Every year, the Colour Forecast is a significant milestone for Australian interiors and this year we are reminded of how Dulux has consistently provided valuable inspiration for over two decades. In its 25th year, the 2024 Dulux Colour Forecast palettes reflect an inner desire for positivity and spaces that nurture within our interiors. Whilst international travel is high on the agenda for many, the financial pressure from the rising cost of living has spurred a wave of entertaining at home, with Australians embracing this comfort and convenience.
Every Colour Forecast is significant; as colour, design and key influences continue to evolve. This year’s palettes step deeper into the mid-tone colours, to evoke sentiments of warmth, nostalgia and self-expression.
Overall, the 2024 Colour Forecast palettes have become more sophisticated. Whilst the tonal palettes we saw in the 2023 Colour Forecast are still popular and particularly comforting, this year we will see a significant shift towards the use of multi-hued schemes but crafted to reflect a balanced interior. The colours are richer and there are less pastel and bright shades than last year, with a shift towards more sophisticated nostalgic references. Australians are becoming more confident with colour and, as we continue to move away from cooler whites, we are seeing these mid-tones as increasingly popular options for consumers and designers alike.
Commercial spaces including offices, restaurants and bars have the opportunity to add character and intrigue through modernising iconic design references from the past. Additionally, as the lines of where we work and live continue to blur and Australians seek to make the most of ‘bleisure’ holidays (business-pleasure), we look forward to seeing how hotels and other accommodation spaces add colour and texture to replicate the sense of solace and security that home brings.
Predominant hues in the 2024 Colour Forecast include warm colours with a yellow influence, pink undertones that appear in clay hues and reddy browns, olive green and accents of pale blue and zesty yellow.
With each palette’s overall aesthetic offering a flexibility sure to appeal to a broad audience, the coming year’s trends are well suited for all Australian homes and commercial spaces.
Solstice
A melting pot of Mediterranean, Scandinavian and African influence, the Dulux Solstice palette connects to the sun as its life force and serves as a reminder that as the days grow longer, better days are ahead. The trend is rich with organic and primitive shapes, with colours that wrap warmth around us to evoke feelings of security and strength.
Walls predominantly feature clay brown shades with red undertones, including Dulux Tan Wagon and Potter’s Pink and golden neutrals such as Dulux Lama and Handmade Linen Half. Creating a sense of comfort, these sun-soaked shades are adorned with accents in lighter blues, including Dulux Pure Blue and Ocean Surf, and zesty yellows like Dulux Ripe Lemon.
Design details are tactile, with furniture and sculptural style decor featuring raw and unfinished materials, including concrete, terrazzo, terracotta, clay and lava stone. Details inspired by Grecian motifs result in vessels resembling urns and braided features in textiles. Hard surfaces are softened using highly textural fabrics with imperfect slub effects, and tactile suede and velvet. The addition of high pile carpets or rugs that feature tassels and fringing invite you into spaces to wind down and relax.
Journey
Taking influence from our travels, folk traditions and cultural differences, the Dulux Journey palette weaves together elements of bohemian charm, eclectic allure and highlights the art of craft. A maximalist and pattern-heavy palette, Dulux Journey is about the story of an interior with a focus on the objects and items handed down and the rich ancestral heritage they represent.
Similar to the rich and diverse tapestry of our own lives, the Journey palette beckons you in with an overarching warmth. This trend brings together rich mid-tone hues, with yellow greens, such as Dulux Xena and Dulux Bean Counter, and blues like Dulux Swedish Blue and Dulux Clouded Sky, alongside rich decadent reds and plum, including Dulux Carmen and Dulux Bruised Burgundy for contrast.
Furniture and fabrics are heavily patterned and textured. In living spaces, time worn rugs are adorned with geometric shapes and wicker chairs are softened with plush velvet. Multi-coloured trinkets feature as decorative elements throughout interiors,
cushion materials are woven or knitted, and tassels made from abaca fibre or other sustainable options embellish lampshades.
Muse
A colourful array of hues predominantly within the midtone, the Dulux Muse palette evokes a nostalgic feeling and celebrates iconic designers and design details from the 60’s through to the 80’s, with a particular focus on the glamorous and adventurous 70’s. Whilst many of us lived through these design periods, the allure of the 70’s and 80’s is a whole new influence being embraced by younger generations (X, Millennials, Z). The trend strikes the perfect balance between the expressive colours featured in postmodern interiors and the emerging modern hues in contemporary design, resulting in interior spaces that are timeless and pay homage to design icons from the past.
With contemporary design at its heart, the palette exhibits a sophisticated use of materials and textures. Decor shapes range from geometric to curvy whilst iconic lamps like the classic mushroom form feature in bold colour such as glossy orange red.
Highlights from the Muse palette include warm browns, such as Dulux Guitar and Dulux Tuscan Sunset respectively, paired against cooler greens such as Dulux Surf Green and Dulux Hidden Depths. Clean mid blue accents include Dulux Passionate Blue and Dulux Decoration Blue.