ULTRA VIOLET, THE OFFICIAL COLOUR OF 2018

The 2018 Pantone Color of the Year is the lovely and mysterious purple; Ultra Violet. The Pantone Color Institute describes it as "dramatically provocative and thoughtful, it suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now."  Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute explains, “we are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level”.

It's time once again to start planning for the year ahead, so how can you make use of this vibrant colour? The Pantone colour of 2018 is a tone that represents power, knowledge, and luxury, inspiring the imaginations of beauty gurus, designers, architects, fashionistas, and chefs. Incorporating Ultra Violet into your lifestyle could prove challenging, but is well worth the effort. Purple may not be the go-to shade for many designers yet, but its ability to create playful elements in your designs in undeniable, besides, a little mystery and intrigue never hurt.

Compared to last year’s Pantone Color “Greenery”, which was a zesty yellow-green, this year’s colour is fearless, with the potential to be used alongside neutral colors. The design opportunities are endless and this colour helps you think outside the box, allowing you to express yourself in a bold new way. Don’t limit your ideas or get stuck in your comfort zone, be daring like Ultra Violet.

We sat down with Olympia Tile Research and Product Development Expert Anila Bregasi to discuss the effect Ultra Violet will have on the colour selection in residential and commercial spaces, as well as the product selection at Olympia Tile.

What do you think about Pantone’s 2018 colour selection?

This year’s Pantone colour is beautiful, mysterious, dramatic and provocative. We've already started to see this colour everywhere now, in clothing, wall paints, tiles and many other decorative pieces around us.

What do you think about when you see Ultra Violet?

I love all the purple shades. I have lavender plants in my front yard and can’t wait for them to bloom again year after year. It makes me remember Prince, one of my favorite singers, whose personality was expressed through this colour. Being a beautiful colour it just lifts my spirit up, being mysterious and dramatic, just makes me think of the galaxy and the desire to explore what is beyond our own world.

How is Olympia Tile embracing Ultra Violet?

Olympia Tile will incorporate this colour in its selection to give designers and architects opportunities to use it in their projects.

Can you suggest some products that Olympia Tile currently carry that align with Ultra Violet.

At the moment we have only a few products that are in the same family as Ultra Violet: the Arc Series in Claret Red and the Colour & Dimension Series in Denim.

Keep an eye out for a new addition to the Oxford Series in the Violet colour.