Sherwin-Williams Announces Color of the Year 2015

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Dec 07, 2014

Perfectly suited to celebrate a mid-decade year that’s poised for revitalization, Coral Reef (SW 6606) is Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year 2015. The uplifting, vivacious hue with floral notes is the perfect melange of pink, orange and red that can be used to liven up any space.

Pulled from the Sherwin-Williams Buoyant palette, Coral Reef channels floral components, which are prominently featured in current fashion trends. Other palette colors are reminiscent of vintage floral patterns, influenced by natural-healing botanical and the trend for green urban spaces.

“Coral Reef embodies the cheerful approach to design that we’re seeing for the coming year. Its unexpected versatility brings life to a range of design aesthetics, whether traditional, vintage, cottage or contemporary. Simply add this carefree color to your home’s palette and watch your creativity blossom,” said Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing, Sherwin-Williams.

Although Coral Reef has the chutzpah to stand by itself on a single accent wall or object like a front door or piece of furniture, its outgoing personality begs for company. Colors that make it truly sing include Cotton White (SW 7104) and Black Fox (SW 7020), as well as other floral hues, such as the Baroness (SW 6837) and lush greens, such as Paradise (SW 6720).

To relax it slightly, Coral Reef works with warm neutrals such as Sedate Gray (SW 6169) or buttery yellows like Hubbard Squash (SW 0044). Driftwood, medium wood tones and metal finishes also complement its flower-garden hue. For vintage quality that’s hard to beat, Coral Reef and aged matte brass make a perfect pair.

Standing out in a vibrant color forecast
Each year, Jordan and other Sherwin-Williams color experts research color influences from around the world to determine the annual color forecast and the Color of the Year. Color Forecast 2015 is comprised of 40 colors grouped into four palettes. In addition to the Buoyant palette in which Coral Reef resides, the forecast includes the Chrysalis, Voyage and Unrestrained color palettes.

Buoyant
“After weathering the recession and finally seeing signs of growth, the Buoyant palette reflects our enthusiasm with colors that evoke big, bright florals in fashion and interiors. Our spirits echo the optimism following World War II when GIs returned from exotic locales, bringing tropical prints and tiki-inspired looks,” said Jordan.

Chrysalis
As technology rushes ahead, the colors of Chrysalis offer a calm oasis — a place to pause and find balance. The palette’s colors range from off-black to chalky neutrals and dusty blues, for more comfortable interiors.

“An influence for Chrysalis is the appreciation of earth’s natural striations,” said Jordan. “Patterns created by the land and sky are driving inspiration for colors found in nature, from beach rocks to stormy skies.”

Voyage
From space tourism to undersea resorts, the sci-fi dreams of past decades are more viable than ever. The Voyage palette looks to these outer limits, featuring hues imagined while emerging from the water into the atmosphere — undersea teal, bright green kelp, light watery blue and deep space purple.

“The colors of Voyage are supernatural and magical. The palette is driven by unusual atmospheric events including a decade-best aurora borealis, keeping our eyes focused on the heavens,” said Jordan. “The palette’s lighter colors create an uplifting space, while its deeper tones combine to add drama.”

Unrestrained
From bold, ethnic-inspired colors and designs to the Bohemian lifestyle, the Unrestrained palette celebrates free-spirited wanderlust. Its saturated primary hues include sunny yellow, lively turquoise and bright blue, as well as black and white. Each can be used for a pop of color, or combined to create a vibrant, energetic space.

“South Africa’s colorful art scene and focus on the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have influenced a Carnival-like spirit, inspiring design with a zest for life. The vibrant colors of Unrestrained reflect that aesthetic,” said Jordan.

Color Confidence
Using Sherwin-Williams suite of easy-to-use color selection tools, consumers can explore Color Forecast 2015 and more than 1,500 Sherwin-Williams colors. Online tools include Chip It!, which creates a colorful palette from any picture, and Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer, which enables them to virtually "try on" paint colors.

The ColorSnap® smartphone app allows consumers to create a palette from a photo or explore colors by family, while the ColorSnap Studio iPad® app offers color inspiration and the ability to virtually paint a wall with a swipe of a finger.

All Sherwin-Williams color resources can be found at www.sherwin-williams.com/color.

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