2013 Colour Trends

Once upon a time colour choices seemed to be bound by endless unwritten rules of which colours could be used where and with what, a minefield for the uninitiated.

As our communities have become more global, thanks in no small part to the wonders of modern technology, we can draw inspiration from all over the world from the comfort of our own home or office. This has broadened our outlook on colour palettes and colour combinations, banishing those restrictive colour rules to the history books.  When we travel we bring back new finds to incorporate into our homes.

This global inspiration comes together in the Resene The Range fashion colours collection, with an eclectic mix of key colour trends. It's a fusion of colour that you can make your own.

The hues head in three directions; the dusty timeless hues that provide a soft cocoon and remind of us of our heritage, the clean cool light hues that provide soothing relief and tranquillity in a fast world and the pops of bright colour that bring fun, excitement and energy.

Today's world is a blurring mix of tangibility and intangibility.  As we are more immersed in the online and the high tech, the yearning for offline interaction with real people, real places and real colour grows.  We're looking for the human touch and the nostalgia of memories from the past.  Trends from earlier decades are returning as we reach for memories from our childhood to share with children of our own.  Colours seem weathered and washed as if they have been worn down over the years, making the space feel lived in and comfortable.  Step out of the fast lane and into the slow lane to catch your breath and surround yourself in a collection of memories and memorabilia.  Dive into Nana's or Gran's cupboards for a treasure trove of inspiration.  It's a back to basics approach, simple and honest, treating our homes as a haven, epitomised in scrap booking, slow cooking, knitting, holidays at the bach and handcrafts.  Antique and aged oranges meet smoky neutrals, smoky greys and dusty hues, such as Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Triple Rakaia and Resene Half Innocence, which seem to have traversed the passage of time, kept fresh with optimistic pastels, such as Resene First Light.  The comfort of well known colours used in new ways. 

The desire to meld high tech with traditional is creating new curious juxtapositions.  We are increasingly combining the two making the most of the new technology to release us from our desks and homes while cocooning ourselves in traditionally inspired holiday homes, destinations and colour palettes to get back in touch with our history.  The world seems to be moving ever faster and we've ever connected. Downtime is becoming a luxury and this is reflected in these weathered and worn hues that feel familiar and lived in. Expect to see people disconnecting themselves from the constant noise as they focus more on wellbeing than well connected.

Neutrals are the hardworking backdrop of most colour schemes spiced up with pops of bold colours to bring the space to life.  The influence of nature has seen many hues take on a muddier undertone and has also translated to fresh airy blues and greens that are almost transparent in mood.  Light on the senses and with a sense of wellbeing. 

The great outdoors comes indoors - not just the landscape greens but the flora and fauna brights mixed with the warmth of timber inspired hues.  Nature continues to influence with a palette that's infused with earthy, neutral tones - showing our growing appreciation for the earth and its resources. Wood tones come in beiges and browns, such as Resene Toorak and Resene Irish Coffee, offset by a soft golden metallic shimmer, such as Resene Treasure Chest.  What's on the outside is being reflected indoors with a key colour theme being used to connect the palette inside to out for a more seamless connection between the two.  The flash of bright on the outside front door reinvented as a pop of colour indoors.

Red continues to make a strong statement and brings with it new deep maroons, such as Resene Red Earth and Resene Madam M.  Reds are warm and cool, with blue based reds like Resene Pohutukawa being an enduring favourite.  Makeup inspired pinks, such as Resene Glamour Puss and Resene Material Girl, are unashamedly extrovert and teamed with yellow they are a fresh and uplifting combination.  Purples head toward eyecatching fuchsia, such as Resene Centre Stage, set against deep aubergine, such as Resene Chocolate Fish, as an anchor.

Oranges look forward and back with antiqued oranges reminiscent of times gone by, such as Resene Ayers Rock, sitting alongside freshened warm oranges, such as Resene Big Bang.  Yellows turn sandy and towards mustard tonings, such as Resene Bittersweet, Resene Sandbar and Resene Zion, and influence the green palette with many greens having a distinct yellow undertone.  These are colours from our past finding a place in our future. 

Greens continue to abound moving towards yellow greens, such as Resene Spring Fever, and with a strong ochre influence, such as Resene Hibernate.  Limes, chartreuses and landscape greens, such as Resene Impromptu and Resene Forest Green, round out the green palette.  The perennial favourite, blue, continues in two directions - calming, tranquil and revitalising on the one hand with colours such as Resene Escape and Resene Breeze, and optimistic and bold on the other, such as Resene Captain Cook and Resene Whale Tail.   The calm almost transparent blues are feather light on the senses. Teals have made way for jewelled greens, such as Resene Windfall, as the blue and green palette move to more separate identities.  The cooled hues of blue, green and yellow soften the palette.

Neutrals are a broad assortment tending more mid tone.  Creamy neutrals have moved towards green edged neutrals such as Resene Half Secrets. Stony greys, such as Resene Half Cobblestone, are joined by dark hues with hints of complex undertones, such as Resene Silhouette.  Barely there and mid tone neutrals, such as Resene White Thunder, hint of subtle undertones. Darker neutrals have greater colour depth and intensity. Black becomes more nuanced black with an underlying personality that is more than just straight black.  Natural materials of concrete and timber clear finished for protection are rugged and call out for earthy tones to accompany them.

Colour trends are now evolving and growing more organically rather than the shorter sharper bursts of trends from last decade where colours seemed to be 'in' one minute and 'out' the next.  The old blurs into the new and into the future, which means that colour schemes are often still on trend well after they have been applied.

Layering colours is becoming increasingly popular as a new way to add interest to a space. Rather than one paint colour in an area, imagine stripes of your favourite hues decorating your walls, kitchen drawers each painted a different but complementary hue and brightly painted internal doors, each an infusion of unexpected uplifting colour.  Or harness the uplifting power of the hideaway colour where you can indulge in your wildest colour fantasies. Think of a bold hue painted on a wardrobe or the jewel red brightness of the inside of a jewellery box.  It's a colour pop that can be enjoyed one on one without the need to please an audience.

Our connection to technology means we are now used to seeing bright clean bursts of colour and this translates to accent colours in the real world.  Colours are often broken into smaller pieces of block colour, almost pixellated, or striped, as we explore multiple accent colours in a confined space.  The mundane gets a refresh with a spark of colour, making you look at that toaster, kettle or jug as part of the colour palette.  Large scale stickers are used as changeable artworks for the wall that you can personalise through placement.

Colour, texture and form are inseparable. A red applied in high gloss will punch out much brighter than the same hue in a textured low sheen finish.  Carefully selecting your finishes you can create subtle interest by keeping to the same palette and varying the materials and sheen levels. 

Expect the unexpected.  Colour combinations that might once have raised eyebrows are now commonplace.  It's not so much the colours themselves but how you combine them in spaces that is key.  Much like the theatre, choose your main colour act and then bring together the rest of your cast of colours in a supporting role to make the main act sing.  Embrace eclectic colour schemes; the days of having to have a perfect match of all elements are gone. We all have multiple colour personalities depending where we are and what we are choosing.  Be brave and translate your adventurous wardrobe colour personality into your walls.

It's time to forget the old colour rules and embrace the endless possibilities of colour. Let your own tastes be your guide and surround yourself in colours that you love - you'll be amazed at just how good it feels to live and work in your favourite colour palette.

View the latest fashion colours in the Resene The Range fashion colours fandeck available from Resene ColorShops and resellers, or view online at www.resene.com/colour.
Happy decorating!