Coatings World - MAY 2017

Kerry Pianoforte, Editor

Coatings World: What are the color trends
for 2017?

Dee Schlotter: The PPG Paints brand’s 2017 Color of the Year is a unique violet hue with a quality that allows it to adapt to surrounding environments and complement a variety of design aesthetics. When paired with dark neutrals, the color unveils gray undertones, but when paired with whites, it reads as a purer purple. Its design appeal is similarly nuanced. Violet Verbena blends perfectly with many different surroundings, like a chameleon. It looks polished yet playful in a child’s room, and it is calming enough to be used in hospitals or other spaces that require tranquility.

PPG Paints Violet Verbena is the focal point of PPG’s four
global color trend stories for 2017, which center on the theme
of Pendulum: earth, water, fire and air. For the first time, the
PPG Paints brand includes its Color of the Year in all of its trend
themes, as the prevalence of this hue allows it to live in every
story. The four themes are:
• HOURGLASS: A classic palette with a contemporary spin,
this theme represents the earth element, with consumers
finding stability in what they know and gravitating toward
designs rooted in historical relevance. The palette incor-
porates rich, royal hues such as PPG Paints brand colors
Burgundy Wine (PPG1053-7), Old Mill Blue (PPG1171-
6) and Castle Stone (PPG1128-7), blended with a healthy
dose of neutrals such as Pearl (PPG1087-2) and Go To
Gray (PPG1004-1), to pair beautifully with wood, marble
and stone tile. The lavender hues of Violet Verbena add to
the royal nature of these colors, while still blending effort-
lessly with greens, blues and neutrals.

• ES/SENCE: This theme focuses on the element of water, purity and the premise that less is unequivocally more. In a time when many consumers are embracing minimalism,

Color Trends

and Forecasting

Coatings World recently had the opportunity to interview Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager, PPG (makers of PPG PAINTS, OLYMPIC Paints & Stains and GLIDDEN Paints) on the topic of color trends and forecasting.