Perhaps even more prevalent than the age-old mantra "location, location, location", the retail world is now – more than ever – chanting "diversify, diversify, diversify!" How can one brand visually differentiate themselves from the competition? What design themes are best engaging consumers? At Voice of Color, we have answered those questions with six forecasted themes and palettes.



The Neo-Classic trend marries old-school craftsmanship with modern styling for a "new old-world" ambience. As more contemporary artists and designers use their works to pay tribute to the great tradesmen of the late 1800s and early 1900s, a new design sensibility emerges – one cloaked in warmth, nostalgia, and creative integrity.

The color palette mimicks such old-world appeal. Rusty red, matte black, and bronzy-gold hues remind us of vintage leathers and aged, patinaed metals. Bluish-grey hues work to cool the palette and are reminiscent of the faded workwear worn by the craftsmen of the past. Soft, buttery yellow adds femininity to an otherwise masculine palette.






As a theme, Provocative is about strange juxtapositions and unexpected contrasts of elements that combine for an enchanting new vision of luxury. A roulette of opposites – light & dark, pretty & ugly, submissive and indulgent, elegant and trashy – offer bold visual impact.

Sharp contrasts are also key for the color palette, made up of vibrating brights and blackened hues (sometimes called faux blacks). For each dark, there is a corresponding bright from the same color family, with the exception of navy (with is paired with pastel grey).




The Super Basic theme removes the unnecessary frills of design, in order to focus on the simplistic beauty of both quality and function. Often mistaken for "minimal and cheap", in reality this theme emphasizes a pared-down, often quirky type of sophistication.

The color palette is a mixture of cool neutrals, a variety of industrial darks, surplus green-grey, and institutional blue-grey hues. These hues have a flat surface finish, and lack a sense of depth. As matte paints, they pair well with metallic accents, namely brushed silver, titanium, and pewters.



The most sensual of all six themes, Organic focuses on calm, soft-lined designs that are inspired by nature. Subtle, rounded forms and tactile surfaces provoke feelings of harmony, and wellness.
The Organic color palette is designed to soothe the senses, and balances around two pairs of subtle bright tones - intriguing yellows and fleshy pinks. Astringent yellow provides energy, while the softer yellow becomes more neutral. The paler pink is tender and delicate, while the deeper pink expresses visual warmth. Meanwhile, the icy blue acts as cool refreshing blast, while the warm grey and brown acts as earthy stabilizers against a palette of ethereal hues.



The Playful Bespoke theme celebrates the love of childish disorder, randomness, and a collector’s spirit. A charming mix of self-expression and optimism, it is a simultaneously a backlash against globalism and cookie-cutter retail design.

Not surprisingly, the color palette shares a similar sense of organized chaos. An intense red, strong blue, and vibrant yellow are “pratically primaries” that seem to dance around two innocent pastel shades of pale blue of soft-wash green. All combined, the palette emits a feeling of juvenile cheeriness.




As the name suggests, Futurist Techno envokes a future-forward aesthetic that emphasizes performance in all aspects of design. Best applied to retail with more masculine audiences (sport, automotive, technology), design must be innovative, clever, and often sleek.

The color palette is remarkably a little retro. As performance brands look to their roots for a vision of their future, individual color choices act like references to the past while harmonies and finishes create a more forward and modern feeling. Strong oppositions of color express strength and speed – such as navy-black with vibrant orange, or intense green and sharp white – and put bold harmonies back in the spotlight.

Voice of Color recently introduced a Hotel & Condo Color Trends palette, which shares certain similarities to the Retail Color Trends. Watch for our Office Color Trends report in the coming months.

To learn about these six themes and palettes in more depth, please inquire about the Voice of Color Retail Color Trends presentation.