Pantone chose Ultrafabrics as an expert collaborator to show how the Colour
of the Year can be worked into future-forward spaces

ULTRAFABRICS, the world’s leading producer of high-quality performance fabrics in 11 global markets, has curated the Awakening palette, a collection of eight colours inspired by Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta. Ultrafabrics is no stranger to partnerships with the world's most cutting-edge companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, Fitbit, Virgin Galactic, JetBlue and MillerKnoll, to name just a few.

“We are excited to work with Ultrafabrics to explore the application of the Pantone colour of the Year in interior design and beyond,” says Elley Cheng, Vice President and General Manager of Pantone.

Ultrafabrics collaborated with British stylist Olly Mason and Brazilian digital visualisation studio jformento to envision five different, future-forward and highly imaginative spaces that demonstrate how colour and the Awakening Palette can impact any interiors space.

Nicole Meier, Director of Branding at Ultrafabrics, says, “Pantone trusted Ultrafabrics to explore how their Colour of the Year works in the built environment. Viva Magenta is a starting point and Awakening takes it further. This isn’t just about envisioning our fabrics in spaces, it’s about a chorus of materials that reference the depth and breadth of how the Colour of the Year is used, combined with a design vision for the future.”

The Awakening palette incorporates the use of Pantone 18-750 Viva Magenta and marries it with hues found in nature. Each colour in this collaborative palette represents the elements: air, earth, water and fire, bringing the happiness, joy and energy of the outdoors, in.

Kimberle Frost, resident colour specialist at Ultrafabrics, says, “We want to inspire designers and encourage them to think a little differently about approaching bold colours like Viva Magenta. The palette is a collection of eight readily available Ultrafabrics products, closely matched to Pantone shades. They combine the beauty of warm, grounded neutrals with harmonious colours found in nature, all tied around Viva Magenta, which gives this palette a vibrancy and energy. Calling it ‘Awakening’ feels appropriate given that we have come out of a pandemic, and we’ll soon be emerging from winter hibernation. It’s about a moment when we’re suddenly aware and ready to reset.”

Barry Silverman, Vice President of Marketing and Branding at Ultrafabrics, says: “Pantone’s Colour of the Year is a critical driver of design. Together with Pantone, we’re looking forward to helping designers bring cultural timeliness to timeless design. The collaboration will help the design industry connect to the colour zeitgeist in a sustainable and enduring way.”

Ultrafabrics will deepen its collaboration with PANTONE throughout 2023 in a series of co-branded global, interactive events, sharing their expertise on how colour can be implemented in almost any type of space and into Viva Magenta’s application possibilities across the world of interiors and more.

Ultrafabrics’ special edition colour, Vivid Punch, is now available within its UF Select Montage collection. The shade can also be custom developed across its portfolio including, Brisa, Ultraleather and its bio-based fabric, Volar Bio.

AWAKENING THE MODERN WORKPLACE

Viva Magenta takes centre stage in this beautiful workspace. The clean, refined space features comforting but sleek modular elements. The use of biophilic design oxygenates and invigorates the environment and provides a warming contrast to the future-forward 3Dprinted concrete elements. Trees and plants have been incorporated to contribute to wellbeing, happiness and productivity. There is also plenty of natural light from the glass ceiling, which casts peaceful shadows and the allusion of movement reflected from the planting. The Viva Magenta wall, covered in Ultrafabrics’ Vivid Punch, adds a boost of enlivening colour. It divides the airy space and doubles as a booth where people can work, collaborate or socialise. Using bright white stone and warm brown woods and wovens on modular furniture grounds the space in earthiness. Rounded, organic sofas covered in Ultrafabrics’ green Volar Bio fabric complement the planting and reflect the outside greenery, thus harmonising the interior and exterior elements of the building.

AWAKENING AND RE-THINKING HEALTHCARE SPACES

All the Awakening colours are used in this clean, modern waiting room of a healthcare facility against a backdrop of natural light and light wood. Research shows the healthboosting benefits of building in wood and what better place to incorporate this? Architects and designers are also no longer sticking to one colour – pistachio green in so many cases – for the interiors of these spaces. Here, modular seating is covered in several hues of the Awakening Palette: calming blue, pops of Viva Magenta, with touches of the more neutral taupes and brown thrown in for good measure. The discreet booth has a wall covered in white fabric and acts as a sound barrier for more private moments and discussions.

AWAKENING THE OUTDOORS

Any outdoor space, whether residential or hospitality, deserves colour. Here, Olly Mason has created an elegant outdoor space imagined in a modern hotel in tropical climes. The pool is the centre of the outdoor area, with the seating and lounge chairs covered in Coast outdoor fabric but brought to life with splashes of Viva Magenta. The Ultrafabrics outdoor collections, often used in boats and yachts for their water resistance and ability to withstand salt water, will not be affected by the pool chlorine. The corner bar animates the space and the foliage both provides warmth and shade dotted around the pool.

AWAKENING HOMES AND HOSPITALITY

Modern, fresh and liveable, this residential or commercial interior has everything: comfort, style, warmth and colour. The oak-coloured ceiling dramatically frames the huge windows that look out onto mountain views, and the brown neutrals bring a sense of earthiness – from the woven rug to the Promessa in Horsehair fabric on the chairs. The green sofa is a nod to the surrounding nature while Vivid Punch brings just the right amount of liveliness to the space without seeming out of place.

AWAKENING RV

The recreational vehicle market is given a real treat with this imagining of the future of travel. jformento and Olly Mason have created a light-filled, glass-topped vehicle that is spacious, chic and fun, and truly brings the wonderful outdoors in. Living and camping in a moving house has never been more appealing. The light wood elements complement the cosy sofa bed, with Ultraleather Sonora covering the seating by the table and reflecting the colour of the trees and grass outside. Vivid Punch is used in small but powerful doses to liven up the neutral shades.