< PreviousINFLUENCES Forecasting is a journey, and to arrive at our trends and colour stories, we must first explore the social, technological, environmental, economic and political influences that shape them. These six most important trend drivers form the basis of our 2020/21 Trend Beyond Colours. TREND INFLUENCES 9 REWILDING A growing consciousness of the fragility of our environment leads us to reconnect with forgotten wildlife. Widespread repair of disrupted ecosystems involves the reintroduction of native species to their habitats. This active ‘rewilding’ is a restoration of past human-nature relationships, where harmony between the two was essential. Across the globe, this attention to indigenous plant and animal species is becoming ever more important. URBAN NATURE Population density and increasingly built-up cities make us yearn for the vast open spaces of the natural world. To ease this, urban planning has become fascinated with wildlife, often taking the shape of vertical green spaces that filter air pollution and dust and lower temperatures in city centres. These sites of urban wilderness provide endless possibilities for designers and architects. 10 TREND INFLUENCES LUXURY CRAFT Traditional ideas of luxury are concerned with material rarity and expense. Yet the speed of modern life raises a new question as to what defines luxury, and what is precious? The answer is ‘time’. This will be expressed though a renewed appreciation of slow hand crafts and artisan skills. A new generation of designers is reinventing these traditional practices to contemporary effect. PLAYFUL INDULGENCE Designers are embracing a more colourful and spirited approach as a reaction to routines and restrictions. Finding joy in the unexpected, this aesthetic is inspired by lively artwork and light- hearted imagery radiating with positivity. An exploration of the juxtaposition of unlikely colour companions and bold yet playful geometric forms is at the heart of this optimistic and colourful trend driver. TREND INFLUENCES 11 EMPATHETIC TECH A desire for sanctuary spaces emerges as we seek refuge from our loud and crowded urban lives. Here, embracing technology can enhance our comfort and wellbeing through the abilities of intelligent machines. With the seemingly transcendent ability of artificial intelligence to embed even the most ordinary objects with extraordinary capabilities, the bridge between humans and machines is being empathetically crossed. CONSIDERED NEUTRALITY Within the narrative of a polarized future emerges a desire to find peace within a neutral space. Designers are celebrating the middle ground, revisiting notions of stability, consideration, and consciousness. Often, this tendency to reconsider perspective takes shape in tonal, unsaturated colour palettes and softly reassuring textures. Key to this narrative is the aspirational principle of balance in designed spaces. PRECIOUS TALEPRECIOUS TALE 12NIPPON PAINTINTRODUCTION13 01 PRECIOUS TALE 01 02 03 04In Precious Tale, we reconsider what definesa sense of place and permanence in an increasingly ephemeral world. Redefining modern luxury as the union of fine materials with a fresher, more global aesthetic. Storytelling is important to this trend as it considers how, with less space in which to live, we can say more through elegance and ornamentation. 14NIPPON PAINTDECORATIVE LUXURIOUS ELEGANT GLOBAL TREASURED INSPIRATION15 01 PRECIOUS TALEChampagne Bronze MET 029 Pewter Grey 908 Winter Moss NP BGG 1723 D Turkish Tile NP BGG 1590 D White Concrete NP OW 1084 P Grape Wine NP AC 2086 A Drama Red NP R 1288 A Orange Sparks NP YO 1218 D Designer Series 04 Rust Box VERDIGRIS SHINE RB 192 / SUNNY DAYS CG 183 Textured Series Sparkle Silver RADIANCE MS 153 Textured Series Elegant Gold SUNSET MEG 006 NIPPON PAINT16 All colours shown in this book are as close to the actual Nippon Paint colours as modern printing techniques permit17 01 PRECIOUS TALE COLOUR PALETTENext >