Dulux Colour Awards 2017 Finalists Announced

Every year, paint specialists Dulux award prizes for the most inventive and creative use of colour in a commercial or residential space in Australia and New Zealand.

This year a record-breaking 286 entries have been narrowed down to 89 finalists, all demonstrating the difference a carefully chosen colour palette can make to a space.

If you’re on the lookout for inspiration for your apartment, here are our top five takeouts from this year’s finalists.

Deeper, darker palettes
These were particularly common in this year’s entries, with the use of richer colours not just as a feature wall, but to define the character of complete rooms. And whilst darker colours can make a room seem smaller, they also create a sense of cosiness and warmth. Add a comfy chair and an oversized throw and you have yourself a snug retreat.

Bold colour combinations

There are plenty of rules regarding colour combinations. But rules are meant to be broken, and several entries did just that, by combining colours that wouldn’t normally be put together. The eclectic look is popular when it comes to furniture, there’s no reason the same can’t be applied to your paint selections. Dive in, see what works for you. After all, you can always repaint.

Hero pastels
The trend of selecting pastel shades as the predominant colour for an interior continues. Whilst the use of pastels is actually a retro approach (pastels were huge in the 1950s and 1960s) they came back with a vengeance a few years ago. Pastels give you the opportunity to set a calming tone in a room. Use them to create spaces that soothe and relax you.

Black as a bold accent
Mainly used as an accent colour, black popped up in a number of entries to add an urban and functional aesthetic. If used sparingly, black can do a great job of defining space and is the perfect backdrop for adding additional colour through furniture, textiles and art pieces.

Blue never goes out of fashion
Blues were a popular choice this year, from deep blue-greys to light and airy powder-blues. There’s no surprise that one of the colours proven to relax us should remain a popular choice for an interior, but that doesn’t mean it’s predictable. Select an interesting hue and you can still create a room that has a unique character.

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