Breaking Down the Pantone Fall/Winter 2018 Color Palette

Breaking Down the Pantone Fall/Winter 2018 Color Palette

Color Family #1: Cool and Bright

Ultra Violet, Crocus Petal and Nebulas Blue

As a tip of the cap to 2018 Pantone Color of the Year Ultra Violet, we start our Fall/Winter 2018 color families with these intriguing cool tones. The reason for our intrigue? Cool colors aren’t supposed to be this ‘forward’ – and yet, here we are. Ultra Violet commands one’s attention immediately, while Crocus Petal has a warm pink undertone that makes your eye linger a bit longer.

With all due deference to the purple tones, we are completely enamored with Nebulas Blue, one of the most dazzling blue tones Pantone has selected in the last 2-3 years. We expect to see Nebulas Blue everywhere – runways, home designs, graphic design, etc.

 

2. Color Family #2: Rich and Seductive

Valiant Poppy, Red Pear and Meerkat

When we see Valiant Poppy, Red Pear and Meerkat together, we can’t help but think of a glamorous Hollywood starlet with a stunning red dress and a stole wrapped around her shoulders. Meerkat is the perfect compliment to these two red tones, with its punch of warm brown for support. None of these tones will have an easy time taking a ‘back seat’ to others in your kitchen or bath design; we’re most intrigued to see what designers can do with Red Pear.

 

Color Family #3: The Bold Standouts

Russet Orange, Limelight and Ceylon Yellow

You can’t be shy and utilize any of these colors in your design – Russet Orange, Limelight and Ceylon Yellow are for the bright, the brassy and the bold. While the mustard-tinged Ceylon Yellow may prove to have the most utility in kitchen and bath design, the proper splashes of either of its counterparts in this color family can be used to achieve dramatic, eye-catching results. Be careful not to overuse any of these tones, however!

 

Color Family #4: Smart and Sophisticated

Quetzal Green, Martini Olive and Sargasso Sea

If you want your design to radiate confidence, sophistication and luxury, these three Pantone colors should be in strong consideration for inclusion. Quetzal Green is a gorgeous blue-green that appears to be the offspring of emerald and sapphire. Martini Olive evokes images of upscale bars and dens, and is a rare green shade that could even be seen by some as a neutral. Sargasso Sea, meanwhile, is the most intriguing of all the Fall/Winter 2018 Classic Colors, providing a steady navy blue backbone to the season.

 

Color Family #5: Highly Versatile Neutrals

Quiet Gray, Almond Buff and Tofu

Pantone’s Fall/Winter 2018 color palette provides some of the most satisfying, pairable neutral tones in recent memory. Quiet Gray, Almond Buff and Tofu aren’t just neutrals that sit in the background; any one of them could easily be the lead primary color in your design. Tofu, in particular, may be our favorite ‘off-white’ neutral Pantone selection in years. With just enough warmth underneath a steady white base, Tofu is quietly one of the real winners of the Fall/Winter 2018 collection, and should be a strong contender for any neutral-tone kitchen design or bath design.