Pantoneview - Forecasting Colour & Design - 'Culture Eclectic', what is it and how will it influence upcoming interior trends?

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Recently I received an unexpected email from Pantoneview, offering me a complimentary one year subscription to their invaluable on-line resource. What exactly is Pantoneview you may be asking? It is an exciting website I will be exploring to bring my readers regular updates on the the latest trends and future forecasts for colour and design. So, lets find out more about Pantoneview and their current forecast, 'Culture Eclectic'

If you are an interior designer, or have a passion for design, you are sure to be familiar with the word 'Pantone', the company that predict the colours ahead. Pantoneview, however is about making more informed colour selections for, "colour conscious industries around the globe". Pantoneview want to provide us with, "critical colour intelligence, needed for us to make more informed colour selections". This depth goes much further than simply predicting and setting a colour trend. Pantoneview designers from around the world, give an in depth look at colour in fashion, homeware, textiles, furniture and design trends, both current and future.

Pantoneview is about making more informed decisions and is an invaluable resource for designers and businesses alike. I wrote to Pantoneview to ask if I could share their forecasts with my readers and was delighted when I received a reply to say that they were more than happy to do this as long as I acknowledged their writers and did not use their images. As a number of my readers are interior designers and budding home decorators, I decided to regularly post updates on future forecasts to help you keep ahead of the trends.

Most of us are familiar with the term, 'eclectic', a mix of different design styles, integrated together to create a pleasing, cohesive look. A fabulous example is this stunning Hollywood home I featured some time ago. Today, however I want to discuss an exciting new forecast from Pantoneview called "Culture Eclectic". A recent article by Franklintill Studio discuss this concept, quote: "A contemporary fusion of global design, a vibrant aesthetic direction, fuelled by an uplifting mix of cultural and semiotic references." unquote. In layman's terms, my interpretation of this trend is a clash of colour, pattern, materials and cultural styles. Possibly more of confusion than cohesion. One such trend is 'Maxi-Tribe'. Maxi-Tribe "celebrates the fusion of cultures with stylised tribal influences and the creation of a modern ethnic heritage. From African street culture to postmodern Memphis and tribal Tropicana, references are pulled from around the globe".  

My interpretation of Maxi-Tribe is a fusion and contradiction of pattern and cultures, taking 'eclectic' to a much deeper level. Gather a myriad of contrasting patterns, tribal and ethnic designs and mix them together to create a clash of colour and pattern and you have Maxi-Tribe. The cushions below from Wrong For Hay, are just one such example of this style of pattern.

I wanted to bring together some images to portray Culture Eclectic. Don't forget this is a future forecast, if you are a retailer or an interior designer, dig a little deeper into this trend and see how you may be able to incorporate this exciting new style into a project or source products in this style, to keep you ahead of your competitors. Note images below have been chosen as my personal interpretation of Kate Franklin and Caroline Till's Culture Eclectic and Maxi-Tribe concept.

Trends start on the catwalk...

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3. Cushions from Wrong For Hay

4. Above: Moodboard  created with Anthropologie products

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Image sources: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9

I hope you have enjoyed a little insight into 'Culture Eclectic', I hope to bring regular forecasts from Pantoneview to keep you up-to-date on current and future trends in design and colour.