If you’ve ever worn pink to lift your spirits or black to feel confident, you know how colors can influence how you move through the world. Color trends work in much the same way the shades and tones we gravitate toward can reflect the global mood. And they could inspire a new direction for you or your branding.
“On one end of the spectrum, color trends like sharp, zesty citrus and bright bubblegum inspired us to think more positively about a changing world and to celebrate the joyful, the fearless and the individual. On the other hand, trends like digital noir and industrial after dark pave the way for a darker, grittier path.”
Here are the top 9 color trends of 2024:
Luxurious neutrals
Bright bubblegum
Digital noir
Sharp citrus
Oceanic color waves
Industrial after dark
Pearlescence
Regal hues
Tonal apricot
Luxurious Neutrals:
Colors don’t have to be loud to have an impact. Though you might think of hues like off-white, eggshell, beige and oatmeal as being retiring or understated, the luxurious neutral color trend proves that a muted palette can feel just as cool and confident as far brighter shades.
Oceanic Color Waves:
Feeling constrained by the limitations and challenges of modern life? The oceanic color waves trend is your otherworldly anecdote a color scheme that evokes the dark tranquility and endless possibilities of the deep blue sea. This trend features the undulating blues reminiscent of rolling waves as well as the rich oranges and greens of coral reefs. But it’s not the ocean-inspired color palette of breezy beach vacations. The oceanic color waves trend is a darker, more mysterious form of escapism that works well for brands that want their customers to feel drawn into a captivating, seductive and luxurious world. Use it if you want your customers to wonder, what lies beneath.
Often paired with soft, cozy textures and minimalist design, luxurious neutrals suit brands that want to convey cutting edge sophistication and effortless elegance. These colors have always met a need for clean, simple design in a chaotic, high-tech world. But in 2024, neutrals are especially chic, elevated and modern, rather than bohemian or nature inspired.
Bright Bubblegum:
Think Millennial pin with a lot more attitude. The bright bubblegum color trend has its roots in the millennial kitsch trend of last year, which took inspiration from the playful pastels of the Y2K era. But the Barbie pink hype of 2023 prompted brands to go even louder, so this year’s palette is much sharper and more saturated.
“This year the world got Barbie fever and it doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Bubblegum pink is playful and charismatic, making it more universal than baby pink or millennial pink. The bright hue works great for digital application, which is probably why we see a lot of fin-tech companies turning to pink in rebellion against the stuffy corporate world of traditional banks.”
Like the name suggests, bright bubblegum hues come straight from the candy store. Think sugary pinks, blues and purples paired with pops of acidic yellow or green. Fun, youthful and charismatic, this trend could help align your small business with joyful optimism in difficult times.
Digital Noir:
If a computer monitor became sentient and had to choose a color scheme for its new wardrobe, it might pick this onesomber, melancholy grays that range from pale smoke to dark charcoal. Like last year’s dark sci-fi color trend, digital noir reflects our increasingly uneasy relationship with technological advancement.
This year, though, the look is much starker, without futuristic whimsy to soften it. It could help you depict your small business as strong and sturdy, a brand that customers can rely on when things get tough.
Sharp Citrus:
Want your branding to bring the zing? Sharp and zesty shades of green and yellow can make a brand look fresh, bubbly and uplifting exactly why it’s popular with soft drink companies both Fanta and 7Up turned up the citrus-y shades in their 2023 rebrands. Using a zesty, eye catching citrus palette could indicate to your customers that you’re super excited about your product, and you can’t wait to show it to them.
But zesty citrus tones show up in unexpected places too, like finance, sales or industry. Paired with black or neutral colors, lime and lemon hues can help traditional industries look as gutsy and fresh as possible.
Industrial After Dark:
Imagine the orange-y glow of a street lamp, the earthy red of a fired brick, or the metallic red of steel beams on a construction site. Immersive and arresting, the industrial after dark color trend blends dark, bloody reds and oranges with black, silver or yellow.
This trend is the warmer, earthier incarnation of the future fusion graphic design trend of 2024, which contrasts gritty, urban aesthetics with vibrant colors. With increasing reliance on AI tools and technology, the industrial after-dark color trend brings a fiery, distinctly human intensity to designs that could otherwise look stark or sterile. This palette is like pumping blood through the veins of your branding. Businesses should use this palette to help the brand feel more grounded, emotional and soulful.
Pearlescense:
Not to be confused with the edgy metallic hues of last year’s silver chrome color trend, which was a bit darker and more subversive, pearlescence celebrates blues, purples and greens that shimmer, sparkle and glossify. You might have seen echoes of it in milky, chrome or frosted fashion and design trends, but it’s also tied to the Millennial mysticism that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. Millennials and Gen Z love a shimmery crystal. Like its gemstone namesake, the pearlescence trend adds a dreamy, ethereal and even expensive touch to designs and brands that want to be sophisticated without going too minimal.
Regal Hues:
If there’s anyone who knows how to stand out in a crowd, it’s kings and queens. In 2024, as brands and designers lean into bold self expression and experimentation, some are inspired by traditionally regal hues rich or “tyrian” purple, bold red, royal blue and gold.
Tyrian purple, in particular, has long been associated with royalty since antiquity, when wealthy Phoeneicians extracted the rich plum color from the secretions of sea snails. Versace revived the color for its Spring/Summer 2023 collection at Milan Fashion Week, where the Italian fashion house used punchy violet and deep indigo shades to lend a glamorous quality to gothic. style garments. The regal hues palette is a great color scheme for brands that want their products or services to feel luxurious, coveted and even a bit exclusive, like you’re giving your customers a glimpse of what it’s like to be royal.
Tonal Apricot:
Rounding out the color trends of 2024 is tonal apricot, a hopeful, refreshing color palette of apricot, orange and blood orange symbolizing well-being and vitality. Energizing and nourishing, tonal apricot is the color trend for new beginnings and fresh starts. Trend forecasters WGSN called it “Apricot Crush” and described it as “an activating vitamin tone that embodies a full spectrum approach to health and well being. There are big social and technological changes coming our way, and tonal apricot is a positive, optimistic shade for brands who want to inspire strength and fortitude as we approach an uncertain future.
And since we’ve already touched on the topic of trendy peachy-orange hues, it wouldn’t be fair not to mention the recently announced Pantone Color of the Year 2024, Peach Fuzz, PANTONE 13-1023.
Just like the colors that comprise the tonal apricot color palette, this peachy color “echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection,” radiates positivity and gives us a promise of a peaceful, happy future. While Peach Fuzz and tonal apricots might be neighbors on the color wheel, they have their own personalities.
The color trends of 2024 are all about finding the right hues, tones and shades to help your brand navigate a changing world with confidence. Even if you don’t think you’ll be trying out a citrus-y logo design or an apricot crush packaging design, these trending colors show us that as we face the coming year, don’t be afraid to express your brand’s point of view as boldly and freely as possible.
Related Posts
