Dulux announces Colour of the Year 2019: Creme Brulee

Uncovered by the annual expert ColourFutures™ Report into global trends, insights and consumer behaviours, this purposeful and delicious amber tone gently awakens all the senses.

05 September 2018, Johannesburg: Global leader of Decorative Paint, Dulux- manufactured by AkzoNobel, has identified one hero paint colour that perfectly encapsulates and expresses our collective living spaces today: Creme Brulee.

Every year, the colour specialists at the AkzoNobel Global Aesthetic Centre in the Netherlands create a series of diverse palettes around one central Colour of the Year – a stand-out shade that perfectly captures the mood of the moment. AkzoNobel and their global team of cutting edge trend spotters have done extensive research into societal, cultural, design and lifestyle trends from a broad range of lifestyles and disciplines, and their insights confidently predict what is going to be important to consumers in the coming year. Together, they build a clear picture of where the world is going.

“We are noticing a strong sense of awakening,” says Nathalie Sweeney, Decorative Paints Marketing Director Sub Sahara Africa for AkzoNobel. “Creme Brulee is inspired by the varied tones and remarkable properties of honey – natural, timeless and enduring, protective, rejuvenating and healing. Our trend forecasters from around the globe have reported a growing appreciation of both the substance and the shade, having seen its use on the rise across fashion, architecture and design”.

According to the ColourFutures™ Report, 2019 is set to be a year of optimistic consciousness and so the bright theme of ‘Let the Light in’ runs across the colour palettes. “Creme Brulee has a warm amber tone that perfectly captures our ‘Let the Light in’ theme. It can be calming and nourishing or more stimulating and energising, depending on the light and colours surrounding it. Truly versatile and contemporary, our Colour of the Year for 2019 is the ideal choice for reflecting our new sense of positivity,” says Sweeney.

The Akzonobel trend research shows that people around the world are experiencing a renewed sense of energy, optimism and purpose, and the power to ‘be the change’. We’re figuring out what matters to us most. Sweeney agrees: “There’s a desire to reach out, engage with others, and to make things better. That change can be anything from marching for women’s rights and fishing plastic out of the ocean to small acts of neighbourly kindness. People are ready to seize the moment.”

Today’s world is a turbulent one, with extreme events commonplace. With so many news sources, both real and fake, it seems like there are too many versions of the ‘truth’ out there. The Report shows that we’re seeking clarity, asking searching questions, examining our values and deciding where to place our trust. We want to develop a new sense of independence and self-belief, to become strong, stoic and resilient in the face of adversity. This sense of awareness has been gaining resonance in recent years, as people strive to be more conscious of what is really going on in the world, navigating their own route through the media that surrounds us.

“There’s a growing feeling that we can’t let others do the thinking for us anymore, we need to come up with our own solutions. We’re seeing an increasing emphasis on social design and a re-think of urbanisation, exploring how we can develop ingenious sustainable materials and build happier communities. There’s a growing desire to create homes where we can contemplate, consider, gain perspective and forge our own conclusions about what really matters to us. Now, more than ever, we need the time and the space to think,” says Sweeney.

When looking at how the Dulux ColourFutures palettes have evolved over the years, consumers’ appetite for different colours and fluctuating connections with what is going on in the wider world is clearly charted. “In 2017, when our consumers felt a need for balance and calm, the palette was dominated by cooler shades of blue and grey. Last year, many of us were left unsettled by global events, so we closed our doors to retreat and regroup,” says Sweeney. “Now is the time to think, to dream, to love and to act.”

The 2019 edition of ColourFutures tells the story of how global trends are transformed into inspiring paint colour palettes for the home, from room to room. The easy-to-use palettes promise to bring a fresh energy to the world’s walls, and with the versatile Colour of the Year 2019, Creme Brulee, at the heart of our colour collection, we’re inspired to do just that.

For more tips on how to do it yourself and turn old to new, visit the Dulux social pages Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest or Instagram.

-ENDS-

For more information, including additional press materials and imagery, please contact:

Unathi Jobela

FleishmanHillard

011 548 2017

Unathi.jobela@fleishman.co.za

Notes to Editors

About Dulux

Dulux is the South African consumer paint brand from AkzoNobel, a leading global paints and coatings manufacturer and a major producer of specialty chemicals. AkzoNobel supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are committed to delivering leading products and technologies to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing world.