Pantone During A Pandemic | Beautiful Blue Tones

Pantone During A Pandemic | Beautiful Blue Tones

It’s hard to feel that ‘creative spark’ during “shelter in place” sometimes. For artists and designers, social distancing often means feeling a disconnect from the collaborators and teammates with whom we love to work. It’s important that we find new ways to ignite our inspiration, and new approaches to the creative process.

Color has always been a motivating factor and constant source of energy in our creative process. Thanks to Pantone, color now has ‘a language’ – a worldwide color matching system that allows you to seamlessly transition between graphic, textile, online and home design. Need that exact shade of blue to translate from your screen to your kitchen design? Pantone has you covered.

We love turning to Pantone (especially during this pandemic) to keep us connected to creative energy, trending colors and artistic design inspiration.

In the “Pantone During A Pandemic” series, we will highlight some of Pantone’s color trend report selections and group them into categories. From optimistic to calming, bold to reliable, we hope these Pantone color collections will help you reconnect with your muse and “flex that creative muscle”!

Pantone Color Trends | Blue Colors for 2020

Sometimes, the way to “beat the blues” is by using blue to your advantage! One of the most popular kitchen design colors of the last year, blue has transcended its classic use as a “steady” shade and become a versatile, dazzling tone in modern design. Here are some of the blue tones that Pantone features as trendy for 2020.

Classic Blue

Pantone 19-4052

Collection: Pantone New York Spring 2020, New York Autumn 2020, London Spring 2020

Pantone Classic Blue 2020

The Pantone 2020 Color of the Year is omnipresent, listed in 3 out of 4 of Pantone’s 2020 color trend reports. Sturdy, friendly and reliable, Classic Blue can serve you beautifully in the foreground or background of a design.

Strong Blue

Pantone 18-4051

Collection: Pantone London Autumn 2020

Pantone Strong Blue 2020

Pantone’s Laurie Pressman describes Strong Blue as a “confident blue shade” with an injection of “vibrancy”. Sometimes, the experts just say it better than you ever could. Strong Blue is astonishingly warm for a blue tone, and definitely doesn’t shy away from view.

Heritage Blue

Pantone 16-4127

Collection: Pantone London Spring 2020

Pantone Heritage Blue 2020

The aptly named Heritage Blue speaks to tradition, balance and familiarity. One of the more versatile trending Pantone colors of 2020, experiment confidently with Heritage Blue – it’s a beautiful option!

Mosaic Blue

Pantone 18-4528

Collection: Pantone New York Spring 2020

Pantone Mosaic Blue 2020

Mosaic Blue is an intriguing shade of teal that verges slightly on green, making it a bit more selective in terms of colors with which it pairs than your ‘average blue’. This makes Mosaic Blue an interesting option for different color palettes than a more conventional blue.

Blue Depths

Pantone 19-3940

Collection: Pantone New York Autumn 2020

Pantone Blue Depths 2020

One of our favorite dark blue tones of 2020, Blue Depths is the “anchor blue” of the New York Autumn 2020 collection. Blue Depths manages to be a dark blue shade without becoming navy, and retains some of the richness of a lighter blue shade.

All Blue Everything | Kitchen Design Inspired by PANTONE Classic Blue

All Blue Everything | Kitchen Design Inspired by PANTONE Classic Blue

The PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year is informing beautiful modern kitchen design everywhere you look. Classic Blue takes center stage in the coming design year for its reliability, versatility and comfortable nature. Easy to work with, simple to pair and familiar to the eye, Classic Blue is already proving to be one of the more popular PANTONE Color of the Year selections in recent memory.

How can we implement Classic Blue into our kitchen designs? As usual, we’re drawing inspiration from our parent company, Peter Salerno Inc. (the most award-winning kitchen & bath design firm of the 21st century). In the series of posts below (courtesy of Peter Salerno Inc.’s Instagram account), we explore how to utilize blue in our kitchens in a myriad of gorgeous, luxurious ways.

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: A Stunning Blue Backsplash

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: Blue Swarovski Ceiling Decoration

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: A Classically Luxurious Blue-Based Kitchen Design

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: Opulent Recessed Blue Lighting

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: Twin Blue Statement Kitchen Islands

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: An Accompanying Blue Sitting Room off the Kitchen

View this post on Instagram

The kitchen view | A colorful cozy family living area |

A post shared by Peter Salerno Inc (@petersalernoinc) on

Classic Blue in Kitchen Design: The La Cornue CornuFe in Provence Blue

Best Classic Blue Color Palette | PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year

Best Classic Blue Color Palette | PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year

Classic Blue has been announced as the 2020 PANTONE Color of the YearNow that the announcement has been made and initial reactions have been expressed, there’s only one thing left to do… get to designing!

PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Ponder Palette
PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Ponder Palette

Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052) is steady, reliable & familiar, like an old favorite pair of blue jeans. As we stated in our previous article, the design benefits of a backbone as sturdy as Classic Blue are large. PANTONE is already suggesting color palettes for designing with Classic Blue which are varied and inspiring. It’s a reassurance that a steady base tone can still create audacious, bold color design options.

While some of the more glitzy and non-traditional palettes are grabbing headlines, the most serene Classic Blue color palette may be our favorite. PANTONE crafted the Ponder color palette as a soothing visual trip to the beach, with sand, water & sky permeating the collection. Anchored by 3 quite varied shades of blue (Classic Blue, Baby Blue and Provence), the Ponder palette invites casual daydreaming and calm reflection.

(In particular, we love Provence blue. It’s a gorgeous royal hue which adorns many of Peter Salerno Inc.’s kitchen designs.)

Monument (PANTONE 17-4405) is the anchor of the Ponder palette, the sure-footed gray neutral that keeps it all grounded. It pairs splendidly with all 3 blue hues in this collection (Provence + Monument is a winner).

Peach Quartz, Cornhusk and Stucco remind us of Neapolitan ice cream – a creamy swirl of strawberry, French vanilla & chocolate to keep the Ponder palette playful and appealing.

As PANTONE states in its article regarding Ponder:

The design benefits of a backbone as sturdy as Classic Blue are large. PANTONE is already suggesting color palettes for designing with Classic Blue which are varied and inspiring. It’s a reassurance that a steady base tone can still create audacious, bold color design options. Palettes like Snorkel and Exotic Tastes are proving how bright & diverse designers can be using Classic Blue as a base of reference.

Ponder is available through Pantone Connect for Adobe Creative Cloud.

Ponder: A PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Palette

Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052)

Pantone 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue

Provence (PANTONE 16-4032)

Pantone 2020 Color Provence

Baby Blue (PANTONE 13-4308)

Pantone 2020 Color Baby Blue

Monument (PANTONE 17-4405)

Pantone 2020 Color Monument

Peach Quartz (PANTONE 13-1125)

Pantone 2020 Color Peach Quartz

Cornhusk (PANTONE 12-0714)

Pantone 2020 Color Cornhusk

Stucco (PANTONE 16-1412)

Pantone 2020 Color Stucco

Classic Blue | The Dependable PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year

Classic Blue | The Dependable PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year

It’s like designing with your favorite old pair of blue jeans: comfortable and reliable. The cool, denim backbone of 2020’s color design palette has been named, & with it comes a world of possibilities.

We’re talking about Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052), the official 2020 PANTONE Color of the Year. A truly foundational color, Classic Blue signals a return to security. Comfort. Peace. It’s a shade you know instantly, one that makes you feel good.

PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue

Classic Blue’s not here to set the world on fire. And that’s okay. It doesn’t set out to do so – quite the contrary, the PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year is trying to promote cool, calm waters. Unlike recent Color of the Year selections Living Coral (2019) & Ultra Violet (2018), this blue hue won’t dominate the conversation. It’s about stability.

The design benefits of a backbone as sturdy as Classic Blue are large. PANTONE is already suggesting color palettes for designing with Classic Blue which are varied and inspiring. It’s a reassurance that a steady base tone can still create audacious, bold color design options. Palettes like Snorkel and Exotic Tastes are proving how bright & diverse designers can be using Classic Blue as a base of reference.

PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Snorkel Palette
PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Snorkel Palette
PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Exotic Tastes Palette
PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year Classic Blue Exotic Tastes Palette

From the official PANTONE website, a quote from the PANTONE Color Institute regarding the 2020 Color of the Year:

Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.

What do YOU think about Classic Blue’s selection as PANTONE 2020 Color of the Year? Leave us a comment below & let’s interact!

Design With Blue | A Guide to Trending Blue PANTONE Colors

Design With Blue | A Guide to Trending Blue PANTONE Colors

We’ve spoken at length about blue being the “it” color for kitchen and bath design in 2019 – and now, the industry is hopping on board. Our parent company, Peter Salerno Inc., has been utilizing blue tones in custom world-class kitchen design and bath design for months, and we’re constantly inspired by how versatile and dynamic the color can be.

