PGH Bricks has announced the results of recent research into colour and trend forecasting for bricks.

The company says it worked with colour forecasting experts, Colour Ways, considering elements of the economy, nature, sustainability and the environment to "understand how colour transcends and translates into building and design and the direction of colour for the production of bricks".

At the recent Colour Ways workshops, there were three main products nominated in which PGH Bricks will be focussing on in 2012. These include:

  • Crevole — a staple white brick
  • Pewter — a deep metallic silver
  • Da Vinci — Sandstock from the Masters Collection

PGH Bricks, Product Manager, Will Caswell said: “The importance of colour is paramount to the success of the aesthetic and internal feature in creating a unique and on-trend product, which will translate into a timeless creation.”

“Each season, we see new trends emerging in fashion and these trends translate into building, design and architecture. Reinventing building materials and colours in brick design is as important as the new colour jeans on store shelves for the season,” he said.

Colour forecaster Kathy Demos said: “As we continue to experience events influenced by nature and the environment, we see a resurgence of interest in earth bound materials like terracotta. All shades of terracotta will be seen from pinkish hues to vibrant orange, many with variations of texture and glaze that take it from the earth to sophisticated urban applications”.

“In addition, the growing interest in India as an economic powerhouse will infuse the forecast palette with its myriad of colours including the on-going interest in metallics and jewel-like colours to signify the wealth of the country and its culture. These will give a semi-precious effect to bricks adding glamour to both internal and external applications”.

It is expected that colour will take the direction of purity introducing back a strong palette of whites, silvers, black including textured whites, decorated features and a strong white/black partnership. Metallic colours will have a fervent place in the colour palette and we will see colour taking on more changes as time progresses.

The future of colour is expected to see blues taking on a stronger presence and lighter tones becoming soft and easy with exterior colours taking a darker and stronger direction. Sophisticated palettes representing an intellectual illustration of world events reducing the appearance of strong colour blocking to a myriad of subtle tones will set the colour scene.