Dulux is celebrating two decades of Colour of the Year and has just launched its colour for 2023: Wild Wonder  – and four complementary, versatile colour palettes that can be used to create stunning spaces across all sectors.

Wild Wonder – a soft gold with hints of green inspired by fresh seed pods and harvest grain – is Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2023. Its upbeat glow connects us with nature, creating a sense of energy and positivity.

As people search for support, connection, inspiration and balance in the world today, they’re diving into the wonders of the natural world to find it. Extensive research conducted by Dulux colour experts and international design professionals found that even with so many challenges ahead, there was hope at the heart of global social, design and consumer trends.

Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux UK, says: “Our relationship with the natural world feels more precious and precarious than ever. As well as understanding the value of nature more keenly, with climate change becoming a reality for all of us, we also feel the urgency of reconnecting with nature and the necessity of working with rather than against it.

“The earth and its materials have been inspiring humanity for centuries. Now is the time to put them centre stage and bring the outside, in.

“We’re re-evaluating our relationship with nature and sensing the importance of learning from it not just about it. We’re understanding afresh that nature is the source of everything, bringing us solace, inspiration, materials and a myriad of blueprints for living. That’s why, this year, we’ve put the wonder of nature at the heart of our colour story.”

“Wild Wonder speaks to us in a language we instinctively understand,” says Heleen van Gent, creative director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre, which chooses the colour. “Nature is what inspires us and makes us feel better in our lives and in our homes. That’s why, for the first time in 20 years, our entire colour palette is inspired by the rhythms of nature.”

The name Wild Wonder^TM was created on the basis that ‘wild’ conjures up the freedom of nature and ‘wonder’ conveys the natural magic we see all around us. Wild Wonder^TM is a positive, natural tone that, by connecting us with the natural world, can help us feel better in our homes.

Four decorative paint colour palettes have been designed around Wild Wonder^TM:

• Lush Colours – beautiful forest hues that are inspired by the plant-filled habitats of gardens and woodlands
• Buzz Colours – upbeat tones of pinks and ochres that capture the bustling biodiversity of a wildflower field or grassland
• Raw Colours – harvest shades that mimic nature’s raw materials
• Flow Colours – warm neutrals and deeper seashore tones that bring a sense of fluidity and momentum

Lisa Pilley, Dulux trade commercial colour consultant, adds: “Wild Wonder^TM and its four versatile colour palettes reflect the natural world and intuitively connect with nature’s supply of substrates and materials – whether structural or aesthetic. As the world strives to re-use, rescue and build sustainably within commercial design programmes, placing humanity and environment at the heart of design is becoming increasingly essential.

“Colour can be transformational and guide occupants’ feelings and emotions. This year’s Colour of the Year and associated palettes open opportunities to connect the natural world with our everyday lives in the built environment.”

The year 2023 brings two major milestones to the Global Aesthetic Centre. Its ColourFutures^TM trend forecast will celebrate its 20^th anniversary, while the team also reaches three decades of trend analysis, colour research, colour design and art direction at AkzoNobel.

The launch of Wild Wonder^TM is supported by the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2023 Specifier brochure, designed to inspire commercial design professionals working in all sectors, from hospitality to healthcare.

This brochure is part of Dulux Trade’s ongoing dedication to supporting specifiers with their latest projects, and is part of a wider package of ColourFutures^TM content. The package includes design mood boards and advice videos that can be harnessed by professionals looking to create the perfect space – in any setting – using Wild Wonder^TM.

To download the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2023 Specifier Brochure and for more information visit www.duluxtrade.co.uk/COTY23 and follow #CF23 on social media.

Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2023 Wild Wonder^TM and the palettes are available to specify from 13 September 2022.