skip to main content
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
  • PHOTOS
    KITCHEN & DINING
    • Kitchen
    • Dining
    • Outdoor Kitchen
    • Kitchen Islands
    LIVING
    • Living Room
    • Family Room
    • Home Theatre
    • Sunroom
    • Fireplace
    • Study Room
    BATHROOM
    • Bathroom
    • Laundry
    • Powder Room
    • Small Bathroom
    BEDROOM
    • Bedroom
    • Kids Bedroom
    • Nursery
    • Master Bedroom
    • Storage & Wardrobe
    KERB APPEAL
    • Exterior
    • Driveway
    • Carport
    • Garage
    • Entry
    OUTDOOR
    • Garden
    • Courtyard
    • Balcony
    • Deck
    • Patio
    • Pool
    • All Outdoor
    MORE IDEAS
    • Granny Flat
    • Home Office
    • Home Gym
    • Staircase
    • Home Bar
    • Wine Cellar
    • View All
  • FIND PROFESSIONALS
    BUILDING & RENOVATION
    • Architects
    • Home Builders
    • Building Designers
    • Design & Construction
    DESIGN & INTERIORS
    • Interior Designers & Decorators
    • Home Stylists & Property Staging
    • Painting & Wallpaper
    • Carpet & Flooring
    • Shutters, Blinds & Curtains
    • Furniture & Home Decor
    • Artists & Artisans
    GARDEN & LANDSCAPING
    • Landscape Architects & Designers
    • Landscape Contractors
    • Garden & Landscape Supplies
    • Arborists & Tree Services
    OUTDOOR & EXTERIOR
    • Pools & Spas
    • Decks, Patios & Structures
    • Fencing & Gates
    • Driveways & Paving
    • Stone, Pavers & Concrete
    • Cladding & Exterior Contractors
    • Roofing & Gutters
    • Blacksmiths & Welders
    KITCHEN & BATHROOM
    • Kitchen Designers & Renovators
    • Bathroom Designers & Renovators
    • Kitchen & Bath Fixtures
    • Tile, Stone & Benchtops
    • Joinery & Cabinet Makers
    HOME SERVICES
    • Lighting
    • Heating & Air Conditioning
    • Fireplaces
    • Windows
    • Doors
    • Staircases & Balustrades
    • Wine Cellars
    SYDNEY
    • Architects in Sydney
    • Bathroom Renovators in Sydney
    • Builders in Sydney
    • Interior Designers in Sydney
    • Kitchen Renovators in Sydney
    • Landscapers in Sydney
    MELBOURNE
    • Architects in Melbourne
    • Builders in Melbourne
    • Bathroom Renovators in Melbourne
    • Landscapers in Melbourne
    • Interior Designers in Melbourne
    BRISBANE
    • Architects in Brisbane
    • Builders in Brisbane
    • Landscapers in Brisbane
    • Bathroom Renovators in Brisbane
    • Cabinet Makers in Brisbane
    • Fencing in Brisbane
    PERTH
    • Landscapers in Perth
    • Tilers in Perth
    • Bathroom Renovators in Perth
    • Kitchen Renovators in Perth
    • Cabinet Makers in Perth
    • Architects in Perth
    View All Pros View All Services
  • STORIES
    STORIES FROM HOUZZ
    • Houzz Tours
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • More Rooms
    • Renovating
    • Building
    • Architecture
    • Interior Design
    • Gardens
    • Eco Living
    • Lifestyle
    • News Stories
    • How to Use Houzz
    HOUZZ RESEARCH
    HOUZZ TV
  • ADVICE
    HOUZZ DISCUSSIONS
    • Design Dilemma
    • Before & After
    • Polls
    • Kitchens
    • Living Rooms
    • Bathrooms
    • Gardens
    • Renovating
    • Home Decorating
    • Exterior
    • Flooring
    • Building a home
Colour
Colour
Pantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers React
Top Ideabooks
Pantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers ReactBest of the Week: 25 Kitchens With Colourful TouchesRoom of the Week: A Tonal Melbourne Living Area22 Ways to Lift Your Home With Joyful Colours
Appears in
Decorating
Decorating
Decorating
The Golden Rules of Proportion: Decor Laws You Need to Know
Top Ideabooks
The Golden Rules of Proportion: Decor Laws You Need to KnowAuthentic Intentions: Considered Touches for a Terrace MakeoverBest of the Week: 34 Grand Homes Around the WorldPro Panel: 8 Indoor-Outdoor Blunders You Don't Want to Make
Appears in
Latest from Houzz
See also
SeasonalColourDecorating IdeasLightingDecorating By StyleDecorating FAQsDecorating By RoomTexture

Pro Panel: "The Colour to Watch Out for in 2016 Is..."

