Bright Skies™: Dulux Colour of the Year 2022

Dulux had released their colour of the year, Bright Skies™. This beautiful shade of blue holds feelings of hope and optimism; two values that we carry as we emerge from our homes after lockdown.

Chosen at a virtual summit for the first time by world leaders in fashion and design, Bright Skies™ is described by Dulux as “a light, airy and optimistic blue that’s good for the soul. It promises to open up and revitalise your home.”

Hope, optimism and a desire for a fresh start

Full of hope, this airy, light blue shade embodies feelings of freedom and positivity as the colour reminds us of the open sky. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen a dramatic shift from a concentration on brighter tones to an emphasis on neutrals – but bright colours are reemerging!

This reemergence could connect with our desire for a fresh start after the pandemic, as we begin to look towards the outdoors again. After a year of dreaming about being outside again (planning our escape to anywhere but the local shops) we deserve a colour that is uplifting, optimistic and bursting with joy.

The shared experience of feeling trapped inside and a growing concern for the future of our beautiful yet fragile planet are linked closely to Bright Skies™.

Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas.
Marianne Shillingford, creative director at Dulux

Adapting to our multi-purpose lifestyle

Bright Skies™ is a versatile shade that pairs perfectly with our new hybrid lifestyle as we navigate the trials and tribulations that come hand in hand with the novel experience of working from home.

As millions of people across the world are embracing the new life/work balance at home, we need a colour that empowers our multi-purpose living space and the demands we put upon it. Blue is a receding colour meaning it looks further away from us making a room appear more expansive, and Bright Skies™ is the perfect shade to remind us of the biggest space there is: the open sky.

It is widely known that nature makes us feel better and taking steps to bring the outside in enhances our sense of wellbeing. So whether we are working or relaxing, creating or exercising, it is essential to have a space that reflects the optimism and desire for a fresh, new start that is top of the agenda for the year ahead.
Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux

How you can use the colour in your home

Over lockdown, we’ve had time to reflect on the way we live and to reassess what’s really important to us.

In the digital discussion, Bright Skies™ was selected for its ‘soulful’ qualities, as it embodies our desire for change and escape, whilst reminding us of the open sky, for a breath of fresh air. Here are some of the aspects that were covered in the discussion:

> The expanding role of the home
> How nature is essential in our lives
> How the arts can bring us comfort and inspiration
> How important it is to embrace new voices and ideas for a brighter future

Dulux has presented four easy-to-use colour palettes around Bright Skies, to refresh and revitalise the interiors of your home.

1. The greenhouse colours

“Within the Greenhouse palette, you’ll discover trend-led greens and blues that you can combine with our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™, to bring the positive effects of nature into your home. In a rural location, these light, fresh naturals beautifully complement your surroundings. In an urban space, they can make you feel in touch with the natural world.”

Dulux Colour Lookbook

These Rustic Blue Reclaimed Wood Effect Tiles are great for bringing a natural look into your home with their rustic wood effect. Capturing the popular reclaimed look perfectly, these tiles are designed with a wash of blue to add a bright pop of colour to their weathered, time-worn look.

2. The studio colours

If you want your home to be a soothing space where you can recharge and feel inspired, choose our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™, and its Studio colours. Together, these soft and airy shades can help you escape the everyday and give a room a comfortable, consoling feel. Plus, if you try painting colours in horizontal stripes (…) you can create an inspiring and inventive focal point, too.

Dulux Colour Lookbook

Inspired by the traditional charm of Zelliage handcrafted tiles, Vernice Springs Tiles are designed with a contrast of light and dark blue shades and detailed with tiny glaze imperfections, a random faux crackle effect, raw edging and an irregular surface.

3. The salon colours

Your home should be somewhere where you feel safe and comfortable to embrace new ideas. Within the Salon palette are a combination of soft whites and light neutrals that can provide the perfect blank canvas for your daily life. And when paired with our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™, they create a home that’s ready for anything.

Dulux Colour Lookbook

Chatham Blue Brick Tiles tie perfectly with this colour scheme. The muted, neutral tones are great to use in the bathroom for a calm and relaxing atmosphere and the unique smokey effect creates a gradient finish for added dimension.

4. The workshop colours

If your living room is constantly reinventing itself, switching from social hub to home office to kids’ classroom, you need a colour scheme that can keep up. Pair Bright Skies™ with vibrant and joyful colours of paint found within the Workshop palette.

Take your pick from colour combinations of light, uplifting tones and create an inspirational backdrop for any activity.

Dulux Colour Lookbook

Our Arabesque Blue Tiles are full of character and charm, pairing perfectly with brighter colours for that extra wow factor! Designed in blue and white, their bold, repetitive patterns are captivating and look stunning across floor spaces for design with personality.