Dalton, Ga.—For the first time ever, Shaw Floors has launched a full palette of colors for its 2019 Color of the Year: Whisper. In an unprecedented move, the palette of five hushed neutrals will be embodied in the leading floorcovering brand’s 2019 hard and soft surface product introductions.
Whisper features five colors: Glacier Ice, Clay, Blush, Mist and Dusty Lilac. Infused with a dusty softness, the approachable palette provides the neutrals consumers love with subtle pastel undertones for interest, beauty and variety. The colors are easy to integrate into a home’s design scheme and may be used alone in a space or together as a palette.
To determine the Color of the Year, the Shaw Floors design team utilized trend tracking and immersive research trips, spanning Los Angeles to Charleston, to discern which colors resonate most among consumers. After countless hours of research and discussion, the Whisper palette emerged.
“With Whisper, we’ve moved away from our obsession with grays and are embracing colors that inject a calm, inviting serenity into the home,” said Pam Rainey, ASID, IIDA, Shaw Floors’ vice president of product design. “The palette conveys an ethereal, dreamlike environment where we can find peace and relaxation.”
A departure from years past, in 2019, Shaw Floors will launch new products that not only coordinate with the Whisper palette but embody the colors as well. Alongside the products, the brand will release a selection of design themes which showcase the palette in various ways.
With the Color of the Year, Shaw Floors’ goal is to equip retail partners with excellent resources that enable them to connect with consumers. “We’re not encouraging consumers to rush out and redo their homes and decor year after year,” Rainey said. “Rather, this year’s palette, flooring products and design trends are tools to help RSAs engage in meaningful conversations with their consumers to help them achieve their desired interior—whether a complete transformation or a minimal update. Sharing this information and assisting the consumer establishes trust in the RSA and confidence in the consumer’s flooring selection.”
Whisper is the sixth Color of the Year for Shaw Floors. Previous years’ colors were: Gold Rush (2018), Lush (2017), White Hot (2016), Lady in Grey (2015) and English Royal Navy (2014).