At a party held last night in Tribeca, New York City, paint and coatings giant Benjamin Moore revealed its 2016 Color of the Year. Carl Minchew, the company’s Vice President of Color Innovation and Design, said it best at the affair, “Probably a little controversial, probably a little interesting.” That’s because the Color of the Year is Simply White.
From left: The 2016 Color of the Year, Simply White, shown on both the walls and ceiling; walls in Enchanted and fireplace in Ice Mist. Photos courtesy Benjamin Moore
“I think, suffice it to say, Simply White and off-white colors are at the foundation of so much of what we do,” Minchew said. “They can drive contrast, they can drive color, they make everything else pop, sometimes taking a leading role and sometimes receding in the background. So we think we had a really good reason for picking it.”
From left: Entryway wall in Royal Flush, trim and door in Ballet White, and living room wall in Mascarpone; front wall in Paper White, alcove wall in Ballet White, and trim in Simply White. Photos courtesy Benjamin Moore
A montage video at the event supported these statements with captured moments from nature and landscape, architecture, and current events, even referencing the white garments of ever-popular Pope Francis. Minchew continued to describe white as “very modern, very now, and also very classical.”
From left: Wall in Weimaraner and floor in Simply White; both walls and trim in Simply White. Photos courtesy Benjamin Moore
In a statement, Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore’s Creative Director, explained, “The color white is transcendent, powerful, and polarizing. It is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top ten bestselling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots.”
From left: Accent wall in Banana Yellow, and back wall and ceiling in Paper White; exterior siding in Black Ink. Photos courtesy Benjamin Moore
In addition to the Color of the Year, Benjamin Moore unveiled its full trends palette for 2016 — and they’re not only whites. The complete list of hues includes: Ballet White, Banana Yellow, Black Ink, Blue Echo, Cream Puff, Enchanted, French Press, Gentle Violet, Gray Owl, Ice Mist, Kittery Point Green, Lemonade, Luxe, Mascarpone, Morning Sky Blue, Paper White, Patriot Blue, Ravishing Red, Weimaraner, White Heaven, and White Satin.
From left: Wall in Gray Owl, trim in Ice Mist, and door in Paper White; wall in Lemonade; wall in Ice Mist, front door in Black Ink, and interior door in Patriot Blue. Photos courtesy Benjamin Moore