One question, seven expert answers

Grace Chamia
Grace ChamiaNovember 16, 2015
Houzz Contributor. I'm an experienced lifestyle journalist with a penchant for open houses that I have no intention of buying...
More
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
While we eagerly await the announcement of 2016’s Colour of the Year from the Pantone Colour Institute, the Houzz community has been weighing up the options. Some have placed their bets on fruity shades of apricot or pale peach; others have jokingly suggested a smooth or crunchy (that part wasn’t settled) shade of peanut butter. You can read the discussion here. To add more speculation to the debate, we’ve asked seven Houzz professionals which colour trends they expect to be big in 2016.

Find an interior designer in your area

What do you think is the next big colour trend? Tell us in the Comments.
High Fashion Home
Rose

Artist
Sarah Leslie of Signarture: Since the neutral ‘Sand Dollar’ in 2006, a succession of highly saturated hues have been nominated as Pantone Colour of the Year. ‘Marsala’ in 2015 was perhaps their most surprising choice yet. With many of us yearning for quieter, calming tones as an antidote to our fast-paced, technology-dominated lives, it could be time for a more approachable, less saturated colour.

Indeed, U.S. paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore have named ‘Simply White’ as their colour of 2016, but my bet is that Pantone choose one of the colours they’ve already highlighted within their Top 10 for Spring 2016 forecast.

I’d like to see ‘Lilac Gray‘ or ‘Rose Quartz‘ take the title. Greys are being forecast strongly into Autumn/Winter, as are pinks. We all know that fashion trends filter through to the home with increasing rapidity.
Austin Patterson Disston Architects
Sky blue

Architectural Colour Consultant Jacquelene Symond of The Colour Agency: As Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone Colour Institute, says, “Colours this season transport us to a happier, sunnier place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves.” Knowing that Pantone will likely choose the Colour of the Year from the current 2016 Spring Collection, I tend to agree that the palette, as a whole, will help lift our spirits.

I feel the Colour of 2016 should help provide the sense of calm; peace and respite that we are all craving.
Subsequently, I can’t go past Pantone ‘Serenity’. Perfectly described as being weightless, airy and expansive, like the blue sky above, I do agree that it has the ability to comfort and calm during the most turbulent of times.

See more blue in the living room
Megan Leith-Menard Interior Design
Peach

Interior Designer and Decorator Anne Ellard of Anne Ellard Design: I could see Pantone choosing a colour like ‘Peach Echo’, one of their new Fashion, Home and Interiors colours.

Looking at the trends that are emerging for the new year, I think in 2016 we’re going to see a lot of softer, feminine palettes, both in fashion and interiors. ‘Peach Echo’ is a warm, fresh and light-feeling colour and is a softer, more useable pastel-like alternative to orange. It’s a soft, whimsical colour that combines the energy and vibrance of red with the cheerfulness and uplifting qualities of yellow.

Pair it with cooler shades of mint or aqua and accents of gold for a soft and versatile colour scheme, which will work perfectly in living areas and especially in bedrooms.
elaine richardson architect
Yellow

Interior Designer and Decorator
Larissa Davis of Lewisham Interiors: My prediction for the Pantone winning colour for 2016 may well be as bold as the colour itself.

Excitingly, we are in for a vibrant colour palette coupled with naturals and neutrals set to “transcend cultural and gender norms”, according to the Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2016. The vision of the Pantone colour experts for 2016 is to inspire us to reconnect with nature, disconnect ourselves from technology, and to brighten our outlook.

The neutrals of the 2016 palette will couple brilliantly with the bright tones influenced by Picasso, Matisse and the colours of Cuba. I am also especially excited by the possibility of working with vibrant greens, burnt oranges, reds and yellows interior-wise in the coming year. With these influences in mind, Picasso in particular, the standout colour for me is yellow.

Yellow embodies optimism, happiness, sunshine and a sense of fun. It transcends culture and gender, and there is really no better colour for transporting us to a happier and sunnier place. Yellow has been Colour of the Year only once in the past 15 years; I think it is high time we embraced this colour with confidence in all areas of our lives.

What does yellow look like in the kitchen?
Kohler
Nude/blush

Interior Designer and Decorator Jessica Viscarde of The Eclectic Creative Studio: My vote goes to a nude or blush – somewhere between a neutral and soft, earthy pink. I have seen this colour coming through homewares and being paired back with rose gold, copper, marble, timber and natural textures. It began with the pastel craze, and has toned down into a more neutral shade. I think it’s a new way to look at neutrals and a contemporary nod to the ’90s, which is also a trend I am seeing coming back through fashion and interiors.

Before everyone runs for the hills screaming, “Not the ’90s!” remember it’s a contemporary take on the style and colour. I can see it being painted on walls in 2016, adding warmer tones to the interior as we move away from crisp, sterile whites. I believe this is quite a unisex pink tone too, as it is warm, earthy and can be complemented with tan leathers, marble, monochrome and timbers, then accented with luscious green indoor plants.
Michelle Williams Photography
Peacock blue

Interior Designer and Decorator
Nelly Reffet of Twinkle and Whistle: After two years of warm colours (’Radiant Orchid’ and ‘Marsala’), I feel that the next colour has to be a cool one. My first choice would be a deep peacock blue. It is timeless and elegant and can be paired with a large variety of colours. It also blends well in both modern and traditional interiors, and can look very glamorous and feminine with a combination of white, metallic and pastels.

