When the blues are happy

SONGKRAN MEANS a whole new year for Thais, and what better time to make some changes for a fresh outlook on life? In fact, “Do it Now!” is the theme for the new Dulux sales campaign, and the “colour of the year” happens to be teal.

The Akzo Nobel Global Aesthetic Centre in the Netherlands chose the gorgeous shade of blue as colour of the year after discussing trends and colour concepts that made waves during the past year. 

Dulux’s Colour Futures team has identified five broad colour-design trends for interior and exterior decoration and presents palettes of complementary hues that can be reflect these trends in creative ways.

The “Get Up and Go for It!” range of colours is a high-octane, energetic medley where anything goes, a riot of tones that has something for everyone. They spell energy and exuberance and will encourage you to create something just for the fun of it, on your own or through exciting collaborations.

The idea is to cut loose and embrace disposable materials to make extraordinary designs and dramatic patterns. This is not about building something that stands the test of time, but raising an eyebrow or two, encouraging a smile or stimulating a conversation – it’s about standing out from the crowd. 

Originating from street artists and “hack design”, the approach is now nudging its way into the mainstream. Not content with original form, hack design takes an existing idea and redesigns it to look more individual, often meeting a totally different function.

Start by changing your office to help keep you calm and find inspiration by plaiting dark blue, navy blue, sky blue and pale blue. Then find some decorations in hot tones like orange or fuchsia to put life into the office. For the kitchen, you can use wooden materials for the walls, celebrating its natural pattern, and then add a touch of fun by adorning it with vivid colours.

The aim of these mixes is to provide a clash, a contrasting look, combining and blending colours not usually seen together. For example, fizzy lemon and intense teal rub shoulders with bright emerald green, lime, violet and fiery orange. The blues come in all shapes and sizes too, from navy to ultramarine, sky and pale cyan. 

You can combine old colourful decorations with new furniture to create a unique atmosphere for your room. Keep in mind that this trend is all about thinking outside the box and bending the rules, so get creative, get up and do it now.

For anybody who’s interested in this fun “Do it Now!” trend but needs guidance on choosing the colours, contact the Dulux Colour Design Centre at (02) 770 6333 or www.Dulux.co.th.