White Paint 2016 - Really?
The consensus among 3 major paint brands for the 2016 colour of the year turned out to be shades of white. Benjamin Moore chose Simply White (OC 117) because being a colour without colour (achromatic), Ellen O’Neill, creative Director of Benjamin Moore explains “white is transcendent, timeless and its versatility is unrivaled. White is everywhere in every form- that’s why we chose it as our colour of the year”. Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster (SW 7008) was announced proclaiming an era of “visual relief” during a “time of interconnected commotion and overstimulation”. Glidden broadcasted its creamy off-white paint colour, Cappuccino White (45YY74/073) as soothing and easy to decorate with. Glidden says it “offers silence and creates a peaceful space away from the hectic landscape of everyday life and echoes the growing consumer need for regular escape from the pace of today’s constantly connected world."
I think I’m seeing a theme here. I believe we are all witness to this fact when we watch the troubling news of late, observe the influence of the last 10 years in technology and are conscious of the fast paced lifestyle of urban living.
Not to be outdone, Pantone’s colour of the Year this year is a duo of Rose Quartz (13-1520) and Blue Serenity (15-3919) so softly saturated they feel right at home among these angelic whites. See related article about “Pantone’s Colour of the Year” on our “TIPS” page.
I would expect the most difficult decision a consumer asks themselves is which white? There are often more than 250 white selections, which range from blue-toned whites to buttery creams. For example in Benjamin Moore’s case, Simply White stood out from the others as the most neutral, level and constant in the various light sources used in today’s environments.
White enables a backdrop like a ‘blank slate’ for expressing personality and our individual taste with furnishings- whether with colour, form, pattern or theme. We feel free to add all the fun touches with wall art, lamps, accessories and maybe a rug to create a unified look or boldly contrasting. So, which is your right white?
