2016 Color of the Year and How to Use It in Interior Design

While in the past few years, Pantone crowned a single color as the color of the year, two of them share the honor in 2016. The most credible authority in matters of color, Pantone has announced its chromatic choice for next year: Rose Quartz and Serenity.

A somewhat unexpected pair of pastel colors, one warm and one cold, the combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity makes sense, however. The choice is the expression of a tendency toward calm, relaxing colors – at least in interior design. Soft, yet convincing, both colors demand attention, but they do it in a subtle way, whispering rather than shouting. The unlikely pairing is a sign of the times: we are more inclined to go against the rules, even only when it comes to our chromatic choices.

So how can you bring this sense of relaxation into your space? Here are a few ideas.

Of course, you can go big and, provided you happen to be in the process of (re)decorating your home, choose large pieces of furniture in Rose Quartz or Serenity, such as this one designed by Bitangra.

Adding one or two such pieces of furniture is enough to give your space a relaxing vibe without overpowering the rest of your decor. In a neutral interior, both Rose Quartz and Serenity create an oasis of soft, subdued color.

Photo: daufurniture.com

Bedrooms are the best place to use these colors. It is not only that both are calm-inducing, but you can afford to take more liberties with a room that is made only for your comfort. If you have ever wished for a dreamy boudoir, 2016 is just the right year to make your dream come true. Whether you find these colors in the design of wallpaper, pillows or bed coverings, the pair is an excellent choice for your nightly retreat.

Photo: Anna French

Of course, the easiest way to bring in Rose Quartz and Serenity is by choosing the right accent pieces. Accent pillows in colors by Kravet are a quick solution.

But the accent pieces may be as simple as flowers, especially when you have already incorporated one of these two colors into your design and want an easy way to add a little bit of the other.

Photo: zsazsabellagio.com

As seen in the room below, curtains are another way to single-handedly add Rose Quartz into your decor. Here, flowers are used to unify the space. The pink tone gives your room a soft look, yet it is not too feminine.

Photo: digsdigs.com

So have fun with  decorating in 2016! Remember, if fear of color is bigger than the desire to bring your space to life, there are always cheap and temporary solutions, such as these candle holders from Pottery Barn.

Learn about emerging trends of 2015 in commercial interior design HERE.

If you are thinking to open up a new business or in a process of rebranding and remodeling your existing business, contact us to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting. Click HERE to price your project design.

Also, take a look at “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight on how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.