If you love interior design, you know that colours play an essential role. So, where do you find inspiration when it’s time for a little makeover? Our tip: watch out for what renowned experts have to say about emerging trends – long before they come into full effect.
2023 will most likely be a year full of movement, upheaval, and surprising turns. Technological innovation (particularly in the fields of Virtual Reality and the Metaverse), global political crises, climate change – all these challenges continue to transform our life as we knew it. At the same time though, the call for individual freedom and mental well-being has become increasingly loud. Design experts translate these developments into colour trends marked by earthy tones and rich contrasts: alongside soft pastel hues, bold shades of blue, red, and orange dominate the forecast for 2023. Variations of green, on the other hand, have taken a backseat for the time being.
The Swedish academy NCS Colour has been publishing prognoses since 2013, based on the insights of various experts. Their suggested palettes and attributes are instrumental for anyone who works in design or product development.
For the NCS Colour Trends 2023+ guide, the team again took a closer look at overarching themes in our current society and culture. During a talk on 1 April 2022, they framed 2023 as the year to bring about a “new normal”. This process is reflected in the NCS colour trends throughout four different – yet overlapping – stages:
1. Cocooning
"Here is our place to nourish our hopes and nurture ourselves, before we emerge.”
The cocooning phase is all about regaining energy to prepare for our „new normal“. Warm, soft, and bright tones create a cosy ambience. Along with wood and other natural materials, these colour trends make us feel at ease. A few splashes of red a sense of vigour in between.
2. Passages
"Discover a new adventure. Like our ancestors, we set out into the unknown, to brave the elements.”
In the second phase, we are ready to leave our cocoon and face the unknown. This step requires a lot of courage and willingness to experiment. Accordingly, the NCS colour trend forecast for 2023 includes audacious combinations of red, blue, and orange, apart from earthy, natural tones.
3. Re-genesis
"The new normal is a re-genesis from our most rooted and traditional values to a new, sincere, and profoundly personal normal.”
The “re-genesis“ phase signifies the turn from old to new and the process of re-discovering oneself. This sense of departure and awakening is symbolised by a radical mix of bright and dark colours: trending designs will play with unusual pairings such as blue-lilac and beige, accentuated by metallic materials.
4. KidultZ
"Responsible individuality is the zeitgeist, but this kind of adulthood is far from being boring and grey.”
Lastly, the “KidultZ“ phase brings out the playful character of our “new normal“ – both digitally and physically. From chromatic shades like ultramarine and light blue to orange and fuchsia, paired with pastel variations: the colour trends predicted for this stage all signify the state of living in-between ”actual“ and ”virtual“ realities.
In line with the fourth phase of NCS’s forecast, research institute WGSN (short for o Global Style Network) and Coloro have chosen Digital Lavender as the designated trending colour for 2023. The soft pastel hue conveys a multi-faceted mood that seems both calming and uplifting at the same time. In the latest TrendBook, it is listed as “Lavender Cream‟ – next to four other variations.
Brown Sand: probably the warmest of all colour trends predicted for 2023. With a mix of caramel orange-brown and subtle nude, it feels like a light breeze during a Mediterranean summer.
Deep Green Lake: nostalgic, emotional, mysterious. The dark turquoise hue brings an air of audacity, yet also heightened sensitivity into interior spaces.
Wellness Blue: inspired by the two elements of water and air, this colour trend is supposed to have a positive impact on our mental well-being. A perfect choice for the bathroom if you want to set up your very own wellness oasis at home.
Red Latex: reflecting our current state of anticipation, the bold shade heralds an impending upheaval. It signifies vitality and openness for new experiences.
The manufacturer Avient predicts colour trends with a focus on synthetics. Its annual prognosis is worked out by a global team of trend scouts, psychologists, and social scientists. They examine recent developments which will most likely transform our lifestyle in the near future. The 17th edition of their ColorForward guide names four themes that define our current zeitgeist: Covid 19, climate change, uncertainty about the future, and the Metaverse.
Avient’s expert team has assigned five colours to each trend, presenting a range of twenty different shades in total.
Mare Tranquillitatis: this rather cool palette stands for our experience of a global pandemic. Transparent, watery tones and splash effects symbolise our growing sensibility and awareness around mental health issues.
Code Blue: dark, earthy, and partly “dirty“ nuances visualise the precarious state of our planet amidst the ongoing climate change.
CatalyƧt: especially younger generations have become more and more concerned about their future. In this spirit, colour trends within the “CatalyƧt“ palette feel bright and hopeful, but also have a serious undertone. The reverse “S“ is a nod at the so-called “Generation Z”, i.e. people born since 1995.
Meet-your-verse: the Metaverse promises completely new ways of human interaction, blurring the lines between digital and physical spaces. The corresponding colour trend scheme brings together metallic shades and special effects to reflect the multi-dimensional nature of virtual realities.
Already got your eyes on a design trend to start off the new year? With Gira switches and socket outlets, you can add the finishing touches to your wall – matching whichever colours and materials complement your interior. The Gira Design Configurator makes it easy to try out different combinations: just choose your favourite variants from Gira System 55 and find out what works best with the colour trends for 2023.