The Pantone Colour of the Year is akin to an Oscar nod or a Booker Prize recommendation – it makes everyone in the industry sit up and take notice.
Every year, the colour king corporation announce the shade that they believe will take the interior design world by storm. For 2018, Pantone have declared Ultra Violet – a hypnotic blue-based purple – as the colour to keep an eye on.
Here, we take a closer look at the history of Pantone and the rationale behind the winning shade.
The history of Pantone
Starting life as a New York printing company, Pantone evolved into a team of colour aficionados over the following decades. The organisation designed and developed evolutionary models like the Pantone Matching System, helping manufacturers to standardise colours and produce unique versions themselves.
In the modern era, Pantone has become the place to turn for insights into colour. The corporation is made up of experts dedicated to researching different shades, analysing their influence across the design world as well as their role in contemporary culture. Their coveted Colour of the Year award has been hosted since the millennium, with the winner determined after days of presentations and debates.
Why Ultra Violet?
Vice-President of Pantone, Laurie Pressman, described the Colour of the Year as a “reflection of what’s needed in our world today.”
It is widely believed that 2018 could be a year of cultural significance, change and expression. As a pinch of cosmic purple, Ultra Violet invites notions of deep thought and wonderment, symbolising the big changes that hang on the horizon.
Pantone’s Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman, also explained how this year’s winner held strong links to a growing sense of awareness in society.
“We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination,” said Eiseman. “It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level.”
Ultra Violet hues in your interior
Deeply evocative, Ultra Violet is also versatile – it gives soothing and otherworldly qualities to ordinary furniture fittings. It works well alongside many other colours – making it perfect for homeowners that like to play around with new ideas.
Draping your sofas with Ultra Violet throws can make your living room furniture pop, whilst using this shade for hand-painted wardrobes can bring colour to your bedroom. Picking this purple hue for your kitchen area is provocative in all the right ways, adding a regal touch to walls, tablecloths and seat cushions.
If you’d like to implement the Colour of the Year in your surroundings during 2018, get in touch with the Hartleys team on 01756 700 471. Our interior design experts can show you how to get the most out of Ultra Violet and create a spectacular atmosphere that’s in touch with the times.
