Bangkok--28 Dec--Spark Communications
AkzoNobel, the world’s largest paint and coatings company, launched a new range of colours ahead of the coming year at ‘Dulux Colour Future Trends 2013’ event before an audience of talented architects and interior designers in Bangkok.
Based around the theme of ‘Connections’ the event was held at the Eden Zone of Central World shopping centre, and attracted its own well-connected line-up of celebrities and industry experts, such as A-list star Khun “May” Pitchanart Sakakorn and Room magazine editor Khun “Tum” Rattapol Sakdamnuson, who joined Khun Chananun Luekijna, Manager - Consumer & Architect Relationship, Dulux, and emcee Khun “June” Sawitri Rochanapruek to discuss colour trends for 2013.
Khun Chroong Kanjchanapoomi, Managing Director of AkzoNobel (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said, “As the world’s leading in paint and coatings manufacturer, AkzoNobel is committed to offering products that keep inspiring consumers. For 2013, Dulux Colour Futures presents five trends as part of our “Connections” theme. In observing the world around us we saw that many of the things we encounter every day are connected - be it people or stories — and these connections are important in making relationships and events happen. We applied the same thinking to our colour creation as while each has its own unique identity, when we mix them together we see an intriguing effects of various and different combinations.”
“Our five trends for 2013 comprise of different sets of primary and secondary colours that come in lighter tones than the previous year to communicate a greater degree of softness and subtleness. No matter which colour trend you decide best represents who you are, your mood, your feelings or your style, you can be sure that the selected palette will add a charming touch to your personal space. If there has to be one colour for 2013, Indigo Blue takes the crown for its ability to block out the hustle and bustle and let you enjoy a sense of tranquility which is very restful,” he added.
Colour of the Year 2013
The Art Of Understanding
There must be an army of grown-ups who, as a child, decided to take apart their alarm clock only to realise that a desk full of tiny gears, cogs and mysterious springs is useless at waking you up in time for school.
This age-old fascination of taking things apart and laying them out to understand their inner workings has been reborn on the internet. Various art blogs feature objects in their deconstructed form, displayed down to the tiniest nut and bolt to please the eye of the audience and create a feeling of clarity.
Designers Allen Hemberger and Sarah Wilson made a display called ‘the anatomy of a cupcake'. The required ingredients were arranged neatly and creatively, not like a recipe, but more a menu of optional delights. The result is bright, simple and clear.
Most of the creators of these works of art are not preoccupied with perfect representation, but rather celebrating the aesthetics of order, satisfying our curiosity and, perhaps most importantly, suggesting a remedy for chaos.
Both the imagery and the message of this trend have a strong link to our current obsession with the Fifties, a decade which in retrospect seems so orderly and perfect In the fashionable, Kodakolor fantasies of the Fifties — re-imagined by TV shows like Mad Men and PanAm — the sun is always out, lawns are mowed to perfection, men and women perform their expected roles with a smile, and all is well with the world. Like 'the anatomy of a cupcake' even though we cannot piece it together into something real, it offers a bright, charming version of life, which is fun to enjoy for a while.
Colours in this trend are sunny and uplifting like childhood memories and the ice cream colours for Prada's S/S 2012 collection. Think chocolate cherries and macaroons, blue skies, raspberry ripple and mint choc chip. Pair these vintage inspired candy tones with laid back neutrals or deep teal and brown for a stylish combination with a twinkle in its eye.
Switching Off
Every now and then, it becomes hard to hear what's going on in our own heads. There's only one thing for it: we declare ourselves temporarily disconnected.
Ah, solitude. Sometimes being alone, when we've managed to shut out the world, can be such a joy. The reason is that although people thrive on human contact, sometimes we just need to reset, and that's impossible if the world keeps intruding.
For some, the goal of switching off is to find stillness, to clear the mind and create space for new thoughts. After all, many great ideas are born from looking up at the sky and watching the clouds while chewing on a blade of grass.
For others it's more about granting ourselves permission to do nothing for a while. You hit the pause button and retreat from reality; particularly satisfying when everyday reality is filled with financial worries, traffic and children fighting.
Every now and then, we just want to catch up with ourselves. Who are we? What was it that we wanted from life again? In order to stay balanced, we need a clear vision of life as it should be according to our own rules, and this is the simplest way to tap into those hopes and dreams again. Afterwards, a feeling of tranquillity and balance lingers. Maybe it doesn't last long, but at least we know exactly where to go when we want it back.
This is a palette of silent colours: ethereal hues we associate with tranquil snowscapes, misty hazes at the edge of morning and bedroom retreats filled with crisp linen and sultry deeps that speak of still waters, starry nights and the transient hours of dusk and dawn.
