Hello!
My name is Matt Allison.
I go by many titles with over a decade of experience in the design industry. My work has been featured in various lifestyle publications including Home, House & Leisure, Elle Decoration, VISI, Real Estate, Good Taste & The Sunday Times.
Based in Sydney, Australia my approach to interior styling and design is clean and timeless. I believe in creating spaces that are simple and functional, yet practical enough to deal with the ever-growing demands of daily life.
Thank you for visiting.
Author Archives: Matt
Plascon’s 2013 Colour Forecast – ‘Balance’
As shared in my previous post, I was privileged to attend the Cape Town leg of the Design Dialogue where Plascon revealed their 2013 ‘Balance’ Colour Forecast.
I shared yesterday what Pantone had to offer and Plascon were complimented by their executive director Leatrice Eiseman on how on trend the 2013 ‘Balance’ palette is.
This is what Plascon Colour Manager, Anne Roselt, has to say.
Colour trends are influenced by the mood of society; we are drawn to colours that reflect how we feel. When stressed, we are drawn to gentle blues, greens and neutral colours and when we need a bit of motivation and energy, we crave more energetic reds and oranges. Our uncertain and changing environment has us seeking some balance and harmony in our lives and this led to the forecast theme being called “Balance”.
The forecast consists of four palettes – Simplicity, Contrast, Pause and Dare. The colours in these palettes are designed to help you bring balance and harmony in your home.
Image courtesy of Plascon Trends
SIMPLICITY
This is an honest palette. A base of chalky whites and neutrals appeals to our desire for calm and an uncluttered space – a space where we can relax and refresh our soul. The addition of green links us to nature and the metallics provide a lift and add to the sophistication of this palette.
Key Influences: Everyday escape, understated elegance, raw textures, copper, antique gold and silver, safari chic, modern sanctuary spaces.
Image courtesy of Plascon Trends
CONTRAST
This palette sees the continuation of deep blues and greys that have been so popular this year. Light and dark denim blues are also included in the palette. This palette is given an energy boost with the inclusion of high-contrast optimistic, bright yellow and fuchsia pink.
Key influences: 50s urban chic, colour defined spaces, vintage brights, sophisticated energy, optimism.
Image courtesy of Plascon Trends
PAUSE
Pastel colours have been a highlight of many designer collections on the catwalk, including Ralph Lauren (inspired by The Great Gatsby), Louis Vuitton, Prada and Fendi. These soft washes of colour look as beautiful on walls as they do on the catwalk. This palette of pastels is calming and uplifting and can be easily introduced to a scheme, as they work well with neutrals and greys.
Key Influences: Icy tones, Great Gatsby, 1920s, shimmer and sparkle, nostalgia, soft and subtle.
Image courtesy of Plascon Trends
DARE
Time for us to shift gears and move out of our comfort zones! These zinc toned brights are energy-boosting, without being manic and are great for colour-blocking and feature walls.
Key Influences: Afro-chic, colour-blocked geometrics, folk-inspired art and craft, retro brights, bold minimalism.
May favourite of the palettes is CONTRAST, what’s yours?
The Plascon 2013 Colour Forecast will officially be launched at Decorex from the 8th to the 12th of August, pop in if you are in town and come and visit the Plascon stand in the link area. Otherwise be sure to get your hands on a Plascon Forecast brochure; these will be available from your nearest Plascon stockist from the 8th of August.
And, you can get more inspiration and information on the forecast in the new issue of Plascon Spaces magazine. This trends issue (issue 8) will include a brochure and a fandeck of the 2013 forecast colours and will be available from 13th August at Exclusive Books, Woolworths, CNA and Spar.
Design Dialogue with Pantone’s Leatrice Eiseman
Image courtesy of Pantone
I had the privilege of attending Design Dialogue this morning, an annual event managed by Decorex and sponsored by Plascon.
The keynote speaker was Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and founder of the Eiseman Centre for Color Information and Training in the United States. Fortune Magazine has featured Leatrice as one of the top decision makers for her work in colour and forecasting.
Leatrice showcased Pantone’s VIEW for Home + Interiors 2013, which she summed up as ‘Fantasies and Realities’.
I’m paraphrasing here, but she shared that in times of uncertainty people tend to do one of two things, either look at new elements of fantasy to provide a sense of whimsy, giving us time to stop, pause and smile or we retreat into the sense of the familiar, returning to designs of the past with a sense of familiarity, but reinterpreted in unfamiliar ways.
These two reactions have brought about 9 palettes for 2013: Connoisseur, Glamour, New Old School, Rugged Individuals, Extracts, Footprints, Sojurn, Surface Treatments and Out of the Ordinary.
In her words she shared.
In order to create the “magic” in the marketplace that ultimately leads to sales, colors for 2013 will need to coax and cajole, sooth or astonish, renew and replenish. At the same time, there will be the consumer’s expectation of practicality – what colors have staying power and can be relied upon as a steadying influence in unsteady times. Skillfully balanced color palettes that play to their practical side, while satisfying their aspirations, hopes and needs for something novel will remain key to enticing the would-be consumer or client.
I’m not going to share much more on the palettes themselves as I don’t have accurate guides to show you, though a description of each palette and approximation can be seen here.
If you want to buy the offical Pantone VIEW for Home + Interiors 2013 guide you can do so here.
What I found most interesting though is HOW the palettes come about. Leatrice shared that while fashion has historically been the forerunner much of today’s peripheral work is being done in the areas of graphic and industrial design, even the cosmetic and automobile industries.
When looking at trends we can’t use terms like sustainability, because it’s beyond trend, it’s a lifestyle (something I’ve been preaching for over a year!), though we do a see these ‘greener’ materials been given new life in palettes like ‘Rugged Individuals’ with the use of reclaimed timber and cork, though fashioned and tooled differently.
Interestingly when looking to fauna 2013 will see a resurgence in wolves and horses being the primary animal figures making their way into the mainstream.
Pop Art and Retro will continue to play their roles in 2013, predominantly in the way of yellow-greens which make their way through each of the 9 palettes.
Image courtesy of Galerie Marcilhac
Films travel the world and of course a hot contender for global dominance is the remake of the classic ‘The Great Gatsby’. This will reaffirm a love and resonance with 1920’s Art Deco. We’ll be seeing more blood reds and teals as we look to ‘update’ the look, again reenforcing the longing many have to want to hold onto and cherish what they have in uncertain times by finding ways to augment it rather than part with it, as is the case with the Glamour palette.
What I love about the image above is it takes the 20’s and updates it with colours forecast from their Sojourn palette, blackish plum and green winter moss. This palette is one of my favourites for 2013.
Image courtesy of House to Home
The global success of British TV Drama, Downtown Abbey has also played a role in the resurgence of regal opulence as illustrated in the Connoisseur palette. Monochromatic violets and orchids, liquid pink Nectar, Deep Mahogany, White Alyssum, Beechnut green all reflected against Champagne Beige and Silver.
The image above draws it all together. Retro lives on in mid-century modern furniture blending seamlessly with Sanderson’s 50’s inspired Dandelion Clocks Fabric.
Overall it was a riveting talk. Leatrice also revealed Plascon’s 2013 ‘Balance’ Colour Palette to the audience, though I’ll devote an entire post to it tomorrow!