Make way for the ardor of Viva Magenta!

After a purple, Very Perimore or less under the radar in 2022, Pantone welcomes the new year in crimson red, its embodiment of the current movement that highlights words like “strength”, “self-expression” and “renewal”.

This dynamic momentum towards a more colorful future is nevertheless rooted in tradition and nature, says Pantone by highlighting the insect – the cochineal – which once made it possible to obtain shades of red in a natural way. Viva Magenta (Pantone 18-1750) remains a bold choice and one that could ruffle the neutrality that has prevailed in homes for two decades. With three color and interior design experts, The Press dissects its impact and its concrete application in our decorations.

Marie-Chantal Milette, color specialist

Founder of the Kryptonie agency

Viva Magenta is a lively color that shakes: we like it or not, believes the color expert who predicted the crowning glory of a classic green for 2023, while positioning magenta in second position. “I’m surprised they didn’t make a logical choice like Classic Green. It still remains a daring option on their part if we compare to all the colors elected in recent years, except perhaps that of 2022. ”

Even paint companies, which are under commercial constraints, are starting to look at brighter tones, she notes. The audacity of the moment belongs to the leader Benjamin Moore who made Raspberry Blusha close relative of Pantone’s magenta, its flagship color for 2023.

This does not mean that it should be used from floor to ceiling, specifies the specialist, who imagines it rather in small doses in decoration. “Magenta requires a lot of energy. We will therefore integrate it gently with a cushion or a work of art, for example. »

In our neutral decors dominated by grey, beige and white, this process should be easy to do, especially since this magenta, quite present in nature, is easier to arrange than it seems. “However, I would limit the range to two or three signature colors for the same decor,” she advises. Insofar as Viva Magenta carries a strong message that we want to celebrate, it will probably end up creating a certain consensus. However, I still believe that Classic Green will have a stronger influence on the decoration. »

Karine Matte, interior stylist

Creator of the blog Matte & Glossy

Disappointed by Pantone’s choices in recent years, Karine Matte welcomes the arrival of this pinkish red as a Christmas present, she says. “What I love is that it’s a color full of optimism and vitality, and that’s where it’s pushing us. Green would have been predictable in the socio-economic context in which we find ourselves — it’s a soothing, comforting color, which roots us — but that Pantone comes to us with Viva Magenta, it gives the impression of seeing the end of everything that is happening. The discourse is no longer so much about comfort, but about moving forward. »

This carmine “catchy without being aggressive” can be played in analogy with all colors and in all interior styles, whether contemporary, traditional, rural or Scandinavian, believes the designer who reassures us that we can easily slip a few touches into any existing decor. “This color goes with any shade of green, blue or brown, and it’s especially crazy with cobalt blue,” she enthuses, adding that woods and magenta are sure to be another winning pair.

Are we a little cautious about the idea? You can always enjoy its touch of warmth on a throw, cushion or rug pattern. “It may just be decoration, but we can see how much it does us good to introduce color into our lives. And all it takes is a small object for it to become contagious! »

Vanessa Sicotte, interior designer

Creator of the blog Damask & Dentelle

“Last year was still extremely difficult. I think it was to be expected that Pantone would come out with an energizing, dynamic and passionate color. Viva Magenta shocks, but in a good way”, underlines the designer by noting the presence of pink in this feminine red, which is probably not unrelated to the fact that women have expressed themselves loud and clear.

From a decorative point of view, Viva Magenta is to be approached as a red, she specifies: with parsimony. Since it is a stimulating color, it should be avoided in bedrooms, especially those of children, to be integrated instead into living rooms where lively conversations are welcome. “I can easily imagine the sophisticated effect of a magenta sofa or a few magenta accessories in a fleshy dining room decor with very dark purple walls. »

In painting, the designer would use it mainly as an accent, to define an area in an open area, for example, or on doors and moldings, kitchen cabinets, the inside of a wardrobe… in this magenta, rooms that are places of passage, such as a small vestibule or a bathroom, would also be spectacular. “I would avoid making it the only accent color in an otherwise all-white decor and I would rather pair it with very saturated or very pale colors of less intensity: a navy blue, a faded sage green or almost black… Combining it with rich hues requires a lot of skill,” she warns.

With green on the rise for a few years and magenta on the rise, we are on the right track, believes Vanessa Sicotte. “On the one hand we have a color filled with hope; on the other, passion: it all seems extremely harmonious to me! »