Unveiling Dulux's 2019 Colour Forecast

To devise their 2019 colour palettes, Dulux has pinpointed the key influences driving current trends across vast design industries, from design to self-care and social media!

Researching the collections has taken Dulux’s Colour and Communications Manager Andrea Lucena-Orr and Trend Forecaster Bree Leech far-and-wide and deep into data, as well as been fine-tuned through dialogue with the global colour authority, Colour Marketing Group. ‘We discuss what is on peoples’ minds, what factors affect where design and colour are going and what’s happening from a technical and pigment perspective,’ explains Andrea, who joined Bree at Milan’s annual Salone del Mobile international design fair earlier this year as part of their research.

The overarching theme of 2019 is Filter. ‘This highlights the aim to hone in on what is meaningful, whether it’s filtering our smart device usage and longer working hours, filtering our consumption of the new and shiny, or simply filtering out the noise of life, translates Andrea.

Here we unveil the key palettes: Wholeself, Identity, Repair, and Legacy – think timelessness, simplicity, individuality and optimism, the colours represent the essence of current social trends and global movements.

Identity

The Identity palette is the BOLDEST palette put forward in the 2019 Dulux Colour Forecast, and celebrates vibrant reds, greens and blues, and a variety of different gloss levels. With a nod to the Memphis movement of the 1980s, this palette is playful, fun and clashy – ‘anything goes’!

Dulux Colour and Communications Manager Andrea Lucena-Orr suggests pastel base colours such as Apricot Fool and Blue Bayou, to pair with pops of primary colour such as Red Clown, Golden Sand (a deep yellow), Mondrian Blue and Sunbird Orange, giving rise to infinite colour combinations.

Legacy

Legacy is a palette inspired by old-fashioned architectural forms and traditional craftsmanship, reimagined in a contemporary context. With a strong emphasis on various shades of purple, this palette has a feminine edge, elegantly weaving together past and present.

We still haven’t shaken pink – but here, our old friend millennial pink is replaced with a warmer, coral-based peach in Dulux Porcelain Crab, whilst Shephard’s Warning borders on terracotta. Pink Linen Half offers a muted pastel lilac base colour, whilst the deeply saturated Hothouse Orchid takes its cues from Pantone’s controversial colour of the year for 2018 – Ultra Violet.  Cherry Race offers a striking red accent, and echoes countless purple and red combinations we saw SO MUCH of at Milan’s Salone del Mobile international design fair earlier this year.

Repair

The Repair palette is overwhelmingly green and earthy, signalling a return to nature-inspired interiors. The Dulux team explain this palette is inspired by our growing awareness of consumption and waste, and trends favouring vintage, sustainable design and repurposed materials.

The palette brings together warm neutrals such as China White (a versatile warm white) with New Neutral, alongside Plasticine (such a great grassy green!), Golden Grain (the perfect mustard yellow) and a couple of deep blues such as Sea Creature and Hidden Depths too.

To us, this palette feels like the most user-friendly and versatile of the 2019 Forecast, and we’ve no doubt we’ll see these colours taken up quickly by Australian homeowners looking for an easy room refresh this summer!

Wholeself

Finally, the Wholeself palette presents a softer, predominantly pastel palette, inspired by ideas of wellness, sanctuary and self-care. This calming palette again relies heavily on purple and mauve tones, in various dusty, muted shades, such as Blind Date, Silver Thaw and Madame Mauve.

Pinkham is a dusty soft pink, whilst Italian Clay offers a deeper pink, leaning again towards terracotta. The unexpected accent here is Limone, a jewel-like chartreuse – SO good. This acidic green-tinged yellow really elevates those pretty pinks and purples!