2020 Colour Trends: Cool, Calm & Collected Right Here!

Sad to say, but the end of 2019 is already in sight, which means it’s time to start thinking about what 2020 will hold. As they do every year, US paint and finish giant Sherwin-Williams has set out its stall with the their Colour Forecast for the new season. This is always an interesting indicator for where the industry might go, but as with all design, it’s about seeing what resonates. It’s the first indicator of where some insiders think the colour trends are leading us for the year to come. These are some of the ideas we’ll be seeing designers start to play with in the months ahead.

Interestingly, almost all of the palettes S-W have chosen are soothing and heavily inspired by nature. The reasoning behind this – according to S-W – is that the fast pace of modern life and technology is leaving us all in need of a little more serenity in our interiors.

We’d add to that, that 2020 is also an election year in the US! If you thought the last few months have been rocky, things are only going to get more interesting in the run-up to November 2020. The more calm we can find in our surroundings the better, no matter where in the world you live!

Both Sherwin-Williams and Dulux have now announced their choices for 2020’s Colour of the Year too. So read on, let us know what you think of the next season’s range of colours, and then head on over to check out which of these tones the colour boffins think will be the ones kick off the next decade.

Which ones do you see yourselves using?

Colour Trends 2020

Palette #1: Alive

The first palette is being called “Alive” by the forecasters. Evolving from the current season’s bright, sparkling jewel tones, this palette deepens and enriches them, taking those eye-catching accent tones and turning them into luxurious background finishes intended to echo mindful living and natural surroundings and the organic living of vibrant fruits and vegetables.

It’s body-consciousness and mindfulness in rich blues and ripe, dark olives.

Palette #2: Mantra

The Mantra palette is soft, in a more neutral range with a balance of warm and cool tones, intended to imbue a pastel calm without being boring. We can see this palette featuring well throughout the design and commercial industry thanks to its neutral versatility; calm, cool spaces that don’t overwhelm.

Palette #3: Play

By design, this is the most eye-catching of the palettes for the colour trends in 2020.

The Play palette is all about adding pops of colour; escaping the seriousness of a design by having a laugh. This is where the accent walls are still clinging on! Some of the most interesting implementations are in colour blocking – contrasting an accent wall with a dramatic sofa or sideboard. It’s certainly not an approach for every room, but where so many of the palettes could be trending towards the subtle, these options will be great where you’re looking to add a little levity.

Bright pink, aqua and gold are all about bringing joy to a space.

Palette #4: Haven

Haven is all about nature, but again – as with so much of next year’s palettes – there’s a gentle subtlety to the shades inspired by sea, sand, forest, and sky. It’s all about organic, natural elements, giving a more muted counterpart to the Alive palette.

Palette #5: Heart

And the last palette – Heart – rounds off the mindfulness theme for the year. These silky, neutral, organic tones pair well with the more open feeling of the Haven set, but here drawing themselves in and around you with clove, soft coral and earth tones that give a more insulated and soothing effect. These are the “snuggle” tones you want to wrap around yourself to escape life’s hubbub.

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So those are the colour trends for 2020 as Sherwin-Williams sees them! A year of calm, nature and mindfulness.

We’re looking forward to it, but most importantly we’re looking forward to seeing how all you designers out there interpret these trends and where you take them – whether you’re professional or aspiring to be.