Introducing Pantone’s Color of the Year: Ultra Violet

The wait is over: last month, Pantone chose the color of the year for 2018. The winner is Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a gutsy purple. Here we’ll discuss why Pantone selected Ultra Violet, give you a closer look at what it is, and a preview of where we’ll be seeing it in 2018.

What is Ultra Violet?

Ultra Violet is a deep, calming shade of purple with decidedly blue undertones that can be used in many striking ways. Next to a complementary yellow or even a yellow-y green such as Pantone’s 2017 color, Greenery, Ultra Violet offers up sharp contrasts and a weighty, interesting look. Teamed up with similar colors, of course you’ll get a smooth, harmonious result. Colder tints that share Ultra Violet’s bluish foundation can help the 2018 shade create a beautifully icy look. Or, for a warm, drenched sunset look, Pantone suggests harmonizing Ultra Violet with warm shades.

In short, this very versatile shade of violet works in so many ways, the possibilities are endless.

Why Pantone picked this color

According to Pantone, Ultra Violet points us toward the future by communicating ingenuity, originality, and visionary thinking. It is complex enough to hint at the mysteries of the cosmos and the pioneering thinking it takes to explore and discover what lies beyond the night sky. However, it’s not all business; it’s creative, artistic, and unconventional. Ultra Violet is filled with quirks and emotion, a non-conformist of the color universe. Pantone also points to the spirituality of the color, and the refuge from the madding world it suggests. In a frustrating or even scary world, Ultra Violet provides a mystical retreat.

Where we’ll see Ultra Violet in 2018

Obviously, it takes some time for Pantone’s annual shades to hit the furniture showrooms (although by chance you’ll see exceptions). But that doesn’t mean you can’t make Ultra Violet part of your interior look this year. Here are some of the most exciting ways to do that.

Ultra Violet is a vivid color, making it perfect for accents. Use it in ceramics, pillows, rugs, tableware, throws, wall art, or even purple flowers. Ultra Violet is ideal for shaking up an interior, and for contrasting with metallic accents and rich textiles like raw silk or plush velvet. It’s also a perfect accent wall color.

Let Ultra Violet shine among a room full of white or pearly gray; under these conditions it can speak its piece without competing against other colors. Looking for a simple splash somewhere? How about a fluffy Ultra Violet flokati rug, some sheer curtains turning the light in the room Ultra Violet, or some gorgeous amethyst-hued geodes or rocks on display?

The Year of the Violet

From brilliant, bold scenes filled with Ultra Violet to serene rooms with subtle hints of its cousins, this is the year of all things violet. There are endless ways to bring Pantone’s 2018 Color of the Year to bear in your space. Hopefully, Ultra Violet’s creative vibe will inspire us all!