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Colour TrendsPurple

My Take on Pantone’s 2014 Colour of the Year: Radiant Orchid

By 12/04/2013February 24th, 2017119 Comments

Since purple hasn’t been on Pantone’s radar for more than 10 years, maybe it was time for it to take the spotlight as the colour of the year.

Pantone's colour of the year

{click on images for source}

I would not have said purple. Since I consult with clients all over the country I can honestly say not one person has ever considered this shade of purple for their house except for MAYBE a kids room.

The forecast at the Colour Marketing Group conference in Palm Springs was Reds, turquoise and pinks.

Pantone's Colour of 2014

It would be great for a wedding cakes and bridesmaid dresses.

Pantone's colour of the year 2014

And I get it in fashion.

Pantone's Colour of the Year 2014

But for home decor, purple is the last colour most people choose to decorate with.

So maybe we need to see more interiors with this creative and expressive colour.

Pantone's colour of the Year 2014

A colour that emanates great joy, love and health.  Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone.

Pantone's colour of the Year 2014

Pantone's colour of the Year 2014

Over to you my lovelies. What do you think? Should Radiant Orchid/Lavender/Lilac be your next sofa or dining chair colour?

Related posts:

My Take on Pantone’s 2013 Colour of the Year: Emerald

My Take on Pantone’s 2012 Colour of the Year: Tangerine Tango

My Take on Pantone’s 2011 Colour of the Year: Honeysuckle

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119 Comments

  • Momlady says:

    Umm…yeah. Not that shade. I painted my front door a deep shade of plum a few months ago and I love it, but for an interior I don’t think I’ll be jumping on the bandwagon with Radiant Orchid. Maybe something deeper as accents or something lighter and a bit more muted in slightly larger doses of color here and there, okay. Just not that interested in the trendy-ness I guess.

  • Parisgirl says:

    I love purple especially the ‘blue’or ‘greyed’ purples. I have used it sparingly in previous homes. For purple to work it needs to me moody or fresh but never sickly which unless my monitor lies Royal Orchid is. Here in Brisbane we have glorious Jacaranda trees which bloom each spring. The colour of these trees, a clear bright blue toned purple is my favourite. It will be fun to watch the textile designers etc weave their magic and have us all brain washed into loving it in no time. Who would have thought that 70s orange would be so loved again? Part of the joy of decorating….

  • Kathy says:

    I love lavender and purples! Have used it for bedroom and bathroom walls and as decor accents with yellow-green walls. Have used warmer red/lavenders and cooler blue/lavenders over the years. My husband enjoys deep purples and chose Ben Moore’s Kalamata for our dining room in our last house. Our mudroom/laundry room is Devine Color’s Passion Fashion Beans right now and the powder bath is Color Guild’s Lavender Bubble. Guess if you love purple, you’ll use it; if you don’t; you won’t.

  • I wear a lot of blue violets and greyed out red violets but I don’t think this is a colour for my furnishings. I’m more of a neutral furniture person (I paint my walls every year). With the exception of the occasional conversation piece chair I’m going to stay with furnishings that can accept many other colours around them.

    • Susan@Susan Silverman Designs says:

      I’m with you Beverly. I’m more of a neutral girl when it comes to furnishings. I do love purple but not that shade. I did use it once in a little girl’s room to go with a duvet and I was cringing a bit…but the client wanted it and the kid loved it.

  • EAC says:

    Just a totally unprofessional guess here- but many people went for the muted grey walls and white slipcovers look, and by now they may be itching for a little more liveliness in their environments. Rather then repainting, adding lilac accents (pillows, etc) to those grey shades wakes things up a little, a la Walda Pairon. Perhaps this is driving Pantone’s conjecture…

  • Um no – sorry Pantone but I wouldn’t ever decorate with that colour. Nope, no way (well, okay if it was Easter then MAYBE). I’ll wait until next year, thanks though!

  • Donna Frasca says:

    Purple has been trending for so long! I’m glad this color was chosen, it’s a nice combo of pink and purple very much like my office color.

    I’ve been using soft muted purples in master bedrooms for a really long time and actually, my clients are the ones who ask for it. I think it’s a pretty choice in both home color and for fashion.

  • Okay now I really know I’m definitely not on trend AGAIN! This is not a colour I would use anywhere in home decor ever – on a wedding cake, in a floral arrangement – but not in a home.

    That being said, I can see it working well with all those gray living rooms out there. Which, of course, being the non-trendy one I don’t have.

