28 March 2024, 20:38
By Hannah Malein Jul 09, 2013

Colour in context – sky blue

Colour is an essential part of any design project, and this year Furniture News has invited the trend forecasting company behind Mix Publications, Global Color Research, to talk about key colours for the current season. Although the company forecasts colour trends two years ahead of the season, this series of articles focuses on colours taken from the Mix Trends forecast, which will bring relevant information to manufacturers, interior designers and any professional within the design industry. Hannah Malein presents sky blue …

Part of an eye-poppingly bright colour palette, this uplifting shade of sky blue is paired with a set of vibrant mid-tones in the impactful Block story for spring/summer 2013.

An optimistic look forward to economic recovery, we take inspiration from the Bauhaus and the 1980’s Memphis design movement, reinterpreting each in a haphazard and playful way. Freestyle and experimental, finishes are applied in a hand-rendered fashion, with sponging and stippling paint techniques ruling over heavy texture.

Colour blocking remains a really strong trend, but this season we push the boundaries with this set of upbeat primary tones, mixing Bauhaus influence in shape and form with a more freehand style of application. A true mid-tone blue, this clear sky tone appears bright when used exclusively, yet it almost becomes a neutral in the palette when put in combination with a punchy pink and an apple green, balanced by a solid concrete grey and navy blue.

Bold material combinations are key in Block, as graphic forms combine with intense colour. Naive marks and shapes are incorporated into surfaces, coupled with a chalky powder finish of paint. Bold mosaics include purpose-made tiles, broken crockery and glass fragments, building a complex and intriguing mix-match of colour and material. Simple craft techniques are important, as experimental stitchwork brings a playful edge to fabrics and trims.

“Colour blocking remains a really strong trend, but this season we push the boundaries with this set of upbeat primary tones”

As the colour of a clear sky on a sunny day, it’s no surprise to discover that this shade symbolises health, softness, harmony, dependability and trust. Sky blue in particular has an instantly calming effect that inevitably makes people feel relaxed and comfortable, therefore proving a popular choice for interior decor and furniture pieces. Although ideal for use in bathroom and kitchen spaces, this blue also lends itself well to living rooms and home offices where a sense of serenity is required.

Sky blue, and a whole host of Block-inspired pieces, can be seen on furniture pieces this season. Case Furniture chose it as one of the colours on their Vitrina tall cabinet, as has designer Zoe Murphy for her limited edition Margate sideboard, adding a darker blue and yellow colour blocks. Try mixing June’s colour, sky blue, with a punchy pink and a fresh apple green, using a concrete grey or navy blue to ground the palette.

For the full colour story and ideas for its application, see a presentation of the Block trend in Mix Trends Spring Summer 2013, issue 24.

Hannah Malein is a colour trend consultant with Global Color Research, the company behind Mix Publications. Mix Trends and Mix magazine can advise of similar trend predictions up to two years ahead of the season. Sign up to the company’s monthly newsletter to receive the latest information on colour, trend and design.

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