How To Use Pantone's Living Coral in 2019

If you like to decorate get excited because the Pantone Color Institute has announced the Pantone color of the year for 2019!

The Pantone Color Institute is the lead trendsetter for color tones each year. They influence the design decisions in several industries including, fashion, home furnishings, graphic design and many more. They advise companies and brands on the power of color in design. (Sounds a lot like Miranda Priestly!)

If you haven’t seen any particular colors standing out to you yet, you’re about to notice a whole lot of coral.

Image of coral and coral colored fish on blue background. Image from Pantone.

The Pantone Color the Year 2019 is PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral, “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” It’s a fun, light-hearted color that will energize and sooth any space.

Looking for some inspiration on how to use the color? Check out some of the ideas below for inspiration on how to use coral on your walls, furniture, and textiles.

Using Coral On Walls

Image of office space with accent wall painted in coral. On the ground is a fluffy white rug with a wooden white desk and two modern white chairs set on top of the rug. Decor includes a navy blue throw pillow on each chair and a colorful pillow on a chair in the background. Other accessories in the image are gold accent pieces as well as a mirror and a sign that says "All the places you'll go".

Use PANTONE 16-1546 to brighten up your office space. The office in this space looks vibrant and professional. The coral color here brightens up the room and is a great backdrop for playing with other colors. Spot the multicolor pillow in the background? It’s bringing together each color in the room– the corals, blues, golds, and whites.

Kitchen featuring white cabinets, stone counters, coral walls, and walnut stained wood floors.

Don’t be afraid to use this fun color in everyday rooms like your kitchen. If you’re adventurous go for it! In this photo, the coral blends well with the warmer neutral colors on the floor and counters.

Room with a table that could be a dining room or meeting room. The room has white walls and an accent wall painted in coral. The room features many accessories including a colorful floor rug, hanging lanterns, and wall art.

What’s your style like? Can you see yourself using coral as an accent wall in your dining room? “Vibrant yet, mellow” is how Pantone describes this year’s color. It sets a soothing tone in this busy room.

Choosing Coral Furniture

Coral side table with gold ring drawer knobs. The side table is set against a wall featuring coral wallpaper and has flowers as well as books set on top.

Can you really have too much of one color? Yes! Like anything else, too much of one thing can be too much overall. It’s often recommended that bright colors be used sparingly but I’m going to tell you to use it as much as you like AND your space allows.

Coral lounge chair from Urban Outfitters. The chair is called the Antoinette Fainting Sofa. The sofa is set against a white wall with wall decor above and two teal blue throw pillows on the sofa. The sofa has wood pegs that match the tone of the wood coffee table in front of the sofa.

Try some coral seating. It can be a great centerpiece for your interior design. The lounge sofa in the photo above looks like a soft touch to a mostly white space. The accent pillows and wooden pegs brighten up other decorative pieces in the room like the dark floor rug and warm wooden coffee table (cut out in photo). You can find this Antoinette Fainting Sofa at Urban Outfitters for about $929.00.

Photo of coral outdoor furniture against a dark background. Furniture includes two outdoor couches, and two overlapping outdoor rugs on a concrete floor.

If you prefer darker colors, the warmth of coral colors also blends well in darker rooms. Contrast creates beautiful designs. The photo above shows an outdoor space with dark walls and coral furniture, if you’re not the type to shy away from using bold colors in interior design you can replicate the same mood inside as well.

Use Coral Textiles as Accents

This office space has a youthful and feminine look. It features a coral fabric curtain wall as a backdrop, white walls, a white desk with gold accents, and a gray chair.

Not ready to commit to painting? Try curtain walls like the one in the photo above. If you like to make quick changes, a curtain is a great way to swap colors whenever the mood strikes.

The photo shows an eclectic room with a diverse collection of furniture and decor. The walls in the room are a navy blue, the floors are a weathered oak, the curtains are taffeta fabric in coral.

Textiles are a fun way to add color to your design. The bold living room photographed above uses a wide range of warm colors to create an inviting space. There are both classic elements and nontraditional elements in the room.

Magnolia coral rug from Anthropologie. The rug is a coral color with large floral print.

Rugs make great accent pieces. A rug like this one which features coral but also brings in other colors gives you a lot of wiggle room for design. You could also try a more subtle pattern or solid color and still have a wonderful talking piece. If you like the rug in this photo you can find it at Anthropologie for between $78-$998, depending on the size.

Neutral bedroom color palette with coral accents in the bedding, rug, and decor.

This bedroom uses neutral colors and only brings in color as featured accents. The color in the blankets, throw pillows, throw blankets, rug, and table accents liven up an otherwise dull and neutral room.

Pantone’s Living Coral color fills rooms with warmth and delight, encouraging sociable and lighthearted activity. Whether you decide to use it on walls, furniture, or textiles large or small you’ll create for yourself a fun and nurturing space.