How does Pantone describe its 2023 Color of the Year? In a nutshell: Brave. Animated. Inclusive. Powerful. Empowering.

But there’s so much more to this unique and attention-grabbing hue. Hailed as “an unconventional shade for an unconventional time,” Viva Magenta 18-750 is a transformative red designed to boost our spirits and inspire us to move forward after a disruptive and unsettling few years.

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” says Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and an annual speaker at The Inspired Home Show. “Viva Magenta is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family, as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.”

The new hue, which balances warm and cool, is creating quite a buzz in the fashion and design worlds. So why did Pantone select it, and what opportunities does it offer in housewares and home decor?

Rationale

Color of the Year selection involves months of research, analyzation of lifestyle trends and a deep-dive in color psychology.

“In this year’s Color of the Year selection process, Pantone observed a heightened appreciation and awareness of nature,” according to Pantone’s launch site. “We’re incorporating more living things into our homes, such as plants, florals, living walls and restorative outdoor spaces. We’re finding newfound enjoyment in travel, sports and outdoor recreation after pausing these activities during the pandemic. We’re careful to protect our bodies as a result of the public health crisis—we look to apply and ingest trusted, life-giving ingredients.”

But this renewed interest in nature also takes place in our increasingly digital world. Viva Magenta is as much at home in nature as it is in technology, striking a healthy balance between the two.

“Three years deep into a pandemic, facing a war, an unstable economy, social unrest, supply chain breakdowns and mounting climate change, we need to heal,” says Pantone. “And still, we need to find the motivation to continue. Here, Viva Magenta cloaks us in both power and grace, and sends us out into the world with the verve we’ve yearned for.”

Opportunities in Home and Housewares

Some of us might love to cover our walls in Viva Magenta, but others will be looking for more subtle ways to incorporate a splash of the color into our homes.

Red has traditionally been popular in kitchens and kitchen appliances, and Viva Magenta will offer a fresh update to that time-honored tradition, Eiseman tells Architectural Digest. She also says Viva Magenta is “gorgeous” on glassware and anything else with a reflective surface. Pillows or tabletop accents are also good places to incorporate the color and make a statement in our homes.

Buyers looking for product options will be able to find them at The 2023 Inspired Home Show in a special Pantone ColorWatch display (and throughout the trade show floor).

The Show will also feature a keynote session with Eiseman, who will share the latest in color trends and psychology, in addition to the rationale behind the Pantone® View Home + Interiors 2024 palettes, which will be unveiled in the Show’s ColorWatch display.

Learn more about education opportunities and special displays at The Inspired Home Show 2023, to be held March 4-7, 2023 in Chicago.