Living Coral: Pantone’s 2019 Pick

Have you ever thought about how many ways color shapes our daily lives? We are bombarded with color in nature, at home, online, shop signs, the vegetable aisle at the grocery store and every interior we step into. Our designers take color into consideration when they design a space whether it is to calm or enliven a kitchen, bath or other room of the home.

All of our favorite paint companies have announced what color they will usher in as their pick for the 2019, Benjamin Moore’s Metropolitan AF-690 was a balanced gray and other paint companies choices  ranged from subtle to invigorating like our friends at Pantone who have now announced theirs- Living Coral 16-1546. Why this vibrant shade you ask? They describe it as, “An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.”

Would we paint our kitchen this new hue, likely not, but could see it as a backdrop in a pantry, powder room or mudroom. More than taking it at face value it reminds us to think different and consider color in all aspects of our life. It is amazing how color can even bring us back to travels- Living Coral definitely exudes a beach vacation from year’s past. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute remarks, “Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities and this is particularly true for Living Coral. With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial PANTONE Living Coral hit a responsive chord.”

In every home we are invited in to remodel we consider how all aspects of the remodel will create a more lively environment that will foster just that-human interaction. What else is a home for than connecting in a comfortable space with those who surround you? Some ideas of how to incorporate this optimistic color into your home. Paint a wall! Add an overhead light: Pendant light from Design Within Reach. Hang a piece of art: Coral Abstraction from The Printable Concept. Liven up your bedroom with a blanket from a Spanish designer, Cristian Zuzunaga.

The History of Pantone

For 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product, packaging, and graphic design.

The Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.