Dulux Colour of the Year 2014 radio day with Rebecca Thompson

Talk about a marathon session. Yesterday, Rebecca Thompson (Senior Dulux Colour Expert) and I undertook  a marathon radio session. Rebecca discussed Dulux Colour of the Year and I discussed how colour can influence our mood and behaviour. We made quite a team!

From the comfort of the Big Bird media / Heavy Entertainment studios we were able to do 10 back to back interviews, before I had to dash over to prestigious BBC Radio London to be interviewed by the legendary Jo Good which was quite a treat. Then it was back to Big Bird for the final four interviews.  I loved how from our seats we were reaching virtually every corner of the United Kingdom and even on the armed forces station reaching the troops in Afghanistan.

A popular question asked of Rebecca was how is the colour of the year chosen?
It’s definitely not a ‘pluck a colour out of the sky’ type thing.  An 18-strong panel of global colour and trend experts who specialise in different areas of colour use are brought together by Dulux parent company, AkzoNobel.

The team carry out extensive research by collectively scouring the globe, exploring a broad range of different cultures and industries including interiors, fashion, beauty, design whilst looking at factors such social and economic influences.

For 2014 the team predicated Teal, and specifically the Dulux Sea Urchin 1 to be the Colour of the Year.

The Appeal of Teal
Teal is a combination of dark blue and green. Blue positively communicates feelings of tranquillity and calm, whilst green positively evokes feelings of peace and balance.

It’s a great colour to use where you wish to relax and unwind – to regain balance and equilibrium after a hectic busy day. Teal is ideal for spaces such as the living areas, bedroom (teenager/adults) or the bathroom.
So what is colour psychology?
There seems to be a lot of confusion out there as to what colour psychology is. I set out to dispel the confusion as it’s frequently mixed up with colour association and colour symbolism (also known as colour in culture).

When it comes to the science of colour psychology, colour is emotion.  It’s sending unconscious messages in a language that we understand instinctively, the language of emotions. Colour psychology helps us to understand the benefits of using colour consciously.

Colour is more than just a visual experience; it influences our mood and behaviour. Established research into theories relating to colour and psychology suggest each colour has specific effects that influence us on all levels; mental, emotional and physical.

I can talk colour all day long, but by the end of yesterday I was just a wee bit tired. I really do take my hat off to radio DJ’s  – how they can maintain their energy day in day out is no mean feat.

And as soon as I get my hands on any of the recording I’ll be posting them here.

You may like to read my other related blog posts
Dulux colour of the year 2014 teal with Alesha Dixon
Dulux colour of the year 2014 is teal
Dispelling the confusion around colour association, symbolism & psychology