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Colour Trends - Pantone 2016

It is two months (almost) since Pantone announced their selection for the 2016 Colour of the Year but I wanted to wait before releasing this post, to see how the world of interiors (retailers and bloggers alike) would react to their announcement, which for 2016 - for the first time - is a pair of colours. They say they're complimentary to each other, but I remain a sceptic. Complimentary means putting them together. That doesn't mean painting adjoining walls in different colours - you can always choose one or the other and the accessorize with the "complimentary" colour. As I said, a sceptic. Obviously, no colour expert here, just my own opinion based on personal taste.

Rose Quartz

I am partial to a bit of pink, especially when combined with a little grey, white or black. Fabulous combination, pink and black. It kind of reminds me of Jackie O' when she was wearing her pink Chanel ensembles with big black shades.

The whole style is having a come back with the help of Chanel Oberlin, seen below wearing a Giles 3D Snake dress. In #RoseQuartz. Someone at Pantone likes Scream Queens for sure, because Ms Oberlin has been promoting the colour all season long. Just sayin'.

Rose quartz is not really a pastel colour. Pantone describes it as ‘a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure.’ Conveys compassion? And a sense of composure? Strangely (and that's me) only feel serenity when I see both colours mixed together in the setting of a beautiful sunset.

On it's own, Rose Quartz is a bit girlie. So I thought I would run it past everyone in the household before introducing to one of the rooms. Now, the thing is that my better half generally nods in agreement when I make recommendations relating to the home we all share. This time, his answer was categoric. NO. NO, no, no @&^!^!## way. So I thought, this is a democracy, let's bring the kid in. Cue in 6 year old boy, who's partial to his mom in the way 6y olds still are because I still give him a bath and read him stories, make his favourite pancakes and give him piggyback rides.

The 6y old makes a funny face that appears to convey disgust and goes "oooohhh this is for girls" in funny accent. That's 2-1 for the boys. They think they've won, but what they don't realise is there'll be no pancakes for a week. Or so. And when there will be pancakes, they'll be served with pink whipped cream.

Interestingly there is no reaction when I subtly introduce a pair of pale pink cushions on the sofa the next morning, getting ahead of myself thinking Spring is here because we had one whole hour of uninterrupted sunshine. These faux fur Ted Baker Home cushions sit next to the more vivid Blue Bell Gray 'abstract' cushions, the Boho & Co Floralism long cushion and the intense Designer's Guild plum in cushion in the middle. I have to mention that my oriental rug has a lot of (salmon) pink in it too.

“To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, To hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour.”

Auguries of Innocence by William Blake

Serenity

Serenity on its own is a No for me. Remember what happened with 'The dress' ? Is it Black or is it gold and all that jazz? Well, I don't see (cornflower) blue, I see lilac. And lilac is just. Not. Cool. For. Walls. It may be that I am in my late thirties, so it's not a colour for my hair either (though it does look cool on younger gals, I see that it's all the rage currently).

If you happen to have some really cool rooms that would benefit from this colour, by all means, go for it. Personally, I still have not found a breathtaking room in this colour. So if you are considering embracing this blue, please have a look below, this will possibly give you the confidence you need to go Serenity all the way, or move away from it once and for all.

I will keep scouring the internet for more interiors in this colour during the year and add them on my Pinterest board and here. Your verdict? Are you convinced?