Maison & Objet 2020: Which Colours Will be Big This Year?
Lights, darks or both: this year's two competing colour palettes work separately or together and bring it back to nature
Claire Tardy
28 January 2020
An international meeting place for professionals in lifestyle, interior decoration and design, the Maison & Objet trade fair brings together nearly 3,000 brands and 90,000 visitors twice a year. Houzz’s editorial staff was on the scene to scout out the latest trends in furniture, materials, patterns and colours.
Two palettes stood out clearly at this year’s January 2020 edition of the show: a range of light colours that includes neutral tones, vegetable greens, sky blues and tender pinks; and a set of dark hues including terracotta, burgundy and deep blues.
Two palettes stood out clearly at this year’s January 2020 edition of the show: a range of light colours that includes neutral tones, vegetable greens, sky blues and tender pinks; and a set of dark hues including terracotta, burgundy and deep blues.
1. Natural shades
Neutral tones are no longer there just to play up more daring colours: they now take the starring role in decorative palettes. This year we’ll use them on walls and furniture, energising the final result with darker accessories or small furniture.
Neutral tones are no longer there just to play up more daring colours: they now take the starring role in decorative palettes. This year we’ll use them on walls and furniture, energising the final result with darker accessories or small furniture.
Beiges are therefore in the spotlight, and are part of the natural palette that’s becoming more and more popular in interiors.
“When it comes to decoration, Generations Y and X especially favour terracotta and nude colours. Anything linked to the earth could not be trendier,” says trend hunter Vincent Grégoire, whose analysis was the basis for the theme of this edition of Maison et Objet: (Re) Generation!
Browse more living room photos for your reno inspiration
“When it comes to decoration, Generations Y and X especially favour terracotta and nude colours. Anything linked to the earth could not be trendier,” says trend hunter Vincent Grégoire, whose analysis was the basis for the theme of this edition of Maison et Objet: (Re) Generation!
Browse more living room photos for your reno inspiration
2. From sand to vanilla
Still within the neutral spectrum, other colours such as sand, vanilla, straw and at times washed-out, toned-down yellows have become more popular. They add a soft warmth to interiors. Like other neutrals, they are currently appreciated for their relaxing and soothing properties, meeting the needs of a busy society in search of nature.
Keen to embrace colour at home but not sure how? Find an interior designer or decorator near you on Houzz for expertly tailored advice
Still within the neutral spectrum, other colours such as sand, vanilla, straw and at times washed-out, toned-down yellows have become more popular. They add a soft warmth to interiors. Like other neutrals, they are currently appreciated for their relaxing and soothing properties, meeting the needs of a busy society in search of nature.
Keen to embrace colour at home but not sure how? Find an interior designer or decorator near you on Houzz for expertly tailored advice
Combined with sage green or muted vegetal hues, these shades can warm up a cold palette without being too aggressive or taking away from a soft overall effect.
3. Tender greens
Greens are experiencing an upsurge in popularity. Paint manufacturers agree, and have been developing their own green shades in a kind of ode to nature.
Dulux was one of the first, naming the pale-green Tranquil Dawn the 2020 Colour of the Year. This shade appeared on many of the booths at this months’ fair.
Greens are experiencing an upsurge in popularity. Paint manufacturers agree, and have been developing their own green shades in a kind of ode to nature.
Dulux was one of the first, naming the pale-green Tranquil Dawn the 2020 Colour of the Year. This shade appeared on many of the booths at this months’ fair.
4. From mint green to peacock blue
But we spotted even more varieties of green this year, all with one common denominator: softness. From sage green, we go to mint green for a feeling of freshness.
But we spotted even more varieties of green this year, all with one common denominator: softness. From sage green, we go to mint green for a feeling of freshness.
Continuing with greens but adding a touch of blue, the blue-green peacock hue brings with it a certain depth that other colours in this series lack.
5. Delicate sky blue
This year we also spotted a slightly washed-out sky blue, which has been somewhat forgotten until now. It enriches the natural palette with allusions to sky and water, a natural complement to soil and plants.
