Article by Michelle Heslop. Images, courtesy of interior design firms included within the article.
The Pantone Colour Institute chooses annual colour trends that help industries make the most informed decisions about colour for their brands or products to gain a competitive edge. Dethroning Radiant Orchid, a deep tropical purple from 2014, colour experts at Pantone have named Marsala the 2015 hue of the year, making the rich, reddish-brown shade inspired by Sicilian wine, the must-have hue of the coming year. With reviews coming up overwhelmingly critical, not everyone agrees that this colour should be the star of the design stage for 2015.
MHV spoke to four of Victoria’s leading designers to get a sneak peek into the colour trends they believe should dominate design in 2015. Less prophetic and more personal opinion forecasting, these style-savvy designers share colours they believe will grace interiors, housewares, and furnishings for 2015.
Tamara Bush, Inhabit Designs
Although the industrial style is still popular, think pipe details, reclaimed wood paneling, and vintage utilitarian furniture, 2015 sees a trend shift towards more luxurious materials with a focus on natural woods, stones, metals, and woven textiles. My favourite colour picks for the year are denim-inspired navy blues paired with warm neutrals in camel tones and warm whites, complemented with pastel accents, in particular blush and pale green. Add some sparkle to your space with featured metallics in traditional gold or rose gold hues found in lighting, hardware, and décor. Try Tom Dixon Etched Metal Tea Light Holders, or the new brass series of his iconic Beat series pendant lights.
Ben Brannen, Bespoke Design Ltd.
The designers at Bespoke Design foresee a continuation of the movement toward cool-based, light neutrals for 2015. However, to offset the cool, wet, and dark west coast winters, Victorians need a bit of warmth in their wall colours. Farrow and Ball’s Light Blue #22 has just a tiny bit of green to warm it up. The use of light blue in the home is intended to create an interior where colours shift and change like the landscape. We instinctively gravitate towards shades that remind us of the softer side of life and that help to make our homes into an oasis of calm, a retreat from the frenzy of modern life.
Our second colour pick for 2015, Stiffkey Blue, is a hue that looks best with brushed gold accents and makes a dramatic contrast to light, cool based, neutral colours. Stiffkey Blue is reminiscent of the rich colour of the mud found at Stiffkey beach, Norfolk, England (near the Farrow and Ball factory in Dorset, England). Why not introduce this colour to your interior and pair it with their contemporary Yukutori wallpaper, a simple design taken from a midcentury Japanese pen and ink drawing, block printed by hand with their own “zero VOC” paints? We think this pattern was made for Victoria as a tribute to the fabric of our landscape, think sea birds and snow-capped mountains.
Jenny Martin, Jenny Martin Designs
Colour trends for 2015 will lean toward soft coastal palettes. Neutral tones, greys, taupes, white, winter white, antique white with accents in subtle blues reflecting our natural landscape. Monochromatic schemes will usher in hues that are largely light in tone to create soft, airy, inviting spaces. To complement natural hues we foresee more rustic and raw textures like concrete, metal, barn board, carrara marble, and driftwood to create a new wave of beachy west coast design.
We will continue to see more geometric shapes in 2015, both transitional and contemporary including: chevrons, herringbones, quatrefoils introduced in the form of natural textures and materials like limestone, marble, grasscloth prints, woven wool rugs, cotton and hemp fabrics.
Crisp, clean-lined, contemporary materials like quartz will continue to take the lead over elaborate granites. New materials like porcelain slab, (think big!) will gain momentum based on its adaptability and durability. From groutless shower surrounds to countertops, porcelain slabs are thinner and more versatile offering a white marble look to make its way back into the kitchen without the fear of staining.
Trends for 2015 will move toward more dramatic mixing of traditional elements with contemporary elements to create dynamic spaces. Traditional fireplace surrounds paired with modern tile accents, for example; or painted shaker millwork paired with traditional marble mosaics that have been reinvented in neutral colours.
Ivan Meade, Meade Design Group
Colour trends for 2015 will be contemporary with a timeless appeal. Echoing the theme of our latest fabric line, trends tend to wither and fade, so 2015 is a time to embrace enduring, classic colours. Crema, a warm, soft cream, not beige, has big impact especially when fused with other colours. It is softer to the eyes than using white and is more restful and elegant. Paloma, a warm, chameleonic, soft grey is beautiful as a base and blends seamlessly with other hues.
With its amber tones, Miel, Spanish for honey, is a mix of golds and ochre yellows, and brightens any colour combination. Cenote, a vibrant mix of greens and blues, heading toward turquoise, is heavier in the green side. I can see greens coming back next year with cenote leading the way. A mix of navy blue and indigo with a bit of grey, Marino, is inspired by our west coast sea, and my interpretation of a classic hue. A more mellow version of black, Carbon still reads as a black, but is blended with a warm charcoal. Rather than using black and white, try the more elegant mix of carbon and crema together.
