Very Peri is Pantone colour for 2022

Violet blue is a key colour for homes and interiors

Around this time every year people wonder: “What will the Pantone Colour of the Year be?”

In fact, the date when Pantone® Colour of the Year (COTY) is announced is a fixture on calendars across the globe.

For the last two decades, every December, the Pantone Color Institute has decreed what generally becomes the top colour to dominate the design world during the upcoming year.

This year Pantone announced Very Peri 💜 as the colour for 2022, (also known by the less catchy moniker of Pantone 17-3938). Very Peri is a beautifully vibrant shade of blue with energising violet-red undertones.

Surprisingly, this is the first time in the history of Pantone Colour of the Year announcements that the expert has created an entirely brand new colour palette. Previously, the company would choose one colour from its pre-existing palette archive to be its COTY.

Last year was already a break from tradition since, instead of choosing just one colour, Pantone decided that after nearly a year of Covid-19, the world deserved two colours: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, a vibrant shade of yellow.

Personally, I am a big fan of blue and purple, so I’m pretty excited about this blurple shade! And I’m not going to be alone in this. Very Peri is likely to be very popular, so get ready to see it everywhere. This is the hue that interior designers, stylists, graphic designers and advertisers will be setting their palettes to throughout the next twelve months.

So what’s in the Very Peri name?

The Peri in “Very Peri” comes from Periwinkle, a gorgeous violet blue flower. The periwinkle flower is a symbol of friendship and everlasting love. And everlasting love is probably what the design community will have for this new Pantone colour, since it is so stunning and really captures interest.

Victorians believed that the Periwinkle flower symbolised the beginning of something new and exciting. And it seems that new beginnings and change both factor in Pantone’s colour decision-making. The institute describes its new colour as a symbol of the transformation of the physical and digital world, which has emerged following lockdowns and isolations.

It has meant that the digital world has really come to the forefront of our world and our lives in general. From the everyday need to take our working lives and relationships online (all those Zoom work meetings and chats on screen with the family) to digital art with NFTs (non-fungible token), and the rise of the metaverse (ref. Facebook’s recent name change to Meta). It is about representing new digital frontiers, and with them come new possibilities and transformations.

But that’s enough digital burble.

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What are the characteristics of the colour? Does it have a meaning?

Pantone expresses the Very Peri shade as “a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions.” In slightly plainer terms, the blue represents trust and security, while the violet red undertone expresses vibrance, excitement and change.

Since we are all still riding the Covid rollercoaster, perhaps this new colour really does represent optimism for 2022? A confidence that we can and will all continue to adapt to huge change, to innovate and to find solutions. That we can be creative and expressive, in spite of and because of adversity.

I myself feel full of creative optimism for the coming year, and for me this gorgeous shade violet-blue is an excellent colour to represent that.

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So how do you bring Very Peri into your home interiors?

Very Peri is a non-aggressive colour, which is calm and easily relatable, allowing it to work in any interior. So long as you don’t overdo it. Thankfully, there are various ways of introducing this vibrant positive colour into your space.

Although it is a bit bold and overwhelming to paint all the walls with, it could work in a small amount on a feature wall. And one small feature wall is quick and easy to change later on. Thankfully, Pantone has introduced several complementary palettes of colours that work well with Very Peri. So you can balance combinations and ensure that your use of Very Peri in your home is measured and subtle.

Remember, you can always use a colour wheel to help you decide which colours work well together.

Of course, as an artist, I always favour keeping wall colours and textures simple so that you have the perfect backdrop to showcase your fabulous art. And here at Claude & Leighton, we have curated a selection of art prints which feature beautiful violet-blue hues, making it easy to add the colour to your space.

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If you are looking to add a little more Very Peri to your home but don't want to paint any walls, in addition to artwork consider some well-placed accessories such as cushions, throws, bed linen, or a rug. These items are easier to choose and buy than larger pieces of furniture and more easily moved throughout your home. The same can be achieved with candles, vases and flowers.

Let it be noted, however, that I am a fan of a gorgeous statement armchair. So, I’m imagining right now how fabulous a comfy and contemporary Very Peri chair could look…

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So is Very Peri the perfect hue to help us to continue rewriting our lives as we navigate a world in upheaval?

The cheerful colour encourages inquisitiveness and new possibilities, helping us to embrace change with confidence. With its ability to open our eyes to a new vision, Very Peri could indeed help us create a fresh start as we move forward.

So I’m certainly looking forward to stepping into a violet blue 2022. Are you?

Do you think you’ll be adding a splash of Very Peri anywhere in your home? We'd love to see. Share your pics on social media and tag us @claudeandleighton.

If you add any of our artwork to your walls then drop us an email with some pics of it in place. Let us know your handle and we'll tag you.

View all the prints featured in our Very Peri art collection.

Best wishes,

Jayne Leighton Herd
Artist & Designer

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More information about the Pantone Color Institute

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