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Meet Living Coral
Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year has been officially announced: Living Coral, or Pantone 16-1546. According to Pantone, Living Coral is “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” Who wouldn’t want a little bit of life-affirming color in their lives, or more importantly, their homes? “Coral is a color that complements practically everything. It's hard to think of a color you couldn't pair it with,” says Jessica McCarthy, creative director at Decorist. Check out her and four other designers’ top tips on decorating with the color that’s going to make a splash in 2019.
Boldly Versatile
“Although coral is a bold color, it’s quite versatile and equally easy to mix in with softer, more feminine palettes like blush and ivory, or with more earthy, warm palettes like caramel and navy,” says Melissa Warner Rothblum of interior design studio Massucco Warner Miller. “Art is always a great way to add coral in as well, and it leaves the space feeling instantly fresh.”
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Color in a Flash
"Little flashes of coral are such a fun way to liven up a room,”says McCarthy. “Take, for instance, this playful coral tassel basket by Meri Meri—fill it with spare throw blankets and keep it in a corner of your living room, or use it in your entryway as a catchall for shoes and bags.”
Vacation Vibes
“I could definitely see this color being used in restaurants and hotels—spaces that help people get away from their busy lives. A room filled with bold colors like this can make you feel like you’re on vacation. As the name suggests, this color can transport you to any beach town you can imagine,” says Jamie Davis, founder of Portola Paints.
Pop Star
“I would use this color as an accent or to add a little pop in any room. Decorative pillows or accessories in coral will instantly freshen up your space,” says Jonathan Rachman, a Decorist celebrity designer.
Art That Imitates Life
Alessandra Wood, interior design expert and director of style at Modsy, recommends a more on-the-nose use of coral in the form of a coral-like sculpture, in Pantone’s color pick, of course. “Be careful not to go full coral” in a room, Wood says. “Don’t forget the backlash the color experienced in the 1990s, when coral upholstery patterns and furniture wound up seriously dating spaces.” Rather than using coral in a room’s complete color palette, “Add a few sculptural pieces of natural coral, which are objects or art that will always be in style.”
A Blue Pairing
Looking for a color combo? “Light blue is a go-to color to pair with live coral,” says Rachman. Orange and blue are complementary colors after all, and when you think about it, an oceanic hue makes perfect sense with coral.
Go for Moody
“But I wouldn't be afraid to try moody colors,” continues Rachman, “and use Live Coral with a more contemporary and chic darker hue such as charcoal gray or aubergine.”
