The Dulux Colour Awards, now in its 32nd year, always dishes up a bevy of inspiration for home makers, encouraging many of us to make a bold change within our homes.
The annual awards program celebrates outstanding uses of colour by Australian and New Zealand designers.
“We were thrilled to see such dynamic and inventive use of colour in this year’s entries,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux colour planning and communications manager.
“Architects and designers have really pushed the boundaries with colour application to create uplifting, engaging – and often thoroughly surprising – interior and exterior spaces.”
The bright white of this bathroom pops against the sky blue walls. Design: Austin Maynard Architects. Photographer: Tess Kelly
From a record-breaking 305 entries, 124 were chosen as finalists by a panel of design experts.
Here, we take a little look at some of our favourites.
WARNING: You may or may not be inspired to paint your roof yellow after seeing these photos.
Bold and beautiful
A common theme in this year’s entries is “fun, vibrant accents of red, yellow and lime green in the form of paneling, door and window trims” says Andrea. “There’s an unmistakable sense of ’80s nostalgia creeping in,” she says.
“Impactful tones of yellow are also making an appearance, often in unexpected places, such as ceilings and interior trims, adding a sense of unbridled joy into interior spaces.”
See more bold entries in the gallery below:
Pretty pastels
“We’re seeing a trend towards softer, warmer palettes in commercial interiors – chalky grey-greens, diluted pinks and earthy terracotta that add character and a cocooning vibe,” Andrea explains.
See our dreamy pastel picks in the gallery below:
Related: Dulux reveals the autumn colour trends for 2018
Dark and moody
“Darker tones of black and charcoal continue to dominate in commercial and exterior spaces,” Andrea explains. Deep, luxurious jewel tones were also seen across a handful of entries.
Check out our moody faves in the gallery below:
Bright whites
White will always be considered a safe choice for walls, but these entrants proved the simplistic hue can be anything but boring
Monochrome magic
“Grey has lost none of its appeal, particularly in residential exteriors, but rather than opting for a single shade, designers and architects are layering up multiple shades of the one colour for a more sophisticated and interesting, tonal look.”
Take your makeover inspo from the gallery below:
Subdued pops
Bursts of colour are a great way to bring character to a home without overpowering a space. “Blue is emerging as a popular choice in residential interiors – warm denim tones are adding a relaxed elegance to bedrooms and kitchens, while funky turquoise is being used to energise and excite.”
See our colour pop picks in the gallery:
The finalists will be judged by a panel of leading design figures, with winners announced at a gala event to be held at the National Gallery of Victoria on May 10, 2018.
Judges include Miriam Fanning, founder and principal interior designer of Mim Design; David Hicks, director of David Hicks; Katelin Butler, editor of Houses magazine; David Flack, founder of Flack Studio; and Murali Bhaskar, design director of Boon Goldsmith Bhaskar Brebner Team Architects in New Zealand.
With so many stunning entries to choose from, we do not envy their job right now…
Originally published as Colour to covet from the Dulux Colour Awards 2018 by Katie Skelly. Author at realestate.com.au.