  • Debbiecz says:

    Isn’t there an unwritten rule that every girl must torment their parent with a purple room, the first step away from little girl pink?
    But I have seen a lot of plum shades in clothing & home accessories. I recently bought a deep purple suede jacket, a color I would never choose but I was happily surprised at how it blended with my fall/winter colors. Am I ready for an entire room? Probably not but I’d definitely switch in accessories and maybe even a deep plum velvet chair or ottoman..ooh, I’m 10 again!

  • Robin Reid says:

    Perhaps the selection of this rarely used and exuberant color is signaling how we are emerging from the recent recession. Orchid is not a safe choice in design – everyone has a fairly strong opinion of its use in everything from clothing to interior design. It will be interesting to see the industry’s interpretations over the coming year.

  • Cathy Z says:

    And so it begins…opened up the December issue of Lonny just now and sure enough right up front on page 12 there is an ad from Duralee, Philip Gorrivan for Highland Park with a lilac sofa, pillows and lampshade. Paired with mirrored furniture and gray/white faux bois walls. Looks like somebody got tipped off before the rest of us 🙂

  • Suzanne says:

    I wouldn’t have picked it, but the rooms you show above are nice. Maybe we need to give purple a chance?

  • Bonnie says:

    I really don’t like it at all. It makes me think of funerals and little girls’ rooms.

  • Jill Baum says:

    I painted my daughter’s room Lavender in May. It sucked the life out of her room! A couple weeks later I repainted BM 1248 Organdy which is just stunning. Everyone comments on what a peaceful, lovely color it is. The lavender was a deep rich color and pretty on its own but too much for a 11 x 12 room.

  • Jeanie P. says:

    Bonnie hit the nail on the head. To me is is the color of half mourning and a room decorated in that color would be depressing or childish.

  • Janet says:

    I love all purples and will be happy if I can get some purple in my house that isn’t just paint. How happy would a purple leather sofa make me? Very very happy.

  • Karen Hanretty says:

    The only room done in this shade of purple that I’ve seen was in an historical house in New Orleans. It was gorgeous but probably best left to the eccentricities of a city that takes pride in being over-the-top. Besides, good luck getting husbands to go along with a “lavender” color scheme. You could tell them it’s Radiant Orchid until you’re purple in the face, and they’d still say it looks lavender. Translation: too feminine.

  • ellie says:

    I think it is a logical progression from the greys of this year. and the turquoise.

    I actually painted a spare bedroom wall purple a few months ago. Just one wall. I do yoga in that bedroom and the room was too blah.

    It was very easy to decorate and tone down with various grey textures in the bedding of a double bed and grey/purple/pink pics in frames on one wall. JCPenney had some interesting accent pillows on sale to arrange on the bed. velvet and beaded and ruffled in greys and lilac.

    and grey patterned sheers from ikea.

    inexpensive, colorful update to a blah bedroom/yoga room!

  • marisa says:

    …a pleasant surprise…I wasn’t expecting it…but I can go with it as a trend. Not sure if it will translate in long-term investment pieces.

  • Not my favorite color of the year either. Maybe in small doses, such as the picture of the white couch with the purple print pillows.

  • I second that, Robin! I think it IS a harbinger of an economic spring.
    In and of itself, it’s a very pretty color that looks beautiful with gray. It can be sophisticated if used sparingly and properly. As a wall color though… too much!

  • InfoDiva says:

    Is Pantone the company that brought us mauve and dusty blue a couple of decades ago?

    No thanks.

  • Kristi says:

    I have read several times that purple in the bedroom makes for a bad night’s sleep. Perhaps that explains why my eldest daughter, whose bedroom is only a few shades off Radiant Orchid, is a TERRIBLE sleeper! Perhaps it’s a colour best kept for the living room?

    • Beth says:

      I think that’s just pop psych. If a color makes a person feel good – whether brown or pink or navy or purple – that’s what counts. Plus when the room is dark and eyes are closed, there’s no color. ; )

      • Linda says:

        Beth,
        Beth,

        Color does impact us visually, emotionally, and physically. Our bodies absorb color energy through what is called the vibration a color gives off. Studies have shown that even blind people can feel the vibration energy of a red room. There may have been just enough red in the purple that was just enough to keep her daughter from sleeping well.

        Have you every heard of a TV waiting room for their guest as the “green room”? Green is a calming color hence why they are painted green.

        More to color then just the color itself.

        • Beth says:

          Yes, color can have psychological, physiological, and psychosomatic affects. It can also affect us due to cultural or childhood associations – good or bad. And of course there’s just individual taste, like chocolate/vanilla/strawberry ice cream.

