Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year Is Living Coral

It’s that time again. In 2000, Pantone Color Institute famously graced us with its first-ever color of the year, and the company has announced a new hue—chosen with societal trends in mind—annually since.

In 2018, we had some fun with Ultra Violet, but Pantone has officially dished all the details on its much anticipated 2019 pick, and it’s definitely not purple. This year, the global color experts are going with Living Coral.

Moving closer to nature, the “vibrant, yet mellow” shade of golden-orange is meant to provide comfort and social connectivity in our ever-changing environment.

"Representing the fusion of modern life, Pantone Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media," the institute explains in its announcement.

While other design brands have announced more muted, moody yearly colors moving into 2019, we’re pretty excited about the design possibilities surrounding this fun, happy shade. Accent walls? Definitely. Lamps, bedspreads and more? We hope so.

According to Pantone, Living Coral exudes tactility and warmth, so what better way to show it off than in rugs, blankets and cozy pillows?

“Color enhances and influences the way we experience life,” says Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “As a shade that affirms life through a dual role of energizing and nourishing, Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral reinforces how colors can embody our collective experience and reflect what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time.”