Home Factory
Self reliance and using crafts, once associated with hippies living off the grid, are suddenly cool again. This current fascination with home production is a trend that might develop into a large-
scale movement. Some people are now part time beekeepers; others are opening cafes in their homes or making paper and printing their own fabrics. This is manufacturing, but on a tiny, personal level, which gives you total creative licence.
The logistical processes that make the world go round have become progressively abstract over the years, and the industries which provide us with food, warmth and shelter have almost been eradicated from the ‘front office’ of modern life. As cushy and convenient as this seems, a lack of visibility has its drawbacks.
Many people no longer possess a true understanding of the structure that supports them. Children in big cities often aren’t aware of the relationship between the meat on their plates and the barnyard animals they know from their picture books. Since knowledge is power, this means we have relinquished some of the control over our own lives; and some people want it back! City dwellers brewing their own beer are on the rise. Others are curing meat, sewing pillows, or producing their own honey. Crafts and trades are the motor behind many new small businesses that sell their products online.
What will happen to these miniature factories? Will home manufacturing turn out to be the new standard, or just a temporary flirt with self-reliance? Only time will tell; but we now understand that these skills and connections with real life mustn’t be lost.
The colours in this palette are inspired by nature's dyes. These are saturated, but simple colours which have an authentic rich quality. There are reds from beetrootand summer berries, the warm burnt orange of carrot juice or baked clay, the bright green of alfalfa and the beautiful indigo tones of denim.
Collective Passion
Have you ever seen a flock of starlings take to the sky?
Almost like a single organism they change direction, disperse and regroup. Then just as quickly, dissolve once more into the trees. Recently, humans seem to have been inspired by this spontaneous and energetic behaviour.
If there is one thing that defines modern times, it is the way in which people come together for a joint purpose. In no way does it resemble the typical social movement of the 20th century. Those movements had leaders, a carefully maintained hierarchy and a well-defined, long-term goal. The new types of gatherings are not so much a movement as a collective passion. Just like flocks of birds and shoals of fish, who seem driven by a combination of intent and whim, these group initiatives may come together and disperse in an instant. These are not elitist clubs, but forums and groups where anyone can join, to be part of something big and beautiful — or tiny and underground.
Social media has created new possibilities to connect and share ideas. Trends, which once developed slowly, now spread like wildfire. One recent example of people taking a creative idea and running with it is the phenomenon of the 'Post-it War', which broke out in offices worldwide a few seasons ago. To start a 'Post-it War' ,' office staff use colourful sticky notes to create a large-scale image on a window, or several windows, to suggest moving pixels. The intention is to incite staff from a different office across the street to fire back a smart 'Post- it' reply, and so the war begins.
Just like the visual feast of movement this trend represents, the colour palette swoops from one colour cloud to the next, with distinct colour groups flowing together. These attention-grabbing fluro and pastel colours express energy, joy, creativity and purpose.
This look is bold and showcases the use of colour on colour. But it has a subtler side too, which sees these lively tones combined with chalk whites and warm greys.
Visual Solace
Every now and then, the usefulness of art and nature is questioned. Suddenly, art is a luxury, and trees only take up space. But art and nature do offer us something important: they bring out the best in us as human beings.
Art needs to be anchored in the human mind to be powerful and poetic, but once it makes a connection with us and takes up residence in our consciousness, it can touch the soul and warm the heart. The beauty of art is that it has the power to move people deeply because it speaks to us on levels we can't quite put into words.
We can find the same solace and comfort in natural beauty. A stunning sea view or the first blossom of spring, not only reaffirms that life goes on; there is a sense of serendipity — you feel lucky or even blessed to stumble upon such a nice surprise.
This kind of beauty is priceless. Knowing there are places like gardens, forests and beaches where you can simply be yourself and reconnect with nature, or museums where you can go and view the ultimate in human achievement, is enough to reinstate your faith in life, the future and humanity.
This is a palette inspired by gardens in bloom, and paintings by the Old Masters. Degraded mauve and floral pinks meet golden and bronze hues and natural, muted tones like linen and hessian. Darker violets complete the palette and provide a sultry depth. The overall impression is soothing, gentle and feminine.
ColourFutures was first introduced in 2004 by AkzoNobel’s Aesthetic Centre which is located in Sassenheim, The Netherlands. Annually, the global Aesthetic Centre invites an international group of creative experts from the fields of design, architecture, and fashion to determine the key colour trends for the following year. Arriving from different parts of the world, these experts draw on a variety of cultural sources and influences -- fine art, technology, nature and pop culture. Their views, insights, and findings are then translated into colour palettes andimages in the annual edition of ColourFutures to instantly update the trend of all things inspirational.