          So a blue that is calming for most people could be nails on a blackboard for someone else. That’s why ultimately it goes back to the individual. Just my take – and what I studied with IACC and afterwards.

          • Janice Waterman says:

            Our bedroom has been various colors over the year…and my husband never sleeps. I don’t worry about the color psychology anymore. Now the bedding and headboard are a deep grape and we both love it.

  • Rhonda says:

    I enjoy wearing deeper shades of purple, and I enjoy planting purple flowers in the garden and bringing them into the house. Maybe a purple accent piece or pillow, but large doses of Radiant Orchid would not be for me.

  • Loribeth says:

    I remember, back in the early 90s, there was a ‘Country Living’ magazine… I think that was the one… It might have been ‘Romantic Homes’… Anyway, it had this lovely living room on the front cover that had walls painted that color. And, of course, being the early 90s, the room had a wallpaper border up by the crown molding. The furniture was all chintz, the tables were covered with floor length table cloths. I can see it perfectly.
    I wanted that room! I wanted to paint my living room that color in the worst way. Of course, HH#1 said no way to that. So I’ve always dreamed of having that room, which now is completely out of style.
    I don’t think last year’s color took off, and I’m not sure if this one will either. But I like this one better than the Emerald–which, BTW, was also a popular color in the early 90s!

  • Nic says:

    I painted a wall of my dining room this colour 2 years ago and I love it. The rest of the room is cream with dark wood floors. The vibrant colour works perfectly with my rough hewn walnut table and its chrome legs and chrome framed chairs. Some sparkle (I think that might be key), some roughness and some vibrancy. It is also surprisingly neutral. I can decorate with lime and orange in the summer, greys, sand colours, plums and even turquoise looks great with it.

  • Beth says:

    I just used several lighter and darker violets (purple) in a huge, contemporary church. They aren’t as bright as the color of the year, though. They look terrific with taupes.

    I’ve used grayed violets periodically, including in my own dining room and laundry room/pantry off the kitchen (contemporary house).

  • I’ve been obsessed with this color for the past 5 years. I painted my entry to the my office this color just a few months ago. Paired with navy and white accents, it’s amazing. I’m doing a client’s dining room in shades of violet and it is stunning–brings her antiques alive with a modern edge. In fact, pair it with last year’s emerald and they are both magical.

  • Beth says:

    While there are exceptions, I think clients take their cues from us. So if violet (or navy or turquoise or whatever) isn’t on our radar, it won’t land in their homes/businesses.

    If we have an affinity for certain colors on walls and finishes, we impart that to our clients. And if a designer has a certain look, clients who are drawn to that look gravitate to that designer. That’s over simplified, of course, but a factor.

  • Martha says:

    I have a pale lavender in my half bath, with a tile wainscot, so not a huge expanse of color. It is simple elegance, and it is probably one of my favorite rooms. I don’t see using this color wholesale and have never had a client request it. But I believe just about any color can be beautiful if applied correctly using color theory and having experience in design.

  • Natalie says:

    You’re absolutely right Maria. Purple rarely is asked for. But when I did it with complimenting stripes (in the North facing room, remembering your advice:dark rooms never come alive in white) the cheerful ambiance made everyone happy. I had to replicate the effect a couple of times upon request.
    Pls visit my website, I’d appreciate your opinion.
    Purple isn’t about a trend, it’s about ability to pull it off as with anything btw.

  • Stacy says:

    I like it as an accent color in small furnishings and of course, as nature intended it to be, a beautiful flower which would look lovely in a vase, not as a wall color.

  • Stacy says:

    I like it as an accent color in small amounts and of course, as nature intended it to be, a beautiful flower which would look lovely in a vase, not as a wall color.

  • Vicky says:

    It’s a very pretty color but one I would never have on my walls. I prefer neutral furnishings so that I can change my accessories and pillows to different pops of color.

  • Lisa says:

    We made that cake for my daughter’s birthday! Coincidentally, her bedroom is painted BM Pale Iris. Her room is fairly large and light-filled, so the color is not overwhelming. She loves it!

  • Robin says:

    Growing up, my parents’ bedroom was decorated in shades of Radiant Orchid. Pale lavender on the walls, “Radiant Orchid” chenille bedspread, white leather tulip chair…. Of all the houses we lived in, that room is the only one I can remember in vivid detail, all the way down to the black ceramic panther that slinked across my mother’s dresser.

  • Ellen Kryger says:

    It’s a beautiful color with a spiritual feel. I would not choose it as a wall color, but maybe accents if my client loved it.
    I think in the fashion industry it will do better as this color looks amazing against certain skin tones.

