Legacy will be the big colour in home interiors next year, the founder of a leading decorative paint brand says.

Lisa Rickert, founder and chief executive officer of decorative paint brand Jolie Home, has nominated legacy as her company’s Colour of the Year for 2020.

In an interview, Rickert told Sourceable that legacy’s popularity will be driven by both its style and its versatility to work with other colours.

“It’s a colour that behaves like a neutral in that it works with so many different other colour schemes,” Rickert explains.

“But it’s got interest and it has a very classic feel and some history behind it. It can really leave a mark and it can feel very sophisticated at the same time as it can feel grounded because it’s a beautiful muted green. It feels like a neutral. It feels safe. It can be used in large scale.

“Colour can be used sparingly or it can be used as a much larger backdrop in a space. Legacy is a colour that can really be used in large volume and quantity to create a neutral feeling but it still has interest and personality. It’s also timeless and sophisticated.”

According to Rickert, those decorating their homes often have several objectives.

First, many want their homes to be well-designed. Whilst colour and style preferences vary, Rickert says people often feel satisfied when their home has been carefully and effectively laid out and created.

Next, many also want peace and tranquillity. In the modern and connected world, Rickert says people can be bombarded with messages or advertisements. At home, many desire safety and calm in order to decompress and prepare for the next day.

Third, personalisation is significant. Where people are able to decorate their homes to suit their own style and preferences, Rickert says many feel a sense of grounding and connectedness between their home environment and themselves.

Finally, as we move into a new decade, Rickert says people want colour schemes which are going to last. Whilst some may chase ‘trends’, others seek spaces in which they will be satisfied for many years.

Speaking particularly about legacy, Rickert has assembled four collections which showcase the colour’s personality when used as a backdrop.

These can be divided into two different pathways which Rickert says will define colour approaches in 2020.

First, many who seek playful yet stylish appearances may use legacy in combination with rouge or marigold along with black and bright white.

Rouge, Rickert says, is a beautiful red whilst marigold is a peachy orangey type of yellow. Within these colours, homeowners can experiment with different patterns.

Beyond that, others will seek interiors which are beautiful yet calming and serene.

One approach is to combine legacy with slate, French grey and dove grey. This, Rickert says, brings in colours which resemble natural elements such as stone and sky and which wrap around legacy and invoke a sense of peace.

The other way combines legacy with rose quartz and zen – a combination which is feminine yet delivers a vibe which is beautiful and relaxed and which can be layered with different textures and florals to bring spaces together.

According to Rickert, aforementioned palettes deliver a neutral background which provides a foundation upon which people can build greater colour.

For those wanting strong coloured themes, she says these need not be woven into floors or walls and can be achieved though painting items such as light fixtures or accessories such as glassware or books. Such items can be repainted as fashions or preferences change without compromising the base provided by the neutrals, she says.

In addition, modern art can make spaces feel fresh and current.

Rickert’s comments come as suppliers of paint and other decorative elements offer varying expectations about popular colours in 2020 and beyond.

In its Colour Forecast for 2020, Dulux says trends will be evident in four areas.

These are:

• ‘grounded’ colours which resemble natural elements such as the earth and sky 
• ‘comeback’ styles which blend an eclectic style with vintage charm to create a rick and layered aesthetic
• a ‘cultivate’ trend which sees home as no longer a place to rest and recover but somewhere to rejuvenate and inspire by seeking out innovative ways to bring natural elements into interiors and to encourage personal growth; and
• a ‘cacoon’ trend which in which rich and soothing palettes are used to enable people to disconnect from everyday life.

Beyond colour, Rickert talks of broader trends in home decoration preferences.

One involves combining traditional items which are collected and personal and which have interest and history with more modern items such as silhouettes or modern art.  

Another is the use of metals such as gold, silver and copper in ways which reflect light and add elegance to spaces. One example is to adding glimmer and shine to outdated light fixtures by painting them and adding gilding wax.

When decorating, Rickert encourages people to focus on the bigger picture and how spaces work together.

For its clients, Jolie Home provides style grids and tutorial guides to help.

“The only thing I would add when people are updating their homes is to think about the style they are trying to create,” Rickert says.

“Too often people think about just a piece of furniture and just a painting instead of thinking about a comprehensive and cohesive style within the space.”

“I encourage people to think about the bigger picture and the broader feeling they are trying to create and then break it down into smaller bite sized achievable projects.”