Colour me good
John Park-Davies, Vertik-Al’s group marketing director, explores trends for 2020 and explains how the powder coater can support manufacturers and fabricators in meeting consumer demands in the new year.
The start of a new decade is akin to Christmas for trend forecasters, as they analyse and review to see what’s new and next.And so, as the last firework guttered out above crowds on London’s Embankment, trend setters were already busy posting and sharing what’s hot for 2020 and beyond.
Pantone announced The Pantone Colour of the Year 2020 as Pantone 190-4052 Classic Blue, while Dulux colour experts chose Tranquil Dawn as its Colour of the Year 2020.Both shades are said to promote calm, creativity and confidence.These muted, deep tones are reflective of the subdued colours set to reinvigorate UK interiors and exteriors this year.
After the chaos and uncertainty of the last decade, trends will draw inspiration from the past and look to create ‘sanctuary’ spaces.Significant themes will include Japanese influences, 1930s-60s geometrics, and nature.
Influenced by the minimalism of Japanese architecture, simple forms will be popular both inside and out.Finishes representative of the wood-charring technique,ShouSugi Ban, will add texture.
Amid the turmoil, many people are turning to nature for its calming and therapeutic qualities.Stone textures will promote a natural realism while warm neutrals such as off-white, grey and ochre will mimic the tones we see in the landscape.
In keeping with the desire for minimalism and order, inspiration will be drawn from the modular and multi-functional designs of the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s.Angular lines and reoccurring shapes will echo the modernist era.In contrast to the muted tones, statement shades will add impact, including black and gold.
With the last few years defined by a rise in social consciousness, trend forecasters also predict a shift in design values towards sustainability, with the expectation that this will be a demand rather than a fad.
This will drive demand up the supply chain, promoting the use and development of sustainable products and materials, such as aluminium.
Aluminium is a key contributor to the sustainability of a building, “…often as a critical part of an assembly of materials that form a construction product, and particularly when incorporated in the facade, where it has a positive impact on a wide range of sustainability-related criteria for the building, including: indoor air quality, energy balance and thermal comfort”. (Council for Aluminium Building).
Infinitely recyclable, aluminium can be recycled again and again without impacting on quality.Its inherent properties do not change after repeated recycling. It therefore resonates with those consumers concerned by the sustainability of their built environment.
The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) and ASI Chain of Custody (COC) Standard provide specifiers and consumers with assurances of responsible sourcing.
As a powder coater of aluminium building products, we are committed to quality finishes which meet the current demands of our customers.Working with powder suppliers such as AkzoNobel, SynthaPulvin, Axalta, IGP and Tiger, we generally use around 400 colours regularly but there are more than 3,500 at our disposal, and when one adds the vast selection of textures, the world has tens of thousands of finishes to choose from.
We have also seen a marked rise in mixed textured finishes. For example, we have completed a vast powder coated commission in contrasting matt, gloss and ‘Portland Stone’ finish.The project comprised hundreds of unitised panels for a city centre development, totalling over 25,000m2 white and brown stone-effect and 40,000m2 RAL7024 Matt, RAL9011 Gloss and RAL8014 Matt.
