Leading materials manufacturer 3form has introduced the 2023 Color Collection, a range of soft, muted hues. Drawing inspiration from the four seasons, the palette features 10 pastel tones that can refresh any commercial setting.
At the beginning of the curation process, the team laid out dozens of existing swatches to identify how they could enhance their existing offering. For Ryan Smith, 3form’s chief creative officer, the built environment was a starting point. “With my own background in architecture, I am always thinking about different reference points and the problems that we solve for, and applying that to color.”
Smith noted that there was an added level of introspection during these sessions, as people thought about their experiences during the pandemic, and the positive effect of color. Not only does nature serve as a calming influence, but it often holds significant meaning, which gives the palette a resonance that goes beyond a trend of the moment. “Each season tends to evoke wonderful emotions, and so people will respond to this collection based on their own perspective. Looking at the color in a larger design context is interesting,” he said.
Smith explained that making the final selection was not an easy task, particularly when tinted materials are a company signature. “Our color system is really unlimited, and that makes adding to it or refining it a bit of a challenge. How do you filter that down?”
The company has never shied away from strong hues, as evidenced by their already robust collection. “Our colors tend to be on the saturated side, and we wanted to get away from the heavier tones that we had in early 2000. That was very intentional; everything can’t always be bold,” Smith said. “This collection stemmed from how we observed our environments and then put them into context.”
Just as consumers are responding to color after years cocooning at home, so too are Smith and the 3form staff. They wanted to give this new grouping a sense of spring-like vitality that echoes the post-pandemic optimism. “We’re taking risks and having fun with color again. We were reacting to some of the earlier colors we were working with internally, and we wanted to soften everything. And there was a focus on lightness,” he added.
The full spectrum of colors meets the needs of 3form clients in every sector, from healthcare to corporate. The shades can be mixed and matched in tonal combinations from cool to warm. “We are in so many different segments of the industry because of our material platform. And we take these colors and interpret them for each one. We translated that into some of the brighter hues, and at the same time, there are some softer neutrals so that you can stay a bit warmer.
Smith noted that the interpretation of the seasons is broad, just like the variations found in nature. He cited Comet, a blue tone in the collection, as a prime example. “If you think of the sky, that blue is evocative of spring or the summertime, but it can also be reminiscent of a crisp winter day, or refreshing, cool water. Whether it is blue, yellow, or purple, people have a genuine connection with these colors. They are truly universal.”
Available on 3form’s Varia, Chroma, and Glass platforms, specifiers can capture illumination and bring it into the rooms that they are designing. “With our translucent materials, we get to play with light itself,” Smith said. “And it changes the quality of surfaces and the interiors.”
He also noted that the collection will resonate because of the impact that color has on people and the places that they inhabit. “Not only is color this kind of building block for architectural space, it is such a personal thing for everyone.”
