Posted on 15 Sep, 2026

How Dulux's Annual Colour Selection became a Design Tradition

Dulux's annual colour selection has evolved from discussing simple day-to-day trends to forecasting major global design movements. A panel of experts gather at a specially selected location in the Netherlands each year to discuss global problems, forecast trends and paint a picture of consumer life for the next 12 months. The transformation has been remarkable over the decades.

The colour forecast offers a snapshot of trends for the forthcoming year and shows how tastes and historical colours have evolved. The focus has moved from talking about colours in general during the first decade to addressing much bigger world problems. This piece explores the origins of this design tradition, how the selection process works and its lasting effect on consumer culture.

The Origins of Dulux Colour of the Year

Colour forecasting as a practice traces back to 1915 when the first forecasts were created to help industries focus on appealing products. Pantone introduced the Colour of the Year concept in 2000 to encapsulate the spirit of the times. Dulux joined this movement early and launched ColourFutures in 2004. The brand positioned itself amongst the first paint manufacturers to forecast colour trends over two decades ago.

The Australian market saw even earlier adoption. Andrea Lucena-Orr, who worked at DuluxGroup for 35 years, participated in the annual Dulux Colour Forecast since its inception in 1999. Dulux brought the Colour of the Year concept to the UK market in 2013. The programme now operates in more than 80 countries.

The focus centred on small day-to-day trends and general colour discussions at first. The move occurred as the team began addressing larger global issues and human needs. Historical colours tell this story. Brighter palettes dominated the early years before a dramatic move towards deeper, neutral tones emerged.

Heleen van Gent has directed the Global Aesthetic Centre in Amsterdam since 2009 and steers this annual selection process. Her leadership marked a transition towards taking product nominations more seriously and selecting shades suited for residential walls.

How the annual colour selection works

The process begins twelve months before announcement. Research starts almost the moment the previous forecast launches. Each September Dulux invites 10-15 experts from around the world to discuss trends eighteen months ahead. The panel draws from a variety of fields and includes leading journalists, groundbreaking designers, architects, editors, photographers, stylists, restaurateurs and chemists.

These international experts convene at the Global Aesthetic Centre in Amsterdam. Heleen van Gent guides discussions about political movements and cultural trends. The team researches consumer sentiment by attending trade shows, fashion catwalks and product launches. They engage with Dulux's network across the UK, Italy and France. They track macro trends while filtering through micro changes that influence design.

Around twenty senior colour experts spend three days narrowing concepts into trend stories after that. They analyse Dulux's catalogue of over 5000 colours and select shades that match observed trends for Australian and New Zealand markets. The team creates mood boards and then works together with photographers and stylists to visualise each trend.

Four individual trends emerge with one overriding theme. The Colour of the Year reflects this central narrative. The naming process requires the team to think over multiple factors: the name must help consumers visualise the colour, remain protectable under law, strike a chord globally, and stand out in news coverage. Dulux broke tradition in 2026 by selecting three shades named "Rhythm of Blues".

The impact on design and consumer culture

The annual colour selection reshapes consumer priorities across multiple industries. Interior design enthusiasts mark the reveal on their calendars each year, as it signals what to think about within upcoming design decisions. Trends extend beyond walls and influence social media content, clothing choices and general design movements.

Consumer behaviour has changed over two decades dramatically. Greys rank as best-selling colours globally now. People create sophisticated environments. Greys carry that perception. Brighter colours, noticed as more childlike, appear less in contemporary homes. The palette progress reflects deeper societal changes and moves from lighter, brighter tones to much deeper, muted shades.

Technological advancement has democratised the selection process. Dulux developed tools like Roller Testers and the Visualiser app. These make it easier for customers to preview paint colours on their walls. The app's Colour Picker technology captures inspiration from anywhere and matches it against over 1200 Dulux colours. Users upload pictures and the system suggests coordinating palettes. Families share colour schemes through the app and send videos for feedback before purchasing.

Social media and user-generated content play important roles increasingly, though trend forecasting remains specialist territory. Then, colour selection has become more available while maintaining professional expertise at its core.

Dulux's annual selection has evolved from a simple trend discussion into a sophisticated forecasting tradition that shapes global design culture. The process combines expert insight with extensive research and creates predictions that influence industries way beyond paint. Technology has made the selection more available to everyday consumers, yet specialist expertise remains essential. Each year's announcement continues to guide design decisions worldwide. This proves that colour forecasting has become an integral part of contemporary consumer culture.

This has been compiled by www.careersindesign.com and if you are searching to progress your career within interior, furniture or product design then please call us on 01920 486125 for a confidential chat.

Posted in: Interior Design | Tagged: Interior Design Furniture Design