Dulux Trade has announced the 2017 Colour of The Year as part of the annual Colour Futures 2017 trend forecast.

The curated trend palettes, which are informed by a global team of experts, align with four key colour stories inspired by an overarching theme of ‘Life in a new Light’.

The paint brand’s team of global colour and design experts develop the annual forecast based on emerging trends that shape the way people live and work. From interior design and architecture to fashion and beauty, through to social and economic influences; the colour trends inform the evolving landscape of our lives.

Trend forecasting process

International design and colour visionaries at the Dulux Global Aesthetic Center have been scouring the globe for the latest social and trend developments to help them lead the way in colour innovation. The colour experts have used this insight to define the tones and shades that best represent how consumers and end users live their lives in 2017.

Louise Tod from the Dulux Global Aesthetics Centre, responsible for delivering Colour Futures trends and concepts to the trade, said: “As the world changes, people are taking a fresh look at the everyday elements of life – our family and friends, work, connecting with nature, and the pleasure of experiences. We are incredibly excited that ‘Life in a new Light’ is the driving influence for 2017 and is seen in all our colour trends for the year.”

Colour of The Year

Dulux Trade is excited to reveal ‘Denim Drift’ as the defining colour of 2017. A timeless and versatile grey-blue, it is the must-have colour in the worlds of interior design, architecture and for the year ahead. It perfectly captures the mood of the moment and is a true embodiment of the way we’ll live our lives in 2017.

To complement the Colour of the Year, Dulux Trade has developed a tonal colour palette featuring a spectrum of blues and complimentary blue-hued tones.

Ms Tod continued: “Blue is known to be the world’s favourite colour, cutting across geographic and cultural boundaries. Creating a blue colour scheme provides commercial specifiers with flexibility in both a residential and commercial setting with hues that run the gamut of being calming to energising. This year the Colour of the Year, Denim Drift, has been teamed with a palette of blues, which gives specifiers options for every environment. There is something for everybody whether working the colour into large-scale housing developments, offices or a private residence.

“There are 10 blues within the palette, five of them, including Denim Drift, are muted and atmospheric and the remaining five are cleaner, brighter hues that pack more of a punch. The whole collection has been designed to be used in combination across different elements of an interior from the walls to the furniture, furnishings and accessories. You can turn the visual impact up with the brighter blues and down with the muted blues to suit the style and use of a room and can be sure that none of them will ever look out of place.”