Blue features prominently in one of Peter Salerno Inc.’s finest 2019 custom kitchen designs. The transitional kitchen design below delivers a ‘pop’ of blue accent color, inspired by PANTONE Spring 2019 Color Trend Report favorite Princess Blue. Set against the clean white and gray of the kitchen design, this royal blue draws the focus ever upward. This allows the eye to naturally travel up to the star of the kitchen design – a series of reclaimed wood beams from St. Patrick’s Orphange in New York that adorns the ceiling.

Peter Salerno Inc.'s reclaimed wood beams in transitional kitchen design, 2019.
Blue design accents make this gorgeous Peter Salerno Inc. kitchen design pop.

The versatility of blue in today’s kitchen designs stems from the versatility of shades selected in recent PANTONE collections. Bright blues like Princess Blue and Galaxy Blue sit in contrast to the dusky Sargasso Sea, Evening Blue and Eclipse to create a dynamic palette.

Our favorite blue tone from recent PANTONE selections may just be Bluestone, a member of the Autumn/Winter 2019-2020 Color Trend Report. Bluestone is a gorgeous, lush blue-gray that pairs well with virtually every white, gray, brown and taupe neutral one could choose.

A peek ahead to the PANTONE Spring 2020 palette indicates 3 more blue selections – one classic, one teal, and one faded light selection. The latter of the three reminds us greatly of the blue selected by Peter Salerno for the transitional kitchen island pictured below, which became an instant favorite and a true conversation starter for its new owners this year.

Quartz or granite - what's your preference in countertops? (Peter Salerno Inc.)
A stunning light blue makes this transitional kitchen island a conversation piece. (Peter Salerno Inc.)

Here are the featured blue tones in the PANTONE Color Trend Reports dating from Autumn 2018 through Autumn/Winter 2019-2020. Comment, and let us know which ones stand out to you!

Blue Color Design | Trending PANTONE Blue Tones

From the PANTONE Autumn/Winter 2019-2020 Color Trend Report:

Bluestone

Bluestone (PANTONE 19-4055)

Evening Blue

Evening Blue (PANTONE 19-3815)

Galaxy Blue

Galaxy Blue (PANTONE 19-4055)

From the PANTONE Spring 2019 Color Trend Report:

Princess Blue

4th of July Pantone color palette Princess Blue

Eclipse

4th of July Pantone color palette Eclipse

From the PANTONE Autumn/Winter 2018-2019 Color Trend Report:

Nebulas Blue

PANTONE Nebulas Blue

Sargasso Sea

PANTONE Sargasso Sea

Trending Red + Blue Tones For 4th of July Design

Trending Red + Blue Tones For 4th of July Design

The 4th of July is all about expressing your American patriotism – so make sure you’re doing so in the most stylish way possible!

The freedom of expression is one of the great liberties Americans possess. Within that right is the ability to create, express and design your lifestyle in ways you find beautiful. Independence Day is a perfect occasion to blend your personal style with the colors that represent American pride.

4th of July Pantone color palette Peter Salerno Inc.

Red and blue color tones take center stage on the 4th of July, with re-imaginations of the American flag everywhere you look. From classic, traditional salutes to the flag to trendy takes on red and blue shades, patriotic color design extends from clothing to furniture, accessories to decor, and residential to commercial expressions.

So, how can you set yourself apart this 4th of July if everyone’s working with the same two colors?

Our trusted advisors at PANTONE – the world’s foremost authority on color – have their finger on the pulse of color, design and application. Consistently ahead of the curve on color theory and intelligence, PANTONE provides informative articles as well as the world’s finest color matching system.

Smart design experts understand what a valuable resource PANTONE can be. We’ve taken their expertise and applied it to the 4th of July, searching their latest articles, trend forecasts and color palettes for our favorite red and blue hues to inspire your Independence Day style.

We’ve developed a palette of 8 colors – 4 reds and 4 blues – upon which to build our 4th of July color design. A series of versatile blues spans from light and airy to rich and stable. The four red tones sizzle with all the pizzazz of 4th of July fireworks.

We’d love to know which red and blue tones you like best – Happy 4th of July, and make sure to leave us a comment!

4th of July Color Palette | PANTONE Reds + Blues

Fruit Dove

4th of July Pantone color palette Fruit Dove

Fiesta

4th of July Pantone color palette Fiesta

Valiant Poppy

4th of July Pantone color palette Valiant Poppy

Chili Pepper

4th of July Pantone color palette Chili Pepper

Eclipse

4th of July Pantone color palette Eclipse

Galaxy Blue

4th of July Pantone color palette Galaxy Blue

Princess Blue

4th of July Pantone color palette Princess Blue

Sky Blue

4th of July Pantone color palette Sky Blue