Asian Paints launches its 22nd design forecast for homes in India for 2025

Hindustan Times

23-05-2025

Each year, the Asian Paints ColourNext Colour and Material Intelligence forecast offers insights into potential design trends for the upcoming year, having tracked cultural, aesthetic, and material trends for over two decades. A product of a collaborative endeavour between experts of different creative disciplines, this unique perspective identifies a Colour of the Year, Wallpaper of the Year, and four key trend narratives, encapsulating the emotional, technological, and cultural forces shaping design.
Asian Paints' ColourNext 2025 forecast, according to Managing Director and CEO Amit Syngle, aims to provide insights into potential colour and material trends in India through research and analysis. Syngle states that this unique report reflects cultural, emotional, and aesthetic shifts, with the 'Colour of the Year,' Cardinal, and four design directions intended to serve as a source of inspiration for designers and creators. He also emphasised the company's commitment to contributing to industry dialogue and innovation in design.
The Victorians saw minimalism as a sign of poverty, and so they leaned heavily towards ornate furniture, dark wood, and intricate wallpapers. But the mid-20th century modernists rejected that in favour of sleek, minimalist lines and open spaces. Fast forward to the 1960s, and we see Andy Warhol turn the idea of 'fine art' on its head with his pop art aesthetic, elevating commercial graphics and mass culture into museum-worthy art. Just 30 years later, the same bright neons, animal prints, and kitsch were considered over-the-top, only to make a massive comeback in the Y2K revival movement we see today.
What we see on the surface is a reflection of deeper undercurrents. The 1920s Art Deco movement reflected a post-war desire for luxury and optimism, while the 1950s Mid-Century Modern aesthetic emerged from a world recovering from war, craving simplicity and function. As the world exerts its will to shape us, we in turn, shape our surroundings in ways that comfort and invite, interest and challenge us.
Closer to home, we're seeing this play out in our own lives post-pandemic, with maximalism making a return as we move away from stark minimalism to warmer, bolder, more expressive spaces that affirm life and invite participation. Clean, muted palettes give way to bold colours, intricate patterns, and layered textures.
For 2025, according to Asian Paints' ColourNext forecast, the central theme leans towards authenticity—embracing complexity, feeling deeply, and 'expressing unapologetically.'
Asian Paints' ColourNext 2025 forecast has identified 'Cardinal,' a rich, dusky shade, as its Colour of the Year.
Rich in emotion, Cardinal is a complex shade that urges us to embrace the spectrum of our feelings. With a balance of depth and vibrancy, this dusky, soulful shade honours human complexity. It is a reminder to feel everything without judgement and to find beauty in raw, unfiltered authenticity. .
Whether used in home décor, fashion or product design, the shade adds a layer of richness and introspection making spaces and objects feel personal.
Asian Paints' ColourNext 2025 forecast unveils 'Spring Tune' as the wallpaper of the year. inspired by the traditional Indian courtyard aesthetic, Spring Tune reimagines heritage through a contemporary lens. The thoughtfully designed wallpaper features delicate floral motifs and warm hues, combining elements of nostalgia and contemporary minimalism. Balancing quiet elegance with a sense of serenity, Spring Tune transforms spaces into tranquil escapes, offering a visual and emotional retreat in an ever-evolving world.
Beyond 'Cardinal' and 'Spring Tune', Asian Paints' ColourNext 2025 forecast presents four design narratives, which reflect broader cultural trends.
In an era of digital saturation and algorithmic sameness, Feel More represents the growing desire for visceral, immersive experiences. The design direction embraces tactility, rich textures and colours that aim to evoke genuine emotion. Complex layers, colourful details and expressive forms create spaces that invite connection – offering sensory refuge in a world that feels detached. Feel More is a celebration of design that prioritizes individual expression over perceived perfection.
As sustainability takes center stage, the ColourNext forecast report highlights Salt as an emerging biomaterial with immense design potential. Biodegradable, carbon-neutral and anti-bacterial, Salt's unique properties are attracting interest for use across industries – be it interior design, architecture or product innovation. The design narrative takes cue from Salt's crystalline textures, soft milky hues and iridescent blues offering a vision where design and materiality meet with environmental responsibility.
Indian design is undergoing a quiet but powerful transformation – moving from cliched depictions to a more confident, globally relevant aesthetic. The ColourNext forecast captures this shift through the design direction India Everywhere. As rich craftmanship meets modern innovation, a new design language emerges, that is both radical and rooted. High contrast palettes, unexpected juxtapositions and details that subtly echo Indian heritage define this evolving identity.
Luxury is no longer quiet, it demands attention. The ColourNext forecast explores this shift in Bad taste? – a design story that embraces unapologetic flamboyance, self-expression and maximalism. With changing social structures and the rise of a new consumer class, traditional ideas of luxury are being challenged and redefined. What was once dismissed as excess is now the new language of luxury – with gold accents, animal prints and statement pieces that celebrate individuality.
Design and art often explore new ideas and challenge conventional norms. They can reflect personal and cultural narratives, offering different perspectives on both individual and collective identity. Design choices, whether in architecture, interiors, or product development, are influenced by societal values, technological advancements, and evolving aesthetic preferences.
The ColourNext 2025 forecast identifies self-expression as a defining force in design, signalling a shift toward more personalised and expressive spaces and products. As India's leading authority in colour and material forecasting, Asian Paints ColourNext recognises this shift as a response to changing cultural dynamics, where individuality takes precedence over convention. In the year ahead, design is set to move beyond restraint, embracing personal story telling and an unapologetic sense of identity. Ultimately, design becomes more than just an aesthetic choice - it serves as a reflection of human experience, capturing the complexities, emotions and nuances of our lives.