This year we also spotted a slightly washed-out sky blue, which has been somewhat forgotten until now. It enriches the natural palette with allusions to sky and water, a natural complement to soil and plants.
6. Tender pinks
Whether pale, muted, pastel, peach or salmon, pinks will still be very much present in 2020’s interiors. Used in more extensive colour schemes to inspire wellbeing, or alone to bring softness to a combination of warm and/or deep colours, pinks add richness to decor.
Whether pale, muted, pastel, peach or salmon, pinks will still be very much present in 2020’s interiors. Used in more extensive colour schemes to inspire wellbeing, or alone to bring softness to a combination of warm and/or deep colours, pinks add richness to decor.
7. Terracotta is still here
Terracotta brings us from light to dark palettes, which we will be seeing a lot of in 2020. Terracotta is nothing new, as it’s made a comeback in recent years. It is a symbol of the current craze for earthy colours, pointing to another range of natural shades at the heart of the dark trend as well.
Terracotta brings us from light to dark palettes, which we will be seeing a lot of in 2020. Terracotta is nothing new, as it’s made a comeback in recent years. It is a symbol of the current craze for earthy colours, pointing to another range of natural shades at the heart of the dark trend as well.
This hue can be used to anchor warm colour compositions. Sometimes it appears contrasted by a cooler shade, as in this image, where the green sofa is highlighted by terracotta, pink and mustard yellow.
8. Burgundy returns
We also saw reds tinged with blue or indigo as burgundy steps back onto the scene. This shade added nuance to the colour schemes we saw at the fair. It goes well with not only greens and blues but also the whole range of beige and neutral tones.
We also saw reds tinged with blue or indigo as burgundy steps back onto the scene. This shade added nuance to the colour schemes we saw at the fair. It goes well with not only greens and blues but also the whole range of beige and neutral tones.
9. Classic blue
Named Colour of the Year 2020 by the Pantone Color Institute last December, Classic Blue was shown combined with many similar colours at this edition of Maison & Objet. It inspires an ambience of calm, confidence and harmony, and mixes easily with this year’s other popular shades, especially burgundy. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes it as “a warm presence that evokes the sky at the end of the day, vast and infinite, opening up a world of possibilities”.
6 HDB Flats Ahead of the Game in their Classic Blue Statements
Named Colour of the Year 2020 by the Pantone Color Institute last December, Classic Blue was shown combined with many similar colours at this edition of Maison & Objet. It inspires an ambience of calm, confidence and harmony, and mixes easily with this year’s other popular shades, especially burgundy. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes it as “a warm presence that evokes the sky at the end of the day, vast and infinite, opening up a world of possibilities”.
6 HDB Flats Ahead of the Game in their Classic Blue Statements
10. The marriage of light and dark palettes
Light and dark are two palettes that stood out clearly at the aisles of the fair.
Light and dark are two palettes that stood out clearly at the aisles of the fair.
Though they can be used separately, they are also easy to put in dialogue: pastels support saturated colours, and vivid shades wake up softer hues for great overall effect.
Tell us
Which of these colour schemes is your pick of the bunch? Share your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Heimtextil 2020: What Sustainable Design Means for Home Textiles
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Tell us
Which of these colour schemes is your pick of the bunch? Share your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Heimtextil 2020: What Sustainable Design Means for Home Textiles
Read more colour stories
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I'm in love with the vanilla and greens. Feels like the ocean and sea glass. Please no to burgundy.
We have a terra cotta tiled and creamy coffee colored master bath. When we renovated 8 years ago I wanted to pull it out and do a more “modern” black, white and gray look with marble but for budget reasons we didn’t. I am happy that we have many of the wall colors in my house which I have enjoyed despite the trends to the contrary, including pale blues, greens, beiges, pink, and a teal accent wall in the master.
I think Gen Xers and Y are responding to the colors they probably saw in their Grandparent’s homes “ way back when”. The Boomers are giving homage to an earlier time; Midcentury, because of the emotional pull those colors and design have. We don’t seem to have the same attraction to colors that were popular in our recent pass. Plus we may be convinced that we need to “get with the times“ and “move on”.