The PPG Pittsburgh Paints brand recently named Turning Oakleaf, a soft, but energetic buttercream yellow, as its 2014 Color of the Year. Experts from PPG Industries, makers of PPG Pittsburgh Paints products, said they expect the color to have a prominent role in home decor in the coming year as part of their forecast for use of brighter, more optimistic colors among homeowners.

Refreshed thinking is driving homeowners to unwind from their stressful lives and seek colors that emphasize enlightenment, according to the brand’s color forecast for 2014-2015. Incorporating colors into the home that illustrate hopefulness in society, such as Turning Oakleaf (ATC-38), can transfuse a room with brilliant energy. Turning Oakleaf is one of 25 featured colors presented in Pause and Refresh, a collection of five new color palettes showcasing the 2014-2015 color trends for The Voice of Color program.

“Homeowners have moved away from the muted hues influenced by economic factