Why Viva Magenta, plus some interesting facts about Colour Psychology and how to enhance your home environment with colour!

It’s the new year and in the world of design, that means a new Pantone Colour of the Year! Introducing Viva Magenta 18-1750 – a vibrant crimson red that’s said to represent joy, experimentation and self-expression. Bring it on!

But what exactly does this have to do with you? Unless you’re someone who works in the design industry, or who follows trends closely, it might not mean much at all. What is the Pantone Colour of the Year, and does it actually have any relevance for you? Let’s find out!

In the words of Leatrice Eiseman, from the Pantone Colour Institute:

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.   

Rooted in the primordial, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

Choosing the Pantone Colour of the Year

If you’ve heard of Pantone before, that’s not surprising, as it’s known as the universal language of colour – a colour matching system that’s used round the world, and that you may have even used yourself when choosing paint or other interior design samples.

Originally created in 1963 in order to resolve colour matching issues in the printing industry, today Pantone is the number one method for choosing and matching colours, with every colour, tone and tint given a unique number for easy identification.

In 2000, Pantone went one step further with its classification and created the Pantone Colour of the Year as a way of forecasting trends in the design industry. Since then, the announcement of the Colour of the Year is highly anticipated, and is chosen based on colour trends and influences in fields as diverse as fashion, marketing, travel, entertainment and politics.

Now 23 years later, the Colour of the Year is a trend that captures the industry’s attention, with a multitude of products and palettes designed with it in mind. It may be just a colour, but it’s one with the power to influence fashion, furnishings, graphic design and more in a kaleidoscope of impact.

How does the Pantone Colour of the Year impact you?

So far the Pantone Colour of the Year may seem like a trend that’s reserved for the design industry alone, but it’s so much more than that.

Home decorating can be a time-consuming, stressful task, but with a variety of products already curated to reflect the current colour trend, giving your space a quick refresh or even a full makeover becomes so much easier. That’s the power of trends – styles that reflect current tastes and preferences to ensure that we’re always moving forward, and not staying stuck in the past.

The psychology of colour

As we revealed, this year’s hotly anticipated Pantone 2023 Colour of the Year is Viva Magenta 18-1750 – a colour chosen for its representation of strength, joy and optimism, and its ability to make an eye-catching statement. That’s because colour is so much more than simple a shade or a tint – it’s an expression of emotion and individuality that’s personal to us all.

Take the colour wheel for example. Invented by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, it’s a visual tool that demonstrates different colours and combinations, and shows which colours are more in harmony with each other.

Each of these different colours has its own associations and context, and it’s this energy that can be transmitted and felt, particularly when used in an intimate setting like a home interior. Let’s take a look at how this colour theory applies to some of the most common colours on the wheel. 

Primary colours

(colours that exist on their own, and can’t be mixed from other colours)

Red: A bold colour that signifies love and passion, evoking feelings of power, strength and confidence.

Yellow: A bright, cheerful colour that inspires happiness, hope and joy.

Blue: A colour associated with calm and contentment, peace and comfort, stability and trust.

Secondary colours

(colours mixed from two adjacent primary colours on the wheel)

Orange: A colour that brings together the cheeriness of yellow and the energy of red, creating a new shade of active positivity, of enthusiasm and excitement.

Green: It speaks of growth and renewal, as well as being restful and relaxing, green evokes the peace of nature, providing harmony and tranquillity.

Purple: Associated with creativity and spirituality, power and influence, purple represents dignity, luxury and independence.

Neutrals

Grey: As a neutral colour, grey stands apart from the rest, giving an air of stillness, self-restraint and impartiality.

Nude: A colour that exudes warmth, comfort and relaxation, while bringing peace and order.

Black: A colour of harmony and power in Feng Shui, black is also associated with sophistication and style.

White: Connected with purity, innocence and perfection, white can also be an indicator of new beginnings and freshness.

What does your home say about you?                     

With these colour theories in mind, what does your home currently say about you? Are your colour choices representative of your personality and your individual expression? Are they creating the ideal environment for you and your family and achieving the desired effect in your home. 

If you’ve been feeling like you need a change, it might be time to refresh your colour scheme and align it more with your own needs. More than any other kind of décor, colour can set the tone for your home, evoking attitudes and emotions that demonstrate who you are in every kind of space. 

Are you someone who likes to relax in your lounge while you read or watch TV? Perhaps you need to feel energetic and lively in your kitchen while you create new recipes. And maybe your bathroom needs to be a space of sanctuary and calm. The more you can curate your home to match your mood, the more fulfilled you’ll feel – and it’s here where colour plays such a vital role.

Colouring your home with individuality in 2023

While Pantone’s Viva Magenta 18-750 may not necessarily be your first choice when it comes to colours for your home, the Pantone Colour of the Year as a concept does pose an important question – how big a role does colour play in your home? 

If you want a space that’s filled with warmth and energy, are you using colours like red, orange and yellow to create this? And if you prefer a space that’s calm and relaxed, are you choosing blue, green or neutrals to help you achieve this? If not, now’s the time to start. 

That’s because a home that’s filled with your favourite colours can help to fill your spirit too, revitalising, reenergising and rejuvenating you for the year ahead. If that’s the inspiration you need, then we’d love to help you colour your living space for 2023.

We put together some wallpaper ideas below which include Pantone’s Viva Magenta 18-750, sometimes in brave doses of this vibrant colour and sometimes just small accents. Be inspired!

Simply visit our studio in Kramerville, Johannesburg or browse our collection online, and find wallpaper that speaks to you in any and every colour. And if you’ve been wanting to feel more energised and powerful this year, maybe incorporate a little Pantone Viva Magenta 18-750 into your choices too. Here’s to living a better, more colourful life!