  • While it was NOT radiant orchid, I did have a lavender kitchen once (many houses ago) and it was quite beautiful…the “purple” that is in my current abode graces the walls of my yoga room..I used palest lavender on the majority of the walls and violet shimmer in the closet and on the bulk head that one wall contains. These are Glidden colors GLV13 and GLV14 from Home Depot..I did however not use Glidden paints..I had the colors mixed into my favorite paint at another store…

  • Erica says:

    Thank goodness for Pantone’s yearly picks – the décor trade would have a little less to talk about without some color controversy! Although the first picture of the swatch didn’t thrill me, the interior shots reminded me how well this color can be done, to different degrees. It’s very serene and calming – an appropriate change from the invigorating emerald green. We should never view these colors as ones we have to rush out and have dominate in our designs and homes. They are to get us talking, thinking and remembering that although we all have our favorites, all colors are beautiful and each deserves to be highlighted. It keeps our minds open to all colour possibilities instead of in our predictable comfort zone. Thank you Pantone!

  • Is it really a colour to capture what the mood is or to set the mood for all kinds of industries? For us in the architectural paint industries, it will be an accent type of colour at best. Out of the teenagers bedrooms but an accent colour for sure. Happy painting for sure!

  • D.Gibbs says:

    LOL…remember these..?
    Grandpa dropped his glasses in a pot of purple dye; And when he put them on again, he saw a purple sky! …….And at the supper table he got crazy as a loon, from eating purple apple dumplings with a purple spoon!
    I never saw a purple cow, I hope I never see one. But I can tell you anyhow, I’d rather see than be one…..No purple for me…it gives me a headache!

  • Karen says:

    I’m not ‘diggin’ it for the home decor, and even for fashion, I would say those of us over 40 need to be judicious in how we wear it. Yes it is a symbol of creativity and men…it makes you relatable to women…but my thought was based more in the wine/bordeaux family. I was a bit off but think that it will be one of those years in fashion where the supporting colors will be MOST important!

  • Jill says:

    I wanted purple/lavender walls in my all white bathroom. I went into MB and asked for a grey with a purple undertone. They directed me to ‘Misty Moments’. All I can say is, its stunning and every time I walking in the room it feels good. Its the only part of the house which is girly, When my 4 year old Grandaughter comes to stay, she walks past the beige bathroom to use the purple one.

  • Interesting choice that ‘s for sure. And according to Feng Shui: In your feng shui color applications, color purple should be used with moderation. It is a very strong, high vibration color, the color of connection to the spiritual realms (7th chakra.)

  • Linda says:

    Ellie,

    I forgot to mention that purple is a spiritual color and in helps to promote spiritual connection. It helps us to detach in order to connect, in other words helps in praying and meditation. So, picking purple for you yoga room is a good choice.

    As for radiant orchid as the Pantone Color for 2014, I agree with Maria that it will be a bit tough sell for the home industry. I don’t see many of my clients requesting it. But, perhaps as mention by others, I can seeing it as splashes of color added to a room to be trendy but easy to let go once the trend has past.

  • Betsy says:

    Eek. I don’t love pastels, I’m not fond of purple, and I REALLY dislike pastel purples. I have burgundies and reds in my house – deep, saturated colors, but this is not one that appeals. In fact, to me it screams “old lady” (most likely because my 88 year old mother-in-law painted her bedroom this color – it’s been the same color for the past 20 years.) I won’t be following this trend in my home.

  • Amanda says:

    This definitely is an unexpected choice! Violet is the color that is associated with the 7th chakra-the crown chakra:

    “Violet (purple) is the color of the Crown chakra, also known as Sahasrara. This chakra is located at the top of the head. The Crown chakra is linked to the crown of the head, the nervous system, and the brain, and is representative of pure thought.

    This chakra connects one with the infinite consciousness. Opening this chakra will help tap into a deep spiritual understanding.”

    Maybe Pantone is trying to tell us something/increase our awareness?!?!

    Info taken from:
    http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-meaning/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/colors-chakras-2296#.UqCPmOBFORI

  • Susan S says:

    I would only use it in small doses and it would be muted for sure. Having said that though, I would highly consider it for a powder room!

  • Deborah says:

    The earlier comment about last year’s Emerald not really taking off in interior design is well noted. This shade of violet has limited appeal. Perhaps this forecast is better suited for graphic design application than architecture/interiors. Having said that, I am a big fan of Aubergine, but it is rich whereas lavender is just a bit too sweet and Easter-y.

