Balance, Connect, Revive. The Dulux Colour Forecast for 2023 comprises three emotive palettes inspired by our need to reconnect with nature, desire for balance and calm, as well as revitalising our spirit with joy and play.

Balance

The Balance palette features delicate pastels, oceanic hues such as soft greens, and deep moody teals and blues, punctuated with accents of deep garnet and near-black.

With so much uncertainty and loss of control, there is a need to restore the balance and a sense of calm in our lives. In a post-pandemic world, some of us are needing the reassurance of rules and parameters. Beauty that is underpinned by structure reassures us. The allure of the ocean and its untapped potential draws us in and allows its calming effect to wash over us.

Elegant and refined, the harmonious lines of waves and the movement of the sea inspire colour and pattern in our interiors. Balance Palette starts with soft pastels influenced with those from a seashell, the subtle pink of Dunedin and Porcelain combined with the subtle Pure Blue Half and Moana Reserve Half. Kimberley Sea and Port Jackson reflect deeper watery hues. Manorburn Quarter and Ti Point provide neutral options that work well with the stronger palette colours.

Connect

The Connect palette features soft earthy neutrals, naturals, muted greens, and wheat yellows, combined with accents of warm deep brown, grey and charcoal.

A home with a connection to the outdoors has become vital to our wellbeing. Technology has provided us with a new freedom; we no longer need to live in the cities and the suburbs to work — allowing the move to rural settings where we can reconnect with nature. We look for sustainability, authenticity and meaning in the items we choose to connect to and surround ourselves with at home. Decor has a raw beauty featuring imperfections to honour the process of making.

Moves through soft arid nature-influenced hues ranging from St Bathans and Gentle Annie to the cosy Pataua Beach. The palette is accented with rich colours such as Research and Basset Brown. Connect features soft warm neutrals to scheme with, such as Waitangi and Glinks Gully to work with the earthy palette.

Revive

The Revive colour palette is creative and joyful, featuring soft blue and lilac used alongside vibrant emerald green, warm yellow and accents of playful pink and purple.

Our individual style emerges as we reject past constraints, resulting in a joyful collision of colour and pattern. The freedom of the metaverse allows for creative expression while the power of play has the ability to heal. Revive is a clash of modern and revived styles from the '50s, '60s, '70 and '80s. Patterns are graphic, funky, wavy, checkered, pixellated and geometric.

Vibrant and joyful with softer colours such as Breezy Half and Tūrangi bring life to a room and emerging colours such as Diorite and Pharaoh's Gem add a freshness to the palette while warmth is added with Herd Street, Tata Beach and Sergeants Hill. The palette works well with Ōkārito, a cool fresh white perfect for modern, open-plan spaces. Colours featured: Ōkārito, Tūrangi, Sergeants Hill and Tata Beach.