Dulux colour of the year 2024 is 'like a whisper of reassurance in a moment of stress'

The Dulux colour of the year 2024 has been revealed as Sweet Embrace, a soft pale pink that aims to offer comfort and assurance during uncertain times as well as feelings of tenderness to fuel serenity in a home.

As far as paint trends go, we think this delicate and welcoming pale pink is certainly one to stay for years to come and can be used in a multitude of ways in a living room, bedroom, and kitchen alike.

Last year's colour of the year, Wild Wonder, employed a more organic quality to its shade, but for its 21st year of trend forecasting, Dulux has chosen this softer shade with light and airy qualities that we think are going to be winners for those looking for calm colour schemes.

Dulux colour of the year 2024 – Sweet Embrace

Sweet Embrace was named by Dulux for its comforting hues which exude a gentle and soothing energy that is said to wrap around you like 'an arm around the shoulder', offering serenity for otherwise uncertain times within current affairs.

When choosing the colour of the year for 2024, leading interior designers collaborated with Dulux to pinpoint a colour that perfectly represented the mood of the world.

Through discussions, it became crystal clear that the thing we lack the very most are moments of clarity and joy throughout our busy lives, thus birthing Sweet Embrace.

Often, when people think of 'pink', a loud Barbie pink comes to mind, however, this shade is nothing of the sort.

Sweet Embrace is a subtle yet diverse shade that delivers a stable, positive foundation to any space, and can be used in various colour combinations to create a haven of tranquillity, within the comfort of our own homes.

Not only that, but it's similar to Wild Wonder in the way that it is a metameric colour, meaning different tones within the colour are highlighted when the sun hits new points in the sky. In the early morning light, the shade appears crisper, becoming more blush pink throughout the day, and becoming increasingly violet in the evening.

Commenting on the Dulux colour of the year 2024, Marianne Shillingford, Dulux's creative director and colour expert says, 'What's so wonderful about Sweet Embrace is its soothing quality. Like a whisper of reassurance in a moment of stress, it has a visual softness that calms the senses and creates an atmosphere of serenity.'

She continues, 'While being a beautiful standalone colour, it's a hue that perfectly combines with so many other shades making it a cheerleader in colour form.'

'It's the perfect modern neutral that you can use with confidence, knowing it will unite each element from furnishings to artwork whilst creating a gently uplifting atmosphere.'

Alongside the Dulux colour of the year, they also curated three unique palettes featuring Sweet Embrace to showcase how it can be used in quite different environments to show its range and versatility.

Namely, Warm, featuring comforting earth tones; Calm, featuring shades of woodlands and seascapes (like we've seen in natureluxe); and Uplifting, with dreamy, upbeat, and energising hues.

I was kindly invited to the grand reveal of the Dulux colour of the year 2024, and I was absolutely taken aback at how beautiful the shade truly is under the light and up close and personal.

Considering my own personal home decor style, it feels so on brand not only for myself but for those who are team 'pink is a neutral', as well as those wanting to tap into those soothing shades. Out of the palettes, Uplifting was definitely my favourite, and I'm excited to see it used further in the outside world.

The Dulux colour of the year 2024, Sweet Embrace, is available to shop as a ready-mixed paint online and in-store from 12th September 2023.