The 2016 Dulux colour palette has a warm and friendly feel but with the addition of a dark mysterious element. Bright colours have a softer tone, think coral not orange and ochre instead of yellow. By looking at trends and the various disciplines of design Dulux puts together colour palettes that capture the mood of the moment.

‘Looking both ways’ is the overarching theme for the year ahead which aims to celebrate the beauty in contrast. Some of the themes encompassed within this include: Words & Pictures, The Grid & Letting Go, Dark & Light and Heritage & Future. All of these combine elements of equal and opposites which can be put together for a stunning visual effect.

For 2016 the Dulux colour of the year takes some inspiration from 2015’s colour and ties into the ongoing trend of using metallic tones in paint. The colour for 2016 is ‘Cherished Gold’ which is a beautiful next step and natural evolution of last year’s ‘Copper Blush’.

So big trends in 2016 look to be typography and graphics being placed directly on walls, whether handwritten messages on chalkboards or painted lettering on walls we will see a lot of painted effects. And to keep professional painters and decorators busy the Grid theme will see bold and beautiful paint effects that mix the geometric with the chaotic.

For perfectly straight lines stencils and trade quality paint brushes will be the key to achieving the perfect finish, not to mention a steady hand. Professional painters will love Dulux’s range of dark colours include deep petrol blues and rich greens especially when matched with their paler counterparts.

The Heritage & Future trend looks at blending the old with the new, think vintage clothing with high street fashion. Colours that take us back include rich reds and muted clay colours that are combined with contrasting materials and textures to get this confident and eclectic look.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson is the face of Colour of the Year 2016, ‘Cherished Gold’ and is one of Britain’s best young athletes. Katarina holds the national records for the Pentathlon, high and long jump was chosen to represent Dulux’s colour of the year because she cherishes her life at home; saying it’s the driving force behind her sporting successes so far.