  • Ms Mitten says:

    I received some beautiful art with purple flowers that I have been trying to figure out what to do with for some time.

    I saved this post from Centsational Girl to try to find a way to make purple work in my office or master bedroom.

    http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2013/08/decorating-with-purple/

    Very interesting choice indeed! I’m curious to see what comes next, I need some ideas for my artwork.

  • Katy says:

    I love it! we painted my mom’s master bath this color ( well a little bit lighter), the bath is mostly white with black accents, it’s a very soothing combination.

  • Katy says:

    oh and I loved the emerald too, I designed and built a glass door armoire and painted the interior emerald, and I had several people write to me and ask to buy it — I know these colors don’t “take off” in the sense that Target starts selling all of their towels and bathmats in them — but that doesn’t mean that people won’t use it in their interior. People who love color and design don’t usually depend on mass market appeal for their choices, IMO.

  • SandyCGC says:

    Not a blue person! Not a purple person! Not into trends BECAUSE they are the trends. Very much into what I learned from you, Maria, and what I’ve achieved so far in my home – it does fills me with happiness when I walk in and I can and do stand at the door of each room and smile when I look in. The good thing about whatever the Pantone color of the year is, one can always find other paint colors and fabric choices. The problem I find is that everybody else will get on the bandwagon with their accessories and everything for the coming year will be some shade of purple, just as this past year everything has been some shade of emerald green. Extreme nuisance when one is trying to finish up a room.

  • Kari says:

    Finally! I’ve been waiting for purple to go on-trend again so there’d be more furnishing options for our master bedroom. (Though, I hope the items are more muted than Radiant Orchid!)

  • Wyn says:

    I painted the backs of my white bookcases that colour — it makes me so happy compared to stock white. I have another pot of a deeper shade that I’ll use to repaint some other bits of furniture for the room. The counter in the ensuite bath next door is purplish, which cemented it.

    I’ve been really enjoying the amount of purples that are around in fashion and decor the past year or two. It started when I bought a drapy magenta jacket, and started getting compliments every time I wore it, so I went out and got more! These warm purples are much more versatile than I expected, in moderation, especially at the magenta to plum end. They go with many other colours I wear, both colourful and neutral, warm and cool, clean and dirty.

    Warm purples, peacock and burgundy all seem to be surprisingly flexible statement colours, that can go with many possible undertones. I think it’s because they mix warm and cool, and can slide between clean and dirty. Denim blue may be the same way, because it’s a warm blue.

  • Maria, I love the photos you used to illustrate Pantone’s colour of the year and pinned them all onto my various boards to ensure everyone ‘absorbs’ the idea. For me, I prefer the bluer plums and greyer lilacs BUT would likely be more inclined to only use as decor accents or in fashion – the right yellow is a wonderful juxtaposition to purple and can be quite elegant.
    Looking forward to the afternoon with you and Penelope. It’s been well worth the investment as I’ve learned a lot about myself already (ENFP) and will use this info to make some of the decisions I’m facing as I get serious about my decor-consulting business – like, not so many ‘freebies’ for all the neighbours!! See you online..

  • karen paul says:

    This photo shows a progressive approach toward the warmer colors, coming from gray and tangerine tango.
    http://www.houzz.com/photos/51057/T8-mediterranean-bedroom-los-angeles

  • TracyB says:

    I love this color. I’m always drawn to it either in fashion or for the home. It make me think of all things french. My guest bedroom used this color from a Monet poster as inspiration for the decor. Can’t wait to see more of this luscious shade.

  • Maria says:

    Years ago, in another house, I had that exact shade of purple on my bedroom walls – loved it!

  • Carla Strand says:

    I thought last year’s color was bad, but this year even worse!!! I would never go for that in my house. I do love hydrangas in similar colors, but too much is too light and old ladyish.
    I love your book and blog and I enjoy looking at colors with a new eye. Thank you.

  • LeeAnn Cheeley says:

    I just repainted my bay window dining area with a color very similar to this above my mosaic tile wainscoting while the lower color is a muted teal. I think it is gorgeous. Of course, I love color & and not afraid to use it! My cathedral-ceiling entry bump-out is now a deep brick red with iced coffee walls & a shortbread ceiling. I also have a deep purple bump-out around my fireplace surrounded by the iced coffee walls. These colors are all in 1 great big open living area including my kitchen (light bamboo cabinets) which has a continuation of the muted teal. My stairwell is a lovely blue that complements the teal & red & iced coffee. My painter & I work together to come up with my colors. These replaced bright yellow, muted green (2 shades), bright periwinkle, purple (2 shades), and a darker blue. So my new colors are toned down a bit from the previous ones!

