Pantone Announces Spring Color Trends for 2016
Some days it feels as if the modern world exists in a whirlwind: work, technology, and the changing seasons rushing faster with each year. While Pantone’s annual release of the ten colors to watch for Spring 2016 might seem a striking harbinger of this change (How is it almost November? And it’s already time to think of spring?) it’s also an exciting reminder of all that is to come in the future ahead, and serves as a stunning design inspiration for every project soon to begin.
Yearly, the Pantone Color Institute invests seemingly endless hours of research into the greatest trends throughout current culture, seeking out opinions from a wide range of eminent design industry professionals and data analysts. This year’s selections host an eye-popping spectrum suited to every lifestyle, with the underlying statement of: now is the time to challenge yourself, explore, and “escape the mundane.”
It’s undeniable – technology has created a massive gulf from nature for many. The desire to go “off the grid” and reconnect with our environment is strong, and that urge is reflected in some of the choices for Spring 2016. They’re a simple, sophisticated, easily-adaptable bunch, with names like Lilac Gray, Iced Coffee, Serenity, and Rose Quartz. The perfect mix for a long weekend by a lake in the mountains.
Spring’s collection also calls for even more: the unexpected. You can leave the above foursome to their own cool devices, or pair them with their brighter fellows: the other six, ranging from Peach Echo to Buttercup. They’re true emblems of the late spring they represent and call for us to come awake, too. Filled with zest and vibrancy, they call to mind other fabulous opposing duos: the beauty of an urban garden, contemporary architecture and lush vegetation. Nothing is better than a neutral paired with a zing of color, just like finding a bower of flowers in the woods. As in nature, design is no different.
These playful and powerful colors were tastefully adapted from both the classic and the current: “South of the Border” flair inspired by Cuba and a nod to the glamorous golden age of travel. With shades like Fiesta and Green Flash, we can practically hear Frank Sinatra singing with an Arnold Palmer in one hand and cigar in the other, on a yacht set for the golden palms of Havana; with Limpet Shell and Snorkel Blue, we feel the warm breeze ruffling Rita Hayworth’s hair as she sips a martini and dances the mambo late at night in San Juan. Again, with our attachment to technology and high-speed, it’s no surprise there’s a hint of nostalgia for a luxuriously slow-lived past, with plenty of horizons still left to explore.
That’s the most beautiful thing about Pantone’s collection this spring 2016 season: the perfect balance of the past and future, the elegant and the wild, the eternal-outdoors and the cutting-edge. Exploring far, or the adventures right at home. Regardless of how you choose to do it, it’s the desire to be happy, carefree, and fulfilled from life’s challenges. It’s the kind of balance we strive to create in our work here at TMS Architects, and as one season draws to a close, another begins, and we look forward to bringing this inspiration to whatever thrilling project comes next.
Are you a fan of Spring 2016’s colors? How would you like to incorporate them into your home? Let us know in the comments, and if you’re feeling inspired to update your home please reach out!
