Graham & Brown reveals its 'Utopian' color of the year for 2024 – it's all about inviting and restful spaces

Prestigious interior brand Graham & Brown has revealed its annual design and color for 2024. Coinciding with the company's Decade of Design, the 2024 announcement marks the tenth anniversary of its Design of the Year.

Inspired by the brand's adoption of the 'Utopia' trend, both the design and color trend for the year ahead have been designed to help homeowners create spaces that are inviting and calming with an underlying Utopian feel. 

The design of the year takes reference from Japan's Omotenashi art and is all about creating thoughtful rooms that are distinctively welcoming whilst boundaries between different rooms in the home fade.

Design of the Year: New Eden

Titled New Eden, the 2024 Design of the Year portrays a scene of luscious nature, featuring a vivid hand-painted forestry motif that embraces a rich color palette of emerald shades, with the addition of yellows, oranges, and pinks for a vibrant look.

'When creating our Design of the Year 2024 we really wanted to highlight the need to create a calm and welcoming space for yourself and others, our utopia trend is the embodiment of this,' explains Maryanne Cartwright, Head of Design at Graham & Brown.

Explaining the inspiration behind the design, Cartwright goes on to say: 'We wanted to highlight the healing and rejuvenating qualities of nature and the need to create calm and take the time to slow down in this bustling world. As we look ahead with the planet in mind our mindsets begin to shift and we form deeper connections with nature, gardens have become an extension of the kitchen, bringing the outdoors in, and creating an essential entertaining area.'

'With the powerful health benefits of biophilia and forest bathing we have captured this essence in New Eden to enable you to create these natural spaces indoors and ensure there is a welcoming environment for guests.'

The new design is currently available as a custom wall mural, wallpaper trend (pictured above), made-to-measure curtains, and blinds. New Eden is also available in five other colorways: a selection of bright hues and more muted options, which you can shop below. 

Color of the Year: Viridis

Designed to pair beautifully with the New Eden wallpaper in the Emerald shade, Graham & Brown's 2024 Color of the Year has been announced as Viridis. Viridis is a soft yet rich shade of green that is perfect for creating warm and inviting spaces in the home. It also references the outdoors which results in a calming feel indoors. 

'Viridis is the perfect color partner for New Eden as it creates such a calming effect with tones of new beginnings, perfect for entertaining. When choosing our Color of the Year 2024, we wanted to continue the theme of the Utopia trend and began looking into color psychology and the hues that bring calm and peace. Viridis, a soothing mid green hue reflects harmony and stability, enabling those in its vicinity to relax and revitalize,' explains Cartwright. 

Cartwright also notes the underlying meaning of the new hue, which helps create a restoring atmosphere in the home: 'Viridis is the color of growth and health, mirroring nature and expressing renewal and life. It evokes a feeling of abundance and a plentiful environment whilst simultaneously providing a restful and secure feeling. We see our homes as a haven, a place to spend time with family and friends, and this is the perfect hue to create a welcoming color palette.'

Color experts at Graham & Brown recommend using Viridis in both small room ideas for a relaxing feel, yet equally in more prominent rooms in the home, such as rooms used for entertaining or entryway ideas. 

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