Finally… a color we can all get behind. Pantone recently announced their 2022 color of the year - “Very Peri” - a nod to the unique shade of periwinkle from our childhood Crayola 64- count crayon box. As a child, I can remember peeling off the paper to my periwinkle crayon in amazement at the shade of blue I held in my hands. The traditional shade of periwinkle we grew up with was a color so unique that it sits between Timberwolf and Razzle Dazzle Rose on the Crayola color wheel (see below).

Photo courtesy of Jenny’s Crayon Collection.

This year, Pantone has changed the course of traditional periwinkle, and in fact, for the first time in Pantone’s history of its Color of the Year forecasts, they have created an entirely new hue.

Pantone’s Very Peri is closer to a purplish hue than anything else. With red- violet understones the new shade is refreshing to say the least. According to Forbes, Very Peri was specially developed this year to help in our “transformative times.” The Pantone press release states, it is about displaying “a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit.”

We can’t think of a better way to kick of the new year with something as innovative as the new color Very Peri. And with that, we’ve decided to put together a few ideas for you to use this color in whatever your next creative pursuit is.

Feeling Zen?

We love the zen feeling that this shade has to offer. Very Peri can be paired with natural shades of green and blue; something reminiscent of cool spring mornings and fields of wildflowers, or the smell of coffee on a lazy Sunday morning. That hot yoga class you’ve always been wanting to try? Well maybe 2022 is the year for it.

Very Peri can take on a more purple tone - one that reminds us of fresh lavendar, misty mornings, and a calming but awakening ocean breeze. Think of summers in Maine, with the lupine flowing in the wind as you dip your toes into the rocky shoreline. Very Peri is zen but also unconventional.

Looking for something new and innovative?

This diverse shade can be used to create the same type of excitement it did when the team at Pantone created it. Very Peri can be paired with just about anything, like pops of bright colors and Warhol-like designs to spark the creativity in you.

“Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue color family, encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time with its violet red undertone, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions,” says Leatrice Eisman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

It is said to offer vibrancy and excitement and nurture creativity and positivity. This color marks the first time that Pantone has created a new color since beginning its Color of the Year forecasts.

“The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that color can hope to answer.” adds Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place. As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions and engage and connect, the complexity of this new red violet infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lie before us.”

However you choose to use this color in your work, we know it will be exciting and the opportunites are endless!