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Pantone’s Color of the Year: It’s a Blue 2020

It’s a color that has been immortalized in song (Blue oh, so lonesome for you…) and represents a low period personally (but fantastically inspired, artistically) of one of the most revered masters of all time—a time in which Picasso himself was admittedly, well, blue, over the death of a friend.

But while blue has, in many ways, come to be synonymous with melancholy, color authority Pantone sees it as enduring. Stable. Reassuring, even. Therein lies the impetus behind the company’s just-announced 2020 Color of the Year, Classic Blue.

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, in a news release. “Imbued with a deep resonance, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation.”

Classic Blue evokes ripe blueberries. The ocean churned up by frolicking dolphins. “A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky,” said Pantone. And a “pervasive favorite for home.”

Blue, especially toward the deeper, richer jewel tone end of the spectrum, has been trending for several years and, thus, there are already abundant of options out there in terms of furniture and furnishings, regardless of your particular style preference. Classic blue can embrace traditional decor, modern spaces, and all the variations in between, while also showcasing everything from luxury to casual appeal.

The color “injects creative confidence into interiors, transforming a space through unique color combinations and tonal statements,” they said. “Easily applied across so many different materials, textures and finishes, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a dependable blue that can take you in different directions expressing tradition and elegance as well as unexpected boldness.”

We’re laying out a few of our favorite Classic Blue-inspired options.

Mid-Century Sofa from The Inside


Is it daring to eschew the rule of neutrals when it comes to a large piece of furniture? Not when it’s as stunning as this Mid-Century Sofa from The Inside; Pantone partnered with this digitally native home furnishings brand to develop custom fabrics, like the Dusk of the sofa, inspired by the Color of the Year.

Modern Wingback Bed

We’re also loving The Inside’s Modern Wingback Bed in Wrinkle, a limited-edition fabric color that was also inspired by Classic Blue.

Plush Faux Fur Throw from Amusespot

This special-order faux fur throw by Evelyne Prelonge Paris would look fantastic draped over either the sofa or the bed, and is so luxurious you might need one for each space.

Table ‘Bleu’ from Yves Klein


From French artist Yves Klein, this limited-edition table, made to order in Paris, is derived from “an iconic design conceived in 1961” and similar to Klein’s suspended pigment pieces,” said 1stdibs. The blue pigment is everything (but if this year’s color of the year isn’t doing it for you, you can always choose this version, which has 3,000 sheets of gold leaf instead.).

Lumino Cheese Knife Set by Anna New York


Express your love of blue with this elegant set of three cheese knives and spreaders in polished agate stone with electroplated 24k gold and silver and stainless steel. Designer Anna Rabinowicz loved to create objects “inspired by nature which fuse ancient, precious materials with cutting-edge design,” said Amusespot.

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Pantone’s Color of the Year: It’s a Blue 2020

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