Interior Color Trend: Lilac and Why are We Seeing It Everywhere

We’ve been seeing purple popping up from our Instagram and Pinterest feeds ever since Pantone announced Ultra Violet to be their color of the year for 2018. There had been some signs of it coming into fashion since early 2016, but last year was a true game-changer in the way we perceive this controversial color.

In the interior design world, everyone was quick to dismiss grape-y Ultra Violet (us included) and, as it turned out - we were right! However, even though Ultra Violet perhaps wasn’t destined to overshadow a glorious success of the millennial pink, purples eventually made their way into the cool crowd and are now experiencing their renaissance!

But how did this happen? How did a once hard-sell become such a buzz?

mood board made with SampleBoard

The answer is rather simple - thanks to the trending color palette.

With pastels dominating the landscape and pink still refusing to give up of its throne, it is only natural that lilac and lavender found their way into the spotlight.

mood board made with SampleBoard

Colors are back in a big way, and not just one, or two shades - the game is getting increasingly complex. The pink and yellow color combo seems to be the dearest couple this season, but it is by no means exclusive.

Image source: Lerkenfeldt

Lilac and yellow are complementary colors (they are opposite to one other in the color wheel), while lilac and muted orange are analogous (positioned next to each other). When used together, they create visually pleasing interiors - warm and serene, and that’s why we’ve been loving these unexpected pops of purple lately.

Image source: Style at Home

Dreamy, airy and romantically wistful, these purples are by no means childish, nor senior. If you are into pastels but feel wary of coming off as overly sweet, lilac will help you pull off the trendy pastel look while giving it a more mature edge. Pastel purples are highly sophisticated and look best surrounded by high-end furniture and decor. They thrive next to gold accents and always, always look a bit posh.