Fall 2016 Color Trends Report: Blues, Earth and Jewel Tones

Pantone Fall 2016 Color Trends Report Indicates Strength and Luxury

As with Summer 2016, each season’s palette of color trends is an indicator of where the design industry is headed (at least for the short term). And as always, world-class designers from every industry look to Pantone as the one source for forecasting the future of color.

Pantone brands itself as your guide for “accurate color communication”, and is the world’s foremost authority on accurate color matching and precision. Every year, Pantone releases its Official Colors for the year and for each season.

For Fall 2016, all indications point to a luxurious, strong palette of color. Unlike the bold, vivacious hues of Summer 2016, the Fall 2016 Pantone color trends report has a flair for the opulent. Color tones are more sedate than last season, but still exude the audacious, lush qualities of summer.

The Fall 2016 color trends palette is lush and “in your face”; an extension of the optimism put forth by the colors of your summer. Even the names of these colors (many of them new additions to the Pantone color system) embody strength and boldness: Sharkskin, Spicy Mustard, and Bodacious, to name a few!

Here is your official “list of 10” on the Fall 2016 Pantone color report:

• Riverside – Pantone 17-4028
• Airy Blue – Pantone 14-4122
• Sharkskin – Pantone 17-3914
• Aurora Red – Pantone 18-1550
• Warm Taupe – Pantone 16-1318
• Dusty Cedar – Pantone 18-1630
• Lush Meadow – Pantone 18-5845
• Spicy Mustard – Pantone 14-0952
• Potter’s Clay – Pantone 18-1340
• Bodacious – Pantone 17-3240

Blues and reds lead the charge into fall, with five total entries on the list. But don’t mistake these hues for sedate, staid offerings; each tone has an undertone of luxury and jewel-toned brightness that will spice up your personal style.

Whether it be a new take on your custom kitchen design or bath design, an update to your wardrobe, or any other design project you undertake, here are our 4 favorite colors in the Fall 2016 Pantone color report.

Fall 2016 Pantone Color Report: Our 4 Favorite Colors

Riverside (Pantone 17-4028)

One of the brand new colors in the Fall 2016 Pantone color report, Riverside has drawn high praise from color and design experts worldwide. Instantly adopted by iconic fashion designers like Gucci and Lacoste, Riverside seems to manage the impossible – bringing a warm, almost “sunny” disposition to a blue-gray hue.

Calm yet inviting, Riverside garners our vote for favorite new shade of Fall 2016. This is due largely in part to its capacity to be woven seamlessly into virtually any personal style, be it classic or contemporary, traditional or transitional. Riverside promises to be a shade of blue utilized in design for years to come.

Potter’s Clay (Pantone 18-1340)

It’s so rare to find a shade of red that works beautifully with the earth tones in your home or wardrobe, but Potter’s Clay is that rare exception. It evokes the idea of freshly polished, refined wood surfaces – a reddish-brown that’s anything but dull. Unlike a more subdued terra cotta shade, Potter’s Clay seems to have a natural “shine”, like a ray of sun glancing off the bark of a red maple leaf.

We are choosing to typify Potter’s Clay as an extension of red, but this isn’t your average garnet hue. Obvious notes of cedar, burnt orange and autumn maple leaves set Potter’s Clay apart from the other reds in this fall’s color report.

Spicy Mustard (Pantone 14-0952)

Want an exotic complementary color to the base elements of your Fall 2016 color design? Spicy Mustard is our choice. Another brand new addition to the Pantone color spectrum, Spicy Mustard is exactly what its name suggests – a tangy burnt yellow hue that immediately catches the eye without detracting from the rest of your design.

Spicy Mustard was a “pop” on the runway for fashion designers in their Fall 2016 lines, successfully drawing focus without blurring geometric lines and elements. Like the brightest yellow leaves of the autumn season, look to Spicy Mustard as a wonderful design option – both in your wardrobe and as an accent color in kitchen, bath, and home decor accessories.

Warm Taupe (Pantone 16-1318)

Warm Taupe may not be the most “exciting” of hues in the Fall 2016 Pantone color report, but it provides the calm and balance that weaves the 10 colors together. This is a neutral that doesn’t fade into the background like its brethren, however. Whether used by itself or in combination with the richer colors of the season, Warm Taupe still demands attention.

Alexander McQueen used Warm Taupe to dazzling effect on the runway, and home design specialists find its warm yet earthy hue a trustable focal point in custom designs. Warm Taupe is a timeless shade that will remind you of the cozy leather couch of your dreams or the most comfortable jacket you’ve ever owned.