Try to visualise it on kitchen cabinets with marble benchtops and brushed brass tapware… It is divine! It can also look much more masculine with tan leather, exposed bricks, rustic floors or furniture, Persian rugs, etc. Versatility is key with this colour.
Jodie Cooper Design
Cloudy neutral

Interior Designer and Decorator
Jodie Cooper of Jodie Cooper Design: I think Pantone’s colour for 2016 will be ‘Cloud Dancer’. As a base, this creates the background for neutrals such as ‘Candied Ginger’ to add to the canvas when mixing in with a wider colour palette. Earthy colours such as ‘Orangeade’ and colours reminiscent of coastal scenes, such as ‘Bright Cobalt’, add tone on tone to this canvas, to create vibrant stories in interior design.

MORE FROM THE PRO PANEL
The Biggest Kitchen Design Blunder You Could Make
The Material I Love to Work With Most
The Design Rule That Is Ok to Break
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
See 29 comments
Explore Related Topics
ColourDecorating
Read Related Stories
Pantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers ReactPantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers React
By Houzz·23
Trending Now
Best of the Week: 25 Kitchens With Colourful TouchesBest of the Week: 25 Kitchens With Colourful Touches
By Georgia Madden·19
Kitchens
Room of the Week: A Tonal Melbourne Living AreaRoom of the Week: A Tonal Melbourne Living Area
By Vanessa Walker·23
Decorating Ideas
22 Ways to Lift Your Home With Joyful Colours22 Ways to Lift Your Home With Joyful Colours
By Georgia Madden·7
Picture Perfect
My Houzz: The Joy of Colour in an Interior Designer's HomeMy Houzz: The Joy of Colour in an Interior Designer's Home
By Georgia Madden·20
Houzz Tours
How to Use Pantone’s Uplifting 2021 Colour of the Year at HomeHow to Use Pantone’s Uplifting 2021 Colour of the Year at Home
By Jennifer Ott·68
Decorating
Brave New World: 4 Important Design Trends You'll See in 2021Brave New World: 4 Important Design Trends You'll See in 2021
By Vanessa Walker·7
Trends
16 Cool Kids' Storage Ideas16 Cool Kids' Storage Ideas
By Georgia Madden·1
Kids Rooms
Inspiration Alert: Dulux Colour Awards 2020 Winners AnnouncedInspiration Alert: Dulux Colour Awards 2020 Winners Announced
By Georgia Madden·2
Awards
An Interior Designer Offers Tips for Decorating With ColourAn Interior Designer Offers Tips for Decorating With Colour
By Houzz AU·20
Houzz TV
Bold Blue: The On-Trend Colour Your Clients Will Be Asking ForBold Blue: The On-Trend Colour Your Clients Will Be Asking For
By Georgia Madden·0
Expert Opinion
17 Ways Bold Blue Can Work in a Home17 Ways Bold Blue Can Work in a Home
By Vanessa Walker·23
Picture Perfect
5 Soothing Paint Colour Palettes for Quiet Spots5 Soothing Paint Colour Palettes for Quiet Spots
By Georgia Madden·1
Decorating
22 Purple-Toned Interiors That Might Change Your Mind22 Purple-Toned Interiors That Might Change Your Mind
By Julia Fairley·13
Picture Perfect
5 Calming Paint Colour Palettes for Living Spaces and Kitchens5 Calming Paint Colour Palettes for Living Spaces and Kitchens
By Georgia Madden·2
Colourful Homes
People who liked this story also liked
Pantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers React
Pantone Issues 2018 Colour of the Year – Interior Designers ReactFull Story
Best of the Week: 25 Kitchens With Colourful Touches
Best of the Week: 25 Kitchens With Colourful TouchesFull Story
Room of the Week: A Tonal Melbourne Living Area
Room of the Week: A Tonal Melbourne Living AreaFull Story
22 Ways to Lift Your Home With Joyful Colours
22 Ways to Lift Your Home With Joyful ColoursFull Story
My Houzz: The Joy of Colour in an Interior Designer's Home
My Houzz: The Joy of Colour in an Interior Designer's HomeFull Story
How to Use Pantone’s Uplifting 2021 Colour of the Year at Home
How to Use Pantone’s Uplifting 2021 Colour of the Year at HomeFull Story
Brave New World: 4 Important Design Trends You'll See in 2021
Brave New World: 4 Important Design Trends You'll See in 2021Full Story
16 Cool Kids' Storage Ideas
16 Cool Kids' Storage IdeasFull Story
Inspiration Alert: Dulux Colour Awards 2020 Winners Announced
Inspiration Alert: Dulux Colour Awards 2020 Winners AnnouncedFull Story
An Interior Designer Offers Tips for Decorating With Colour
An Interior Designer Offers Tips for Decorating With ColourFull Story
  • Australia
  • ABOUT
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FAQs
  • CAREERS
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms & Privacy
  • © 2021 Houzz Inc.