We are very pleased to present a fascinating article on colour trends by Anthony Millington of Amron Architectural. Together with Amron we were invited to a presentation from Kiki Redhead, the Global CMF & Trend Manager at Sherwin Williams, the international paint and coatings manufacturer, and Anthony has summarised what we learned.
All images courtesy of Sherwin Williams.
We see your true colours shining through
By Anthony Millington 19-04-2021
Working with metal can seem like our colour palette is limited, especially when it is predominantly made up of gold, silver, and bronze. Different materials are subject to varying local environments, such as plain steel rusting in wet conditions, therefore it is essential that appropriate finishes for the interior and exterior applications should be considered. This is why we work closely with powder coating specialists, Powdertech Corby who help us understand how secondary finishes can be applied to help achieve the desired colour, reflectivity, or where corrosion resistance characteristics are required.
When you look into the science behind powder coating on to metal, you quickly realise how much you can play with colour matches to enhance or add character. Colour can help bring a project to life! And that is why we were delighted to be invited to speak with Global CMF and Trend Manager at Sherwin-Williams Kiki Redhead who kindly shared an insight into their latest colour trend forecast.
“A true trend is backed by science and data and originates from global and societal insights” – words spoken from Kiki who also talked through their six-step forecasting process that includes trend management, identification and research, analysis, watching, spotting, reporting and application. Kiki presented to us their latest colour collections which are created to inspire and influence. These collections of individual and complementary colours will reflect future trends that will serve the next 3-5 years.
What did we learn?
Firstly, we learn that although colour is always shifting and transforming, its influence on purchasing behaviour and design remains unchanged. We also learn more about the depths of colour – green isn’t just green, and orange isn’t just orange. In fact, there are so many different variations it is actually mind blowing. And, what we enjoyed most was that each variation of ‘new’ blend of colour came with their own unique name. Some of our favourites include ‘Psyche’ – a blend of pink and red which could be mistaken for a rich strawberry milkshake. ‘The Paper Bag’ – a mild shade of yellow and beige which looks like its straight from a tub of cookie dough ice cream (chocolate bits included). And then there’s ‘Resilience’ – a vibrant, out of space element in rich shades of dark blue. Each colour in their themed collections are raw and strong and originate from entangled mega catalysts that distill to macro-level facets, like technology, community, and sustainability. With each colour collection which include material, texture, and pattern effects – they translate to various industries, consumers and products and can be extracted to create marketable trends.
Psychology of colour
Colour plays an important role when used in an internal and external environment. If used correctly, it can affect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the occupants, so it is vital that colour is selected carefully to create the right mood for the space intended.
After an incredible insight into the magic of colour, we for one are now excited about the endless options colour can bring to our products. Colour can bring uniqueness to a project and as a business we will look to adopt more of these.