  • Scribbler says:

    I think it is gorgeous! In my previous house I painted above the wainscoting with a very similar shade. Below the wainscoting, I did a strie in the same color using paint mixed with glaze. It was gorgeous, especially with the striped silk curtains in creme and the same color! The carpet was Magnolia. I loved it!

  • Linda Burnham says:

    I love it! 15 years ago I painted a bedroom in lilac and everyone thought I had lost my mind but I have still not changed it. I update the bedding occassionally to bring a new color in. I would buy a dark purple sofa design around it too!

  • I think one of the best 3 color combos on an exterior I used recently was from the AF deck. The body was Kasbah, the trim was Wenge and two doors were Grasshopper. The purple was at the suggestion of the client’s 10 yr. old daughter.

  • Elaine says:

    I love bright colors, but this looks an elderly aunt’s bedroom to me. Maybe okay for youthful bridesmaid dresses or Easter eggs, but I wouldn’t choose it for decor.

  • I absolutely love it!! It is my very favourite color of all time to wear and to look at. It makes me feel alive! I have Farrow and Ball Calluna on all my walls – with red kitchen cabinets (blue undertones) – and Brassica on the bedroom walls. Lovely colours that harmonize with the cool tones of our Vancouver skies. I am looking forward to seeing more creative uses of the colour in interiors this year.

  • Stephanie says:

    The Pantone color – no. Looks muddy and garish at the same time. I grow orchids, but this is one color that I’m not sure even looks good on plants!

  • Mary says:

    I love purple. About 15 years ago when I had a hunter green sofa, I had purple accents in my living room. My spare room/office was painted purple. I had a purple & green coverlet on my bed. I should have hung onto my purple things.

  • Mary says:

    I have always wanted a lavender bedroom or powder room. Maybe this year!

  • Durf says:

    I painted my office lavender and love it. I have pictures on my blog.

  • Jill says:

    Every color has a frequency by which its delivered to the eye and brain. Violet vibrates at the most rapid speed of any color in the visible spectrum. It can be agitating and unsettling to some on a biological level.
    I experimented with my own bedroom to see what it was like to interact with on a regular basis. I have since repainted the room. The color became agitating. Do not agree with Pantones’ selection as color of the year.

  • Michelle Ku says:

    Absolutely! but, toned down or deepened. My bedroom is a fabulous shade of lavender and it is serene and peaceful – perfect for a bedroom. And, you cant really ever go wrong with deep dark plumbs.

  • Alison says:

    I think we need to remember that Pantone doesn’t cater or profit much from the Interior Design/Decorator community. The paint companies do though. This is about colours that can be “talked about” to raise Pantone’s own profile. They sell their colour data files to companies for packaging, graphic design and the manufacturing industry. And to be noticed they use memorable saturated colours each year. Great designers understand what we want our rooms to be remembered by: the feeling the inhabitants of our spaces want. Whether it is relaxed, rejuvenated, or lifted up.

  • teresa says:

    Just today, Greet of Belgian Pearls, has a wonderful post that really shows how this colour can be used. Don’t knock it yet! It looks beautiful with green and orange and so complements much of the gray we’re now seeing.
    http://belgianpearls.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-in-house-of-walda-pairon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+httpwwwbelgianpearlsblogspotcom+%28Belgian+Pearls%29

  • Pat says:

    Hummm. Can see splashing purple somewhere. Maybe radiant orchid. More likely a different shade or hue. Did a blue lavender/purple in my kitchen years ago and liked it until I didn’t anymore. That’s when I repainted.
    Actually, I’m with Palm Springs as I’m ready for some pinks, special, nonsticky pinks.
    Colors are fun!

  • Well that’s surprising, I was thinking it was going to be Navy for some reason. Would be nice for an accent with charcoal or Navy, but I’m not seeing too many walls painted this shade. 🙂

  • Liz says:

    I love purple, but I prefer the deeper, richer swatch of the Pantone color from this article in the LA Times to the one posted here. I wonder why they look so different (to me anyway).

    http://www.latimes.com/fashion/alltherage/la-ar-pantone-radiant-orchid-20131205,0,3994353.story#axzz2md3gfiRs

    I love purple, and I wear a lot of different shades of purple, but not pastel. I wouldn’t want purple walls, but I have a beautiful purple bedspread, accents, and towels.

  • Liz says:

    LOL! Did I say that I love purple? 🙂 Wishing for an edit button.

