing of inviting shades that embody a mindset of tranquility and inner peace.” It is the first time that Pantone has selected two colors as the Color of the Year.
“With the whole greater than its individual parts, joined together Serenity and Rose Quartz demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
The prevalent combination of Serenity and Rose Quartz also challenges some more traditional perceptions around color association.
“In many parts of the world we are experiencing a gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted color trends throughout all other areas of design,” said Eiseman. “This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumers’ increased comfort with using color as a form of expression which includes a generation that has less concern about being typecast or judged, and an open exchange of digital information that has opened our eyes to different approaches to color usage.”
Whether on their own or combined with other shades, the pairing of Serenity and Rose Quartz bring a feeling of calm and relaxation into the home environment. Like a serene sunset, Rose Quartz encourages reflection on one’s surroundings while Serenity, a transcendent blue, provides a naturally connected sense of space.
An ideal choice for rugs and upholstery, Serenity and Rose Quartz also work well in paint and for decorative accessories. Coupling solid and patterned fabrics, throws, pillows and bedding in these shades provides a comforting respite and feeling of well-being in the home. Incorporating texture enhances the duality and kinship of these hues.
Randal Weeks, founding designer of Aidan Gray—a leader in the home furnishings industry, believes these selections will play extensively with one of 2016’s hottest design trends: mixed metals. “The trend of mixed metals is complimented by their coupling with Serenity and Rose Quartz. These soft shades of blue and pink truly pop against along the metallic finish. Whether gleaming or distressed, the golds, silvers and coppers combined with wood, steel and/or other materials are elevated by the soft tonality of the Pantone Colors of the Year.”
It’s not just mixed metals that benefit by these color selections. Weeks says, “Rugs and upholstery that incorporate Rose Quartz and Serenity can help infuse a sense of reprieve and warmth in any space.”
For 16 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. For more information visit www.pantone.com.