by Suman Gupta
AkzoNobel, the leading global paints and coatings company and the makers of Dulux paints in India, unveiled Heart Wood today as the Colour of the Year for 2018. As a part of the 15th edition of AkzoNobel’s annual global study, ColourFuturesTM, Farhan Akhtar, brand ambassador of Dulux in India, unveiled the colour trend – ‘Heart Wood’.
Developed by the company’s Global Aesthetic Center in collaboration with leading design and 11 international colour experts, ColourFuturesTM 2018 conveys comfort and ease in response to consumers wanting to nestle down more and create a “welcome home”. Heart Wood- a subtle and warm tone of grown-up pink, draws inspiration from the tactile qualities of natural wood and leather.
Make your home your haven Insights from extensive research into societal, economic and design trends reveal that we live in a world of unpredictability, with access to more information and choices than ever. Now is the time to retreat into the comfort of our homes, where we can turn down the noise and pamper ourselves.
Consumers therefore need their home to provide comfort and be a retreat. By exploring and developing the overarching trend and theme A Welcome Home, AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre identified Heart Wood (also known as Pictured Rocks 10YR 28/072) as the leading paint colour for 2018. It’s a colour which truly captures the mood of the moment and allows customers to live in perfect balance in their homes.
Speaking at the launch, Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints, South East & South Asia, Middle East, observed, “Colour plays a significant role in creating a perfect, comforting environment. As a colour authority, we exist to empower our consumers to make the right colour choices; choices that make them happy and proud of their homes. With the 2018 Colour of the Year and its four contemporary colour palettes, customers around the world can now create spaces within their home that are truly theirs and up to date with their everyday needs.”
David Teng, Director, Decorative Paints, India and South Asia, AkzoNobel said, “The year gone by has been dynamic and unpredictable due to various changes at the global level. Our research revealed a strong trend of consumers wanting to transform their homes into an ‘oasis’ from the outside world. Through ColourFutures™ we focus on the lives of our consumers; what influences them and what their interests are when it comes to their homes. We believe that Heart Wood, as Colour of the Year for 2018, helps to create a unique “welcome home” for everyone.”
The Colour of the Year 2018, ‘Heart Wood’, is the much needed clutter breaker,” pointed out Farhan Akhtar, Brand Ambassador, Dulux India. “Consumers today are seeking to relax and refresh; with Heart Wood one can unwind in the comfort of their homes. The different palettes supplemented with the right décor, are assured to provide solace from the ever-running fast paced world we live in.”
The Heart Wood Home palette blends harmoniously with the materials from which the hero colour takes its inspiration, while three supporting palettes balance softer shades with deeper and bolder tones.
The Comforting Home palette features warm earth tones, bringing together clay and blush pink tones to calm the mind, soothe the senses and shut out the noise. The Inviting Home palette brings comfort and convenience to life. Cool shades of blue encourage a clear-headed approach to life, while neutrals and fresh green support the need for connection with the outside world. Softer pastel shades are enhanced by coal and ink blue. The Playful Home palette creates a space to inspire and invigorate the senses. Yellow-toned green and gold encourage a creative approach to life. Pops of colour add a sense of fun and energy. (Details below in Annexure I)
Create a true sanctuary with our Colour of the Year Consumer needs for certain colours ebb and flow with how they feel about the world around them. With the 2018 Colour of the Year and its four contemporary colour palettes, customers around the world can now create spaces within their homes that are truly theirs and up-to date with their everyday needs.
Heart Wood is available at all Dulux retail outlets nationwide
