There's a new colour making its way into our homes in 2018 and its name is Ultra Violet.
Named as Pantone's "Colour of The Year", this vibrant shade of purple is already cropping up around the globe. From soft furnishings and electronics to furniture and front doors, before long you won't be able to go outside without catching a glimpse of Ultra Violet's influence.
What's Pantone?
Pantone is THE authority on all things colour. For the last 50 years at least, they've set the trends when it comes to colour. From influencing interiors, fashion and packaging to pretty much everything colour-related on the planet. They have thousands of colours on record - each one with its own unique reference number. So, what they don't know about colour isn't worth knowing. In fact, there's nothing they don't know about colour.
What's Ultra Violet?
Every year Pantone chooses a colour that will be influential for the year ahead and in 2018 they've selected Ultra Violet. At a basic level, the colour can be described as a blue based purple. But, according to Pantone, Ultra Violet can be summed up in the following way:
"A dramatically provocative and thoughtful shade"
"A symbol of experimentation and non-conformity"
"A refuge from today's over stimulated world"
In short, Ultra Violet is here to stay. Well, at least for the next 12 months. So, be prepared for a flood of blue-purple homeware, clothes and more in the coming weeks.
How to use Ultra Violet at home
If you want to adopt the Ultra Violet trend in your living spaces, here's how this not-so-shrinking-violet can be easily introduced at home.
Mix it with Metallics
Purple and Metallics have always been a perfect pairing and Ultra Violet is no exception. Metallic accessories, mirrors and even fabrics in metallic tones look great against this inky purple shade.
Introduce accessories slowly
A colour as strong as Ultra Violet can easily overpower a room. So, introducing it gradually will help you strike the right balance. In a kitchen for example, Ultra Violet gadgets can help you achieve the look.
Choose Violet blooms
Purple-coloured flowers can be very dramatic. And, an easy update you can make to your home right away. So, consider a full bouquet to create a natural focal point. Or, place single stems in purple vases to enhance the effect even more.
Double up
Layering Ultra Violet accents on top of one another makes a strong style statement. Soft furnishings stacked up on sofas or beds are a great way of achieving this. Or, cluster accessories together to create more impact.
Offset it against blue
Ultra Violet already has a hint of blue to it, so using blue as an accent colour is the perfect way to draw this out. Lighter tones will create more contrast, while darker navy and inky blues will invoke a moody feel.
Paint a feature wall
Feature Walls are supposed to be striking so what better colour to use than Ultra Violet? You can paint the wall behind a bed in a master bedroom, or go to town in a bathroom. All of which will give these spaces an instant on-trend update.
Invest in an official Ultra Violet print
Pantone has teamed up with Saatchi to release a series of art prints that use Ultra Violet as their base colour. And which take inspiration from the shade. You can pick these up for a limited time only - or seek out Ultra Violet works of art on the high street. As well as online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy.
For more Ultra Violet inspiration
If you're still on the fence about Ultra violet, take a look at House beautiful, which features houses around the world already using the colour to full effect. And, Pinterest is another great source of inspiration too. To find out more about our styles or if you have any questions, contact our Customer Service team on 020 8939 3800.
Kind regards,
The Willow & Hall team