The Silk Road: A Journey through Dunn-Edwards 2020 Color + Design Trends

Dunn-Edwards recently unveiled its 2020 trends color + design report, Optimistic Endeavors: Tales of Tomorrow. The five trend stories are highlighted through a series of video short stories, along with corresponding color palettes — so expect to see an explosion of bright, deep colors next year as we welcome in a new decade that promises to be filled with optimism and joyful life experiences.

THE SILK ROAD

East meets West. A journey in time when people valued spices more than gold. Exotic ornamentation and riches. A melding of more than one culture. It's about a journey. It's about the past meeting the future. Take charge of your future, be bold, live for today! Create your own destiny and embrace life with passion.

With influences from Asia and historic royal Russian cultures, we’ll see Neo-Baroque and Art Deco expressed in both simplicity and extravagance.

COLOR

Color is bold and exaggerated, deep and intense. Between cold and warmth, with infusions of deep violet shadows, the palette is rich and powerful with flashes of brilliant scarlet. The palette expresses a contemporary take on historic color and design. The traditional palette is pushed to new modernized levels with blends of crimson and clover, as well as deep violet shadow, expressing a balance of warmth and coolness.

Reds are maximalist, exaggerated and full of flare. Touched by historic Art Deco and Medieval influences, red symbolized a new eclecticism. Gradients of flame and charred red showcase a dazzling display of dark hues set alight.

Melding this key color red — filled with passion, determination and energy — with the moody blues, the palette signifies fire and water, two opposing forces evoking calm and storm. Reds highlight determination

and energy, while browns are the foundation and purples are grounding companions to the bold hues. The lunar twilight hues display a darker mood, with dark blue representing soul-searching — what we want to change in our lives. Aquamarine represents harmony, and browns create the foundation and balance out the palette. Expressive, exotic, extravagant and emotional.

MATERIALS AND TEXTURES

Far East influences are blended with infusions of European Art Deco elements to create a modernized twist to traditional patterns and textures. Glossy and exotic woods with unique surfaces, as well as woods with metal inlay, show a spectrum of decorative effects. Marble showcases a pronounced veining, while glass is delicate with intricate relief patterns.

Images Above: Ashley Jones residence. Photo Credit: Bethany Nauert Photography

Fabrics and textiles present an extensive collection of patterns, including lotus flowers, cherry blossoms, roses, medallions, origami, koi fish, pagodas, deconstructed paisleys and a range of Art Deco-influenced geometric designs. Textiles include velvets, shagreen, semi-precious stone infusions, parchment and vintage silks.

To find more inspiration from our 2020 color + design trends stories and see the other four videos, visit us at youtube.com/dunnedwards and to see the full range of 2020 trends colors, visit us here.