Escape to Luxury with the Dulux Indulge Trend

The third trend in Dulux Colour Forecast 2020, Indulge combines rich colours and sumptuous textures to create feelings of intimacy and warmth.

A consistent theme in Dulux Colour Forecast 2020 is the growing desire to make our homes places where we can disconnect from the fast pace of modern life. The trend in the forecast, Indulge, achieves this by adding a strong sense of luxury to the everyday, with a palette of rich, dramatic colours and soft, curvaceous forms. Dulux Colour and Communications Manager Andrea Lucena-Orr has been researching colour trends for more than two decades and we asked her to explain how you can take inspiration from Indulge to transform your home into a luxurious retreat.

What makes this house special?

“The incredible amount of space and versatility it offers, all for a reasonable price,” says Rogers. “The Illawarra Grand Deluxe 45 has been designed for 14 x 28-metre blocks and it has two spacious living areas, a huge meals area opening out to a covered alfresco, an entertainer’s kitchen that flows through into a large walk-in pantry, plus a large powder room and dedicated study on the ground floor.”

“The upper floor comprises a super-sized master suite with a large dressing area and, for the first time ever in a T-Range home, an ensuite with a tiled podium bath so you can enjoy long, leisurely soaks.” 

“There are three secondary bedrooms big enough to accommodate a double bed, each with their own walk-in-robe and ensuite – ideal for accommodating grandparents or adult children,” he says. 

“If you have school-age children, there’s a brilliant kids’ activity space where they can hang out with their friends or watch TV, and a generous built-in study situated separately to allow for quiet concentration.” 

“It’s incredible how much we’ve fitted into this 45-square home without spaces feeling compromised – it really is ideal for a growing family or different generations living together,” he says.

Choose rich colours to fuel feelings of escape. The colours of the Indulge trend – rich, jewelled tones like deep purple and ruby red, and soft, complementary shades of melon, salmon and lilac – evoke feelings of escapism and nostalgia. “With less time on our hands and information coming at us 24/7, the desire to escape is so powerful,” says Lucena Orr. “The Indulge trend is about creating spaces that will keep our dreams of travel and adventure alive.”

If those dreams include tropical sunsets, you might consider intense reds and oranges like Dulux Show Business, Orangeade and Red Rebel! Or to evoke a sense of opulence, Lucena-Orr suggests painting your walls in brown-based Henna Red and pairing it with furniture and homewares in shades of tan, coral and burnt orange. “Deep, brown-based earthy tones like eggplant and terracotta create a sense of intimacy and connection,” she says.

Using these rich colour combinations might seem intimidating at first glance, but according to Lucena-Orr, once you use them in your home, you’ll never again default to white walls and ceilings. “There’s a lot to be said about the emotional side of colour,” she says. “You’ll never get the same impact from white.”

Find a balance between colour and space

A rich colour like Henna Red may still feel like a very bold choice for your walls, but you can test how you feel about it by first applying it in a private space like a bedroom. “It’s the easiest way to start your colour journey because a bedroom is a personal space where most people feel that their choice of decoration won't get judged,” Lucena-Orr says. “When you feel confident with your choice, go room by room and ask yourself, ‘What do I want this room to feel like? How can I add more colour and more light or create a tranquil mood?’”

Another more subtle approach to the trend is to use the lighter warm-neutral tones from the palette, like Subtle Violet and Lilac Light, which will add colour to your walls while also creating a sense of openness in a room. You can then choose a deeper tone like Camelia for a feature wall or door or, as Lucena-Orr suggests, “furniture and homewares in richer colours from the Indulge palette, like an armchair or sofa in terracotta or eggplant.”