The Dulux Colour of the Year is a reflection of prevailing trends, issues and moods. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to the manufacturer’s Creative Director, Marianne Shillingford, about the choice for 2023.
As far as a decorator is concerned, it doesn’t matter how good a paint is in terms of performance if it’s not available in a colour the client wants. That’s why AkzoNobel, the huge global conglomerate of which Dulux is a part, invests so much of its time and resources into the subject. For the past two decades that has included the Dulux Colour of the Year, one element of the manufacturer’s wider ColourFutures™ initiative, where global issues, and trends in design, are translated into particular palettes for the year ahead.
“Because ColourFutures™ has been in existence for twenty years, we’ve able to identify the relationship between the way people are living their lives, the big issues of the day, and the colours they are using to decorate their homes,” Marianne Shillingford reveals. “It makes us better at predicting trends for the future and giving our customers what they want.”
“What we’ve noticed in recent years is the popularity of colours inspired by nature and that has been reflected in the Colour of the Year choice for 2023. In uncertain times we instinctively seek solace in a soothing and familiar natural world. That’s why we’ve characterised the mood of the moment as ‘Seeds of Wonder’. It conveys how nature can provide the answers to how we organise our lives. At the same time our relationship with nature is changing, with ways of living that respect our environment more mainstream than they’ve ever been. It is that message of hope that Wild Wonder, the Dulux Colour of the Year for 2023 seeks to convey.”
Reminiscent of the green/gold of ripening corn, it is a colour that exhibits metameric qualities, where its appearance changes in different light. That makes it an incredibly versatile shade that will find its place in heritage settings as well as in living rooms – where the natural light will often change at different times of the day – or in kitchens and dining rooms.
So just how does Dulux arrive at these insights? Every year, Akzo Nobel assembles a panel of experts from 26 countries, spanning a diverse range of disciplines, to a three-day workshop. It is here that they explore the relationship between the big issues of the day and interior décor, with the findings translated it into a Colour of the Year and four supporting palettes.
Colour palettes
This year, the panel organised its deliberations into four main themes – a focus on mental health, collective thinking, bio-inspiration, and the cycles of life. These preoccupations have been communicated in colour through four palettes – Lush, Buzz, Raw and Flow.
The first of these, Lush is intended to promote balance through beautiful forest hues that are inspired by the plant-filled habitats of gardens and woodlands. Buzz colours are the upbeat tones of pinks and ochres that capture the biodiversity of a wildflower field or grassland. Raw consists of the harvest shades that mimic nature’s raw materials and Flow is based around warm neutrals and deeper seashore tones that bring a sense of fluidity and momentum.
“We know that immersing ourselves in nature can have a positive impact on our well-being and that’s something we can bring into our homes,” continues Marianne. “Some of Dulux’s best-selling ranges, such as Diamond and Easycare are already inspired by nature at a technical level. These paints utilise biomimicry, for example, where the surface mirrors a Lotus Leaf construction in repelling water and dirt, so employing the healing power of nature through colour is a natural extension of a growing trend.”
Creative process
Dulux wants to encourage decorators to think about how these colours can be used creatively, as well as communicating their potential to their own clients. It’s about building confidence with colour – by using masking tape techniques to create stripes and bands, for instance. Painted ceilings are now in vogue and are an opportunity to mix and combine colours from these palettes. Certain shades will lend themselves to particular rooms, and there is a vast library of Dulux imagery available to help make those decisions. All of the considerable resources that Dulux supplies, including its Academy courses, allows tradespeople to differentiate themselves from their competition by offering a level of colour expertise.
“We want painters and decorators to have conversations with homeowners about how they want to use a particular space,” concludes Marianne. “It’s that that will lead to successful colour choices and ultimately a satisfied customer.”
For further information on the Dulux Colour of the Year visit
