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Dulux Colour of the Year 2018
Heart Wood
The most comforting of colours for AW18 is one that represents the warmth of natural wood – the warmth that consumers turn to during times of flux. This blog is not about politics, but, being a Greek in the UK and having lived here for 14 years now, Brexit was a blow. Visiting the US twice recently and talking to ordinary people, I saw them confused about the direction their country was taking. There is a lot of uncertainty going around right now. So we all need a shelter, somewhere to feel safe. Protected. From everything out there.
Dulux feels that their latest Colour of the year, Heart Wood, will help us create sanctuaries in our homes, and makes us feel at ease. I can see where they are coming from. Interior design, much like fashion is guided by trends, wherever these come from. Claudia Lieshout, Lifestyle Trends Researcher from the Netherlands explains that we have seen a move towards isolation. Technology has certainly had its hand in this.
"So let me enjoy the silence and the solace of my own home" say Latika Koshla, Colour Consultant from India. Are you ready to enter a new comfort zone?
What do our experts say about it?
Heart Wood is the perfect shade for adding a welcoming and warming ambience in your living space. For me it’s really important to create a home that is comforting for my family and friends, and this hue will certainly reflect a sense of harmony through its soft tones.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy update to include this colour in your décor, try adding accessories such as throws, vases and side tables in your living room to develop a tranquil haven with minimal effort.
Sam Hood
I love the muted feminine hue of Heart Wood. The rich undertones of this colour evoke a comforting yet sophisticated feel that will cocoon the home in a calming and tranquil harmony. It is a wonderfully versatile colour. We suggest using Heart Wood as a backdrop to black accessories and homeware for a strong stylish look or mix with metallic accessories, nude pinks and natural materials for a more gentle feel.
Jane Rockett
This colour instantly brings a calming feel to a room. We imagine this teaming up with other muted colours and accessorised with soft linens, natural woods and accents of antique gold.
Jacquie Dunton
Historically, I have never been a big fan of mauve, but this year I've really started to warm to these kind of hues. Perhaps it will bring along the calm that we're all craving? And we're already starting to see lots of products come through for SS18 - watch out for a fabulous dusky mauve velvet chair coming in our shop in the new year!
Hollie
Dulux's 'Heart Wood' will be a good backdrop colour for schemes, rather than a soloist. Colours come to life in combination with others, and this smokey taupe shade will do just that when harmonised with natural greens, terracottas and yellows.
Claire Gaudion
I love this natural brown-ish taupe-y shade, it's what I see as one of the new neutrals - a shade that has a warmer base than the greys of old with a touch of earthier slightly spicier tones at base.
Heartwood has a lovely hint of mink to it making it a really accessible way to use the slightest touch of purple without leaving your comfort zone and it's a great mix with colours we've come to know and love like millennial pink.
I have just painted one of the walls in my upstairs hallway in a shade very similar to this and it has a very comforting feel.
Ruth Matthews
I see this as a natural progression from the dark greys and blues that are so popular. A calming warm hue that can be accented with pops of colour or used with other calming shades for a really relaxed vibe. Heart Wood fits neatly between the darker smudgier colours we have seen and the pale pinks which have dominated 2017.
Jacqui
Heart Wood is warm and versatile and we already feel at home with it as we painted most of the woodwork in our house a very similar shade last year.
It's elegant, livable and inviting. It also works as a great backdrop for so many other colours. We were already fans of complex neutrals like Heart Wood, so it is great to see this colour getting some love. It may not be showy, but not all colour has to be.
Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead
When we’re faced with uncertainty, which the world is currently experiencing, we tend to retreat, creating an inner sanctuary in which to feel safe and to contemplate. Heart Wood represents this.
Karen Haller
It is the thinking man/woman's neutral with the ability to change tone like a chameleon depending on what it's paired with. I would use it with navy blue in a bedroom.
Nicola Broughton
I am in two minds about this colour. For me, it's just a little too sweet, like a lady that over-sprayed herself with musky perfumes. First it's lovely to look at but after a while it chocks you. Dulux haven't exactly discovered America here; muted and dusky pinks and purples have been a huge hit in 2017. I feel like we need something new and exciting.
Pati Robins
