Pantone® has revealed their Colour of the Year as 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a ‘warming’ shade of brown that ‘appeals to our desire for comfort.’
But who exactly is Pantone? Pantone is a global leader in colour matching, known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), which ensures colour consistency across industries like fashion, design, and printing. Each year, Pantone selects a "Colour of the Year," chosen by a team of colour experts who analyse global trends, cultural movements, and social shifts. This colour often serves as an inspiration for design trends, influencing everything from fashion to branding.
This year’s colour choice has received both joy and criticism, with some people ready to embrace the chocolate-inspired hue, while others have dubbed it the new millennial grey.
Unlike Pantone’s bold colour choices of the past, such as Viva Magenta in 2023, this year’s shade serves as the perfect neutral that can be incorporated into various homes and styles, becoming a lasting colour choice. The shade is not only versatile enough to be used throughout the home but also has the ability to encourage neutral homeowners to embrace a colour that won’t feel as daunting.
The Resurgence of Brown
Brown has been making a comeback in interiors for some time, in furniture, soft furnishings, and on walls. The shift towards richer, warmer hues is helping to cultivate a movement of creating homes that feel lived-in and personal, rather than modern, staged showrooms.
As people increasingly move away from minimalist, sterile spaces, they are turning to colours that evoke comfort and warmth. Brown, with its earthy tones, offers a sense of grounding that aligns with the desire for a more authentic and relaxed atmosphere. By blending naturally with materials like wood and stone, it creates spaces that feel more inviting.
Incorporating Brown Into Your Home
Brown has firmly established itself as a key neutral colour in home décor, alongside whites and creams.
If you're not ready to commit to painting your entire home or undertaking a major redesign, you can easily incorporate brown through soft furnishings, such as cushions, throws, and rugs, or by adding easy-to-install feature walls. These smaller changes allow you to experiment with the colour and transform a room without the effort and expense of a full makeover.
After being named Pantone’s Colour of the Year, brown has gained attention as a potential new neutral. With its rich, earthy tones and ability to complement natural elements like wood, brown may well carve out a lasting place in our homes.
