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Will 2013 be a carnival of colour or a return to simpler styles? We asked some of SA’s top designers and décor editors for their trend predictions for next year.
BRIGHT & OPTIMISTIC
Michele Throssell, Ballito-based interior designer
The New Year will usher in loads of bright colours. Fuchsia, green and turquoise will find their place in homes as will pastels with metallic highlights and bold, graphic prints. Don’t shy away from using these patterns; they add a sophisticated twist to any room. My home is all about texture, patterns and geometrics, from Malawian cloth to geometric weaves in contemporary cane furniture.
Favourite colour: I’m a fan of all shades of white. It provides a lovely neutral backdrop for any setting. I love Plascon’s Dried Leaf (WHT 05) – it’s not too bright, but it’s bright enough to bring energy to a room.
Laureen Rossouw, Editor, Elle Decoration
At this year’s Milan Design Week creatives stirred things up with some never-seen-before colour combinations. The industrial mix of cement, brick, tractor blue, mustard, maroon, mint green and nude really made an impression on me. When displayed side by side, those colours looked beautiful. I think this is the beginning of something new and more imaginative.
Favourite colour: I love Plascon Tangerine Tango (O3-A1-1), especially when combined with dirty light pinks and nudes like Choc Milkshake (R7-D2-3), Harvest Oat (O5-C2-2), You’re My Sweetie (O4-C2-2) and White Knight (R7-C2-3).
Laurence Brick and Timna Russell, Laurence Brick Creative Direction
When it comes to colour, punchy acid yellows, grass greens and chartreuse are being used as accent colours to reflect a move towards optimism. Post-war, slightly off-beat colours such as brick and rust mixed with retro greens and industrial greys are also causing a positive stir in the industry.
Favourite colour: We love Plascon Dusk of Day (B6-E1-2) mixed with Blue Frost (B5-D2-3) and Aged Aloe (Y6-E2-2), as well as Overcast Days (B4-E1-3) from the Plascon 2012 Colour Forecast.
Tracy Lynch, independent stylist and creative director for Hinterveld
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the focus on London as hosts of this year’s Olympic Games is a definite source of inspiration for 2013. Pantone created a palette inspired by the Queen’s colour preferences, with shades such as Primrose Yellow, Crystal Blue, Pink Carnation and Ice Green. I see these colours being used as accents and the glamour surrounding the event will inspire the use of jewel tones to create depth and elegance in interior spaces.
Favourite colour: I love white. It’s uplifting, soothing and keeps things simple and balanced. My home is mostly white with accents of dark grey and a silver feature wall. 
Craig Jacobs, creative director and founder of Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs
The movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby has definitely caused a revived interest in Art Deco, which I think will continue. We’re also seeing the emergence of the new minimalism, a look which incorporates sombre concrete-looking greys and a tone-on-tone approach to colour that’s punctuated with shocks of yellows and pinks.
Favourite colour: When it comes to paint I particularly love the blue of Plascon Westerly (B3-C2-1).
SOFT & NEUTRAL
Stephen Black, owner of Black Fabrics
Colour trends flow into each other. In 2011 we saw orange come in as a strong accent colour and from that came the emergence of complementary shades such as terracottas and reds. This year, a strong yellow has been predominant. It’ll give way to a return of creams and warmer natural colours in 2013. There’s also room for the more extreme neon yellows and greens, but remember to use them sparingly otherwise they can become overpowering.
Favourite colour: At home I’m drawn to duck-egg blues, such as Feathery (B1-E2-3). They’re very comforting and easy to live with, and work well with so many other shades.
Jenny Le Roux, owner of Habits
I’ve fallen for all things to do with the sea. Baby blues and the soft pastels of shells and corals are what I hope we’ll see more of next season.
Favourite colour: Red is my trademark colour. My nails, my lipstick and even my notebooks and pens are red. The cream of Plascon Serene (CAS 7) is perfect for home and office. Highlighted with white it’s unbeatable, and you can never go wrong. 
Sherri Chipps, Decorex Portfolio Director
Pastels are trending on both fashion runways and in interiors. From the palest nude and blush shades, through chalky greys to soft hydrangea tones, they evoke a sense of nostalgia and have a built-in feel-good factor.
Favourite colour: I’m obsessed with grey, from dark, edgy charcoals to soft, washed-out grey-whites. Grey is a timeless, fool-proof, flattering canvas against which brights such as yellow, fuchsia, teal and grape can pop and strike a pose.
Sumien Brink, Group Content Director, Taste, VISI and Plascon SPACES
At the Design Indaba earlier this year, Li Edelkoort explained that all the colours we use should have a shot of white in them. Well, I didn’t bother with just a shot – I went the whole way. I have a weekend home and was considering leaving it in its original cement colour, but the minute I started painting it white my spirits lifted. Now I’m surrounded by white walls and white floors that provide the most beautiful natural light during the day and turn a pale gold in the evening when lit by candlelight.
Favourite colour: After listening to Li, I’ve fallen in love with white all over again.
Kim Gray, décor blogger
White will play a major role in décor and design next year. Whether it’s the base colour of your home, floors and walls, or sheer linen curtains that let in lots of light, or even loads of textured white cushions, I think this colour will serve as an incredibly fresh approach to the start of a new year. I’m particularly obsessed with white wooden floors at the moment.
