A trio of blues are trending this season …
From dark indigos to a sky blue, Dulux trend forecasters have already named a trio of blues its colours of next year. According to Dulux colour consultant Jane Witter; “The interior colour mantra for 2026 is ‘your space, your pace’ – meaning interiors should dance to a person’s tune. Blue will dominate trends in different tones and vibes, each with a different pace and rhythm.”
Scientifically speaking, blue has a short wavelength with research suggesting that it’s linked to psychological effects like relaxation and improved focus, slowing the heart rate and making people feel calm. As a primary colour, it’s layered with multiple associations. For example, blue dominates the civil service, denoting safety, and globally ‘blue zones’ describe regions where people live longer. Try the moody blue Slow Swing, the light sky blue Mellow Flow or vibrant Free Groove. You can meet the team at the Dulux Heritage Interior Design Hub at the Ideal Home Show in the RDS Dublin in October.
School House is a deep mid-century blue, one of the new Prestige Collection colours by Fleetwood, the Irish paint brand celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Prestige includes a core collection of curated paint colours with additional palettes created in collaboration with interior designers Róisín Lafferty and Arlene McIntyre (pictured). Made in Ireland using cutting-edge paint technology, it’s air purifying and washable with low VOC, designed for multi-surface use across walls, wood and more.
Rafferty and McIntyre, who launched the Prestige Collection at a stylish event in Floritz Dublin, described their enjoyment of the collaborative process, and how they named paints after favourite locations and projects. The founder of Arlene McIntyre Design and creative director of Ventura says; “I’ve always believed that colour has the power to completely transform a space. Each shade has been carefully curated to evoke a sense of calm and sophistication, bringing warmth and depth to any space.”
River Spell is a shadowy shade that channels the colour of rivers and the violet undertones of lakes. It’s one of Colourtrend’s new capsule collection, Wonders of the Woodlands, with eight shades inspired by Ireland’s native woodlands. Designed to transform living spaces into sanctuaries, each colour brings a touch of the outdoors in. For example, Rua Dusk (pictured) captures the dusky pink and earthy brown tones inspired by woodland trails, which is warm and grounding. Each of the new colours is available in 100ml tester pots and 1 litre, 3 litre, 5 litre and 10 litre tins.
