Ready to Go Bold? This is How to use Viva Magenta, Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year
The exuberant red tone embodies optimism and joy, according to color experts.
PHOTO COURTESY PANTONE
Hey Pantone, the ’90s called — and they want their color back.
For its 2023 Color of the Year, Pantone chose Viva Magenta, a bright, cheerful hue reminiscent of the colors found on your favorite Lisa Frank trapper keeper. The company says the nuanced, crimson red is an exuberant shade that promotes optimism and joy. “Powerful and empowering, it is an animated red that encourages experimentation and self-expression without restraint; an electrifying, boundaryless shade that is manifestly ‘out there’ and is a stand-out statement,” is how Pantone describes it.
“I honestly really love it; I think it’s cool,” adds Betsy Wentz, owner of Betsy Wentz Interior Design in Sewickley. “Neon colors are on their way back in. There are ways to implement it without painting an entire wall.”
INTERIOR DESIGNER BETSY WENTZ
For anyone looking for a statement piece to pull a room together without committing to paint, adding an accent piece in Viva Magenta might be the best bet. Finding even small or artistic ways to add a small amount of the color to a wall is another great option, according to Wentz.
“People seem to be afraid of color, that’s why you see so many white or light gray walls. But color is like an accessory — like a bracelet — and you can use it in so many ways,” she says. “You can use an old mirror, lighting [fixtures], shelves, or picture frames.”
The latest in a resurgence of 1990s to Y2k trends such as bright colors and chunky sandals that are coming back in vogue for fashion, accessories and interiors, Viva Magenta is an interesting color choice because it’s neon while still being a neutral, Wentz says.
“I can’t really think of many colors it doesn’t go with and maybe that is because it is a warm color so it goes with so many things,” she says.
PHOTO COURTESY PANTONE
The color experts at Pantone noted Viva Magenta can be used well beyond your home’s interior; The tone works well as a bold color for the hair, as a fun lipstick or eyeshadow shade and as an eye-catching glitter or matte nail polish hue. Pantone also is collaborating with Motorola on the bold Motorola Edge 30 Fusion x Pantone phone. Another Pantone partner, Cariuma, also has several styles of #magentaverse sneakers to choose from.