  • keira says:

    with a desire for a “sense of mystery,” i painted three walls of a boring dark hallway a deep plum and it looked great.

    have been itching to have a dusty dark lavendar/gray bedroom with white, orange and brown accents for a while.

  • Carol Anne says:

    so funny I got an email late last night about the new Pantone colour, Radiant Orchid…. went to bed last night thinking I must post a blog about it to get up this morning to find you did it for me…lol thanks you did a wonderful job for me, just what I was thinking…
    I have only been asked twice in 15 years for any shade of purple…. and mighty fine and wonderful rooms they turned out to be… with lots of lime green accents.
    my lol’s (little old ladies) will be very happy once the fabric houses get on board… they are all living in this colour and I have not had the fabrics to help them get what they want….
    looking forward to listening to the webinar later this evening… I am hard at work this week recovering from having to cancel appointments and presentations because of a wack of snow we got on Monday and Tuesday…
    still crazy cold -37 … x

  • Crystal says:

    Maria,
    Praises to Pantone’s 2014 colour of the year!
    Purple is THE colour that nearly every human looks good dressed in, wrapped up in, sitting near, on, under or around. It’s neutral, yet can be the star of the show! I mean, remember 2012’s Tangerine Tango? It’s still being used and admired 🙂

  • I love purple, not so much lavender. But, I think it can be a sophisticated color, and very relaxing. A few of my clients have requested it, but in deeper variations. I just want the gray thing to go away!!! So, if this helps people put more color in their homes, I’m all for it.

  • Maria, did you stay up all night waiting for the announcement & then immediately start writing the post? Wow, 3 am… that’s dedication to the colour biz!

    I was expecting dazzling blue to be the 2014 COTY, which was predicted in the online rumour-mill. But radiant orchid has a good place in decor accessories & looks fresh in combination with teals, turquoises, yellows, & yellow-greens. Better than last year’s Emerald, which I never used once in decorating or staging homes.

    • Maria Killam says:

      Haha no, I arrived home from dinner with a friend at 8:30 pm, saw that it had just been announced and wrote it. My blog is scheduled to go out after 3:00 am so that’s why it looks like I’m so industrious.

  • Kay says:

    I personally am mad for all kinds of purples, but not this one. Too garish! It’s not elegant or sophisticated or playful or soothing. I can’t see designing a room around it. In over 30 years in SoCal, only 3 client’s have requested purples and #3 was just last year. I think pulling off purple depends on how it’s used, as well as supporting colors, finishes, textures, and lighting. When done right for a person that loves it, it can be sensational. It’s a color that really provokes an emotional response, that’s for sure!

  • Amy Burger says:

    Fun. Fun. Fun. I think it is great! I have a purple toile chair in my living room that I love and I have big purple patches in the area rug under it. I also have a purple painted master bedroom (albeit more like the gray tone of grape Bubble Yum bubble gum). I love them all…for some reason they make me happy, Maybe because it is a bit different? Great post and great to see color. Whatever will Restoration Hardware do? 🙂

    The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article on the color as well…beautiful applications shown.
    http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303497804579238241990173628

  • Janice Waterman says:

    Wow. Does this color ever inspire a lot of emotion! No one seems to say “whatever”…it’s either great or horrid. Personally, I like all purples and have in my own home: both new pieces and inherited.

    I will say…I won’t eat purple food though unless it is from a very natural source such as berry juice. NEVER purple icing.

  • anita blair says:

    I painted my north facing bedroom close to this colour three years ago. I absolutly love it. It’s a
    great shade for my bedroom. It keeps it from being dreary and dark. So far everyone that has seen it loves it, too. It was as close to the colour of a prairie crocus as I could find.

  • Pearl says:

    Looking at the comments, purple definitely incites a lot of passion!

    We have three purple rooms! haha!! I just really love the color. I *think* I picked the right shades thanks to reading about color undertones on your blog. Thanks Maria! 🙂

  • Betsy OShea says:

    I am late on my purple post but agree w someone above that dusky purples like sleepy hollow or toned grayed periwinkles like Persian violet are pretty but not that bright orchid color. Not for me. Phoebe Howard recommends FrenchLilac which might work in a BR……Not my fave shade….my faves are what you forecasted: turquoises and reds……

  • Victoria says:

    It’s not a color I see myself using in wall color or upholstery. I would, however, use it with accessories with my turquoise pieces in the Spring to switch up my usual red accents. I love turquoise and purple, or aqua and lavender together. Today I wore a purple turtleneck and my turquoise and purple scarf and turquoise jewelry. Love the combo. Also, as I am writing this, the local weather is on and the weather man is wearing an orchid or lavender shirt with a purple striped tie.

    Like another poster, for me, this color can border on a tone of mauve that I grew up seeing in funeral homes. So I would have to adjust it to make sure it didn’t give me that macabre funeral home feeling.

    It will be interesting to view how it will be used for interiors in the days to come.

  • Roberta says:

    I’ve been loving purple for years….as accents mostly…old bottles, a pillow or two and even painted my bedroom a very pale purple/gray (MS Phlox) last year which is lovely with all white linens and curtains. Not so sure about ‘Radiant Orchid’ though…a bit much for even a purple lover like me!

  • Babs Loyd says:

    I am so glad you posted this Maria. I almost gave away curtains from a few years ago which are lavender stripes and white. They will look nice in my new office. I really like the fourth picture of the room with the blue chair.
    The large color boards arrived today. They are wonderful and I cannot wait to try them out in several areas of our new house.

  • Ann Stueve says:

    I have a bed room on the western side of the house, painted it a pale yellow. Never did like the color. So painted it a blue lavender with a white comforter and dark furniture and a dark purple,green, blue, wine colored throw and pillows. Love, love it. One of my favorite rooms.

  • Janet says:

    I wasn’t sure for a while if I liked it or not, but it just came to me – this color is a cleaner version of the old mauve. I wore the color back in the early eighties, and decorated with rose pink, but it seems dated now, not fresh like the colors of the last several years. I can see it in small accessories, but not walls or sofas or tiles. Turquoise is still a huge favorite of mine.

  • Cyndi says:

    I’m a bit tickled by this because several years ago, and with my husband’s enthusiastic backing, we painted our bedroom a color just a tad deeper than this. It was perfect. It was calming and didn’t give up too many spooky shadows from the bare trees in the winter. We did the trim in bright white to offset it but that’s because I’m not decoratively inclined and that was the easiest answer.

    I love the pictures you posted with it. It gives me ideas for the next time we get to decorate!!

  • Jennifer says:

    Purple is the FIRST color I think of when decorating followed by green. Way ahead of the crowd, I am.

  • KNJ says:

    Can’t wait to do a room with black/white cow hide floor, geometric brass/glass coffee table, grey walls, high gloss white trim, with plush black velveteen pillows with orchid trim, an orchid colored highly textured upholstered chair & off white or perhaps muted black/grey sofa. I just don’t think teenager or Easter when I see this color but then again, I mentioned we’ve been seeing similar lilac colors being requested more and more lately. Could it be City thing – our views are not a collage of colors and our rooms are set up more like shoe boxes (not open to a lot of rooms)? Love the feminine color choice!

  • LizH says:

    I do like purple, especially for dining rooms, but radiant orchid is a bit bright. It works well in small doses, though:

    http://www.pinterest.com/pin/120823202473698552/

    http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137430226100900491/

  • dee says:

    I do like it. in fact, I bought a chair in this color for my living room, last year!

  • Wow! this is a great post and look at the number of comments! Amazing!

  • Mary says:

    I love it, and many other shades of purple. No.. not Easter bunny purple, or grape gumball, but I have always had some form of purple accents in my home. To me certain purples look amazing with greys, black, camel, greens and more.
    And paired with a deep Aubergine. Beautiful!
    Would I do an entire room with it? No.
    Love all the comments on this!

  • holly says:

    I’ve just recently decided to paint my bedroom a shade of aubergine. It’s a north facing room & the existing pale color is very dim & sickly looking. I’m thinking this shade of purple may be very rich & romantic, and I’m going to try and add some masculine details as well as sliver & black accents.

  • Hey Maria

    I don’t know how I missed this post! Purple is one of my favourite colours and has been for a long time. I’ve used this hue prominently in accessories, draperies, reupholstering and area rugs for myself and clients (who obviously love it too.)

    This past fall we painted our bedroom ‘Poetry Plum’ by Sherwin Williams and I love it -hubby too!! (it’s just not ready to be photographed yet)

    I’m pleased with the colour of the year and hope others get on the purple train too!!

  • LisaE says:

    This is one of those colors for which context is everything. It would be great in a New Orleans historic house. It would be great in a modernist loft with limed or poured-concrete floors. It would be fun in a Manhattan apartment with Dorothy Draper black-and-white.

    But in a suburban house with traditional furniture? Cheap and awful.

  • Anne says:

    For lipstick, yes! I’ve been wearing just that shade of blueish-lilac for years, since it’s perfect for my coloring. And I think it looks current as a small pop in an otherwise gray/white/bison room accented in black. But as an overall room color? Nooooooooooo!

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