Coral. Color of the Year 2019. Turns out my home decor loves Coral.
Following and setting trends in a mystery author’s home.
When I first read coral was color of the year, a bit of hesitation hit. My first thought was, “Oh, no!” No coral blouse, sweater or dress because coral does not agree with my skin tone. I liked the color well enough—on others—and around the house.
I think of coral as a human color, maybe because it seems to be in same family as flesh, or something edible like fish or fruit. Blue wouldn’t be the same.
I didn’t want to be left out of the prevailing color trend, so I scanned my home and discovered that I lived with plenty of coral, enough to keep me current in home decor circles. Here’s what I found.
Pictured are two of Ryan Dolan’s Raku Saggar Fired Vessels – Handmade Wheel Thrown Pottery – from Dolan Clay Studio. See many more samples on his Etsy shop page. And he’s got a fascinating video about the Raku process on YouTube. When I look at these I see fantasy landscapes that might cover distant moons, and every one is unique due to the process. So let’s talk color-specifics.
Coral. Not any coral will do.
Coca-Cola and Target are unmistakably red. Facebook and Walmart use blue. Think of Starbucks green, and who doesn’t associate UPS with brown. Caterpillar yellow and John Deere green. Not any red, blue or green will do, these brand identities require a specific color match to printing inks and more for brand consistency across the globe.
In a former career as an advertising Art Director and Graphic Designer I used the Pantone Matching System (PMS) everyday. For those who aren’t familiar, Pantone was the standard for matching color by its assigned number. My swatch book was never far from my desk.
Coral in the Turkish carpet.
When I wasn’t working, I was fortunate enough to travel. Pictured here is the center motif of a handmade wool carpet, a souvenir from Cappadocia, Turkey.
So there you have it. You don’t have to wear a color to live with and enjoy it.
Announcing the Pantone Color of the Year 2019: PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral
Described as a vibrant, yet mellow coral with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.
View Past Colors of the Year and learn about Color Intelligence, the Color of the Year selection process, and the Pantone Color Institute™ at Pantone.com
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