Colour has become one of the most important design elements leading towards a new architectural understanding for nature and humanity. Colours not only play a key role in the aesthetic impression of a building and its connection to the environment but also signify a building’s function. Colour emphasises or conceals particular features; it influences shapes and volumes, gives identity, adds significance, and expresses quality and value.
But which colours are part of this trend? As one of the leading suppliers of architectural powder coatings, Axalta Coating Systems (formerly DuPont Performance Coatings) has researched the colour trends in Europe based on the quantity of the different colours sold in 2012. It has identified a trend towards colour as well as the most often used shades according to RAL.
Europe is getting more colourful in powder coatings
For a very long time, white has been the favourite colour for architectural applications and, with a share of 38%, it still is. From a physical point of view, white is the sum of all colours and it is seen as the perfect colour. This might be the reason why in most cases when white is used in architectural applications it is a pure white (RAL 9010). The different shades of grey also have a long history in colouring buildings, and a share of 36% illustrates that grey – and in particular RAL 7016 – is still one of the most used colours in architecture. It is expected that the metallic shades, which already have a share of more than one third, will increase in the near future together with bionic structures. Compared to the percentage of grey metallic hues, the portion of metallics within other colours is negligibly small.
Black – the achromatic colour – signifies power, individualism, and originality, and is becoming more and more popular in architecture. Last year’s share was 8% and the favourite shade was the jet black RAL9005. Brown reminds one of wood, earth, stone and sand. Due to these associations, it is also one of the upcoming colours and has increased its share in architectural applications up to 8%. The shade applied most often is grey-brown (RAL 8019). When thinking about nature, terms like sustainability, resource efficiency and ecological awareness come up. Thus, facades and other elements of buildings are becoming more and more green, which has pushed the share of green colours up to 3%. The share of blue was 2%, but with its impression of calmness, cleanliness and objectivity on the one hand, and symbolism of the new and unknown on the other, it inspires innovation and is a colour of the future. One of the lighter colours which will be seen more frequently on facades is beige; it also has a share of 2%. Red indicates strong and healthy feelings as well as the drive for activity. These associations have increased the share of red in architectural applications up to 2%. Yellow reflects optimism, dynamism and promise. It has become more popular in architecture and accounts for 0.7%. Orange, often used in combination with its complementary colour blue, has a percentage of 0.2%. Another colour which appears in the trend ranking for the first time is violet (0.1%).
Surface trends in powder coatings
When it comes to trends in gloss levels and textures, glossy surfaces are in style for the time being (37.05%), but this trend is decreasing in preference of matt (28.34%) and especially fine textured surfaces (12.39%.), which are increasing in popularity rapidly. Semi-gloss still has a share of 22.21%, which is stable.
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We appreciate receiving a specimen copy of or link to any publication featuring content from this release. Many thanks in advance.
Contacts for editorial staff:
SCHULZ. PRESSE. TEXT., Doris Schulz, Landhausstrasse 12, 70825 Korntal, Germany, Phone +49 711 854085, doris.schulz@pressetextschulz.de, www.schulzpressetext.de
But which colours are part of this trend? As one of the leading suppliers of architectural powder coatings, Axalta Coating Systems (formerly DuPont Performance Coatings) has researched the colour trends in Europe based on the quantity of the different colours sold in 2012. It has identified a trend towards colour as well as the most often used shades according to RAL.
Europe is getting more colourful in powder coatings
For a very long time, white has been the favourite colour for architectural applications and, with a share of 38%, it still is. From a physical point of view, white is the sum of all colours and it is seen as the perfect colour. This might be the reason why in most cases when white is used in architectural applications it is a pure white (RAL 9010). The different shades of grey also have a long history in colouring buildings, and a share of 36% illustrates that grey – and in particular RAL 7016 – is still one of the most used colours in architecture. It is expected that the metallic shades, which already have a share of more than one third, will increase in the near future together with bionic structures. Compared to the percentage of grey metallic hues, the portion of metallics within other colours is negligibly small.
Black – the achromatic colour – signifies power, individualism, and originality, and is becoming more and more popular in architecture. Last year’s share was 8% and the favourite shade was the jet black RAL9005. Brown reminds one of wood, earth, stone and sand. Due to these associations, it is also one of the upcoming colours and has increased its share in architectural applications up to 8%. The shade applied most often is grey-brown (RAL 8019). When thinking about nature, terms like sustainability, resource efficiency and ecological awareness come up. Thus, facades and other elements of buildings are becoming more and more green, which has pushed the share of green colours up to 3%. The share of blue was 2%, but with its impression of calmness, cleanliness and objectivity on the one hand, and symbolism of the new and unknown on the other, it inspires innovation and is a colour of the future. One of the lighter colours which will be seen more frequently on facades is beige; it also has a share of 2%. Red indicates strong and healthy feelings as well as the drive for activity. These associations have increased the share of red in architectural applications up to 2%. Yellow reflects optimism, dynamism and promise. It has become more popular in architecture and accounts for 0.7%. Orange, often used in combination with its complementary colour blue, has a percentage of 0.2%. Another colour which appears in the trend ranking for the first time is violet (0.1%).
Surface trends in powder coatings
When it comes to trends in gloss levels and textures, glossy surfaces are in style for the time being (37.05%), but this trend is decreasing in preference of matt (28.34%) and especially fine textured surfaces (12.39%.), which are increasing in popularity rapidly. Semi-gloss still has a share of 22.21%, which is stable.
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We appreciate receiving a specimen copy of or link to any publication featuring content from this release. Many thanks in advance.
Contacts for editorial staff:
SCHULZ. PRESSE. TEXT., Doris Schulz, Landhausstrasse 12, 70825 Korntal, Germany, Phone +49 711 854085, doris.schulz@pressetextschulz.de, www.schulzpressetext.de