Favourite colour: I’m a big fan of grey. Used as a base shade, grey really makes other colours pop. I also love the combination of white and grey.
Dorothy van’t Riet, owner Dorothy van’t Riet Design & Décor Consultants
Peaceful neutrals will be strong next year, with greater intensity than in the past. Whites – whether clean and bright or creamy and soft – will be a core staple shade. It seems as if both blues and browns will grow in importance while red will fall back. Tangerine and orange shades as well as pinks and yellows will continue to be popular in interiors.
Favourite colour: I love the vibrant yet sophisticated purple of Plascon Velvet Pansy (P5-B1-1). In my office I’ve used various shades of purple to create a dramatic and inspirational design environment. Purples complement lime greens and golden yellows, as well as reds and pinks.
RUSTIC & NOSTALGIC
Ruth Duke, Umhlanga-based interior designer
Décor and design will go in two directions in 2013: craft and technical. Craft is the main trend, with a huge return to ancient design aesthetics, raw, neutral colour palettes, natural materials and a real handmade, authentic look. The technical angle is about embracing new technologies such as laser printing and laser cutting and making use of pixelated motifs, photographic imagery and geometrical, 3D and super-psycho colour moments.
Favourite colour: I’ve never steered away from a colour I call chalky coal; it’s a shade that’s almost black and not quite charcoal. 
Lana Kenney, décor blogger
We’ve already seen a return to traditional crafts such as knitting and crocheting and I believe this trend will continue to grow in the year to come. Not only is there a growing need to save money, but there’s a rising nostalgia for the simpler way of life that craft embodies.
Favourite colour: Grey is a key colour that can’t be ignored. It’s so versatile and works with just about every other colour. I particularly love the blue-grey of Plascon Soft Lead (P1-E1-4). 
Annemarie Meintjes, Deputy Editor, VISI
Designers are producing fewer but better designs, and the focus is on craftsmanship: functional back-to-basic pieces with clean lines, paper-thin, mouth-blown glassware and butter-smooth wood finishes. And there’s good news for colour addicts, too: everything from kitchen appliances, tableware and glassware to bedding and even furniture will be available in every colour imaginable.
Favourite colour: I love reds and the lightest, palest blue you’ll ever find, Plascon Whimsical White (B5-B2-3).
Paul Duncan, Head of Design at Woolworths
We’re seeing the resurgence of an artisan look that’s all about texture – you can see the hand of the maker on impure surfaces, there’s rough combined with smooth, wood graining, roughly glazed earthware and chunky glass. While the lines are simple and modern, their earthiness and “soul” are a reminder of the days when we’d crowd around the hearth to keep warm.
Favourite colour: Glazed or unglazed, terracotta has a warmth that glows from within. I’m currently painting my kitchen terracotta, and some of the details will be a dull black. It’s contemporary but at the same time quite classic.
Malcolm Klûk and Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit, Klûk CGDT
Naturals haven’t been seen in a while, so 2013 could be the year of earthy wood tones with perhaps some neon highlights for an edge. Also on the horizon are colours that give a sense of escapism from work and the hustle and bustle of daily life. Think bright yellows, all the pinks and reds, and sea blues.
Favourite colour: Plascon You’re My Sweetie (O4-C2-2) is our absolute favourite. It’s the colour we painted our Johannesburg store, and we’re now using it for our brand identity, too. It’s a beige-like pink that looks good when reflected on skin.
Naomi Larkin, Editor, House and Leisure
Nordic décor and designers will be more dominant in 2013, along with the wood, white and “nature-inspired” materials that accompany the aesthetic. What I like to call “in-between” colours will remain: blues that lean more towards greys than purples, or pinks that are more dusty than bubblegum.
Favourite colour: I love green. It has so many forms and each tone generates a different mood or feeling. I’ve used the soft grey-green of Plascon Bleached Meadow (Y7-E2-3) in a bedroom at home and it works beautifully. It’s a calm and neutral shade but with more personality than white or grey.
RECYCLED & REINVENTED
Mary Jane Harris, Editor, SA Garden and Home
The current trend to be creative with what you already have will definitely continue. It’s a great way to save money and recycle, and turning an “ugly duckling” piece into a “beautiful swan” gives you a marvellous sense of satisfaction.
Favourite colour: I love a deep, pinky red like Go Go Red (R4-A1-1). Although my wardrobe is mostly black, wearing this colour always makes me feel good.
Lauren Shantall, Plascon PR and Social Media Manager
We’ll see the reinvention of existing designs using colour as a refresher and updater.
Favourite colour: I’m in love with so many colours, but right now I’m favouring a subterranean palette and enjoying strong, murky, muddy colours. My son’s bedroom is painted in Plascon Teal Tower (G5-D2-2) – it’s not fashionable but it’s nostalgic and lovely to live with.
Anita Rossouw and Lounette Fourie, Décor Editors, Sarie and Woon
2013 will be all about reworking and recycling furniture. Wood will be stripped bare and scrubbed for a natural, honest look, although brightly painted wood is gaining popularity, too. There will be a relief from all the grey and darkness with a lot of light, fresh, glossy colours making their way to the foreground.
Favourite colour: There’s nothing like a touch of red in a room – a red stripe on linen or a simple chair painted bright red. We love Plascon Burnt Horizon (R7-B1-1), especially in gloss.
