PPG Vining Ivy: The Color to Watch in 2023

How PPG's Color of the Year, Vining Ivy, Will Influence Consumer Products

August 2022

Blog tag icon COLOR

Late summer marks an exciting time for the coatings industry when announcements for color of the year selections begin to roll out, a season eagerly anticipated by interior decorators and product designers in industries like office furniture, consumer electronics, building products and cookware.

On August 16th, PPG declared Vining Ivy as its 2023 Color of the Year.  But how did the team of global color stylists arrive at this hue?

Each spring, more than 30 stylists representing multiple PPG businesses like architectural, automotive, electronic materials and aerospace from over a dozen global regions participate in an intensive, days-long color workshop to determine the "it" color for the following year.

PPG's color forecasting process can only be described as intense with in-depth analysis of multi-industry research, cultural influences and top trends from around the world.

The result is a color forecast that is unrivaled in scope in the industry. This expertise, coupled with PPG's full suite of coatings technologies, has enabled the company to shape the color direction for more surfaces than any other coatings maker in the world.

About Vining Ivy

Vining Ivy is a rich jewel-toned green with turquoise undertones that reflects the continued reign of green around the world. In fact, it is the second consecutive year that PPG selected a shade of green and the third in the past five years.

"Green has a calming, yet modern aesthetic, and symbolizes prosperity, freshness and progress-it perfectly reflects our current climate and is being used on a broader array of products than ever before," states Vanessa Peterson, PPG global color styling leader for Industrial Coatings.

Vanessa and her team believe that our collective experiences living through the pandemic is helping to drive the ongoing popularity of green because of our need to connect with nature and the outdoors, a trend called biophilic design.

Compared to PPG’s 2022 breakout color, Olive Sprig, a desaturated soft green, Vining Ivy is a deeper, more saturated tone that lands between a woodsy forest green and a tropical teal green, providing product designers with a versatile and luxurious shade that is suitable for a broad range of products including fashion, interior décor, electronics and cars.

"In the furniture space, the use of green can be calming in the workplace and help employees to feel nurtured," Peterson added. "When used in consumer electronics, green feels safe and helps people to engage with technology.  For kitchenware, Vining Ivy complements various food colors and pairs well with stainless steel, bringing a touch of luxury to kitchen spaces."

PPG's global team of color stylists curated a palette of 45 coordinating hues for a Reflection-themed color collection, inspired by our shared-and growing-appreciation for minimalism, quiet design, biophilia and solace. The compilation is organized into three unique color stories: Serenity, Origin and Duality.

A gentle palette of milky pastels, watery tones and warm neutrals, Serenity reflects our desire for calm and solitude in a chaotic world and inspires a sense of renewal and peace. By capturing the magnificence of nature, Origin surrounds us with authentic beauty and cultivates our sense of wonder. This bio-palette is curated with organic hues that grounds us to the earth and celebrates our kinship with it. Lending itself to both traditional and contemporary styles, Duality leans into contrasts and is a means of self-expression through bold and bright shades, clean pastels and strong neutrals.

Beyond color forecasting, Peterson and her team of color stylists work stylists work with companies across the manufacturing spectrum to translate hues for their specific product applications.

In support of this year's color of the year selection, a creative team from the PPG industrial coatings business produced a highly stylized short video that tells the Reflection story through the experiences of a young woman embarking on a journey of growth and self-discovery. The stunning footage was captured over three days at various urban and desert locations in and around the Los Angeles area.

Find out more about PPG’s color styling expertise, Vining Ivy and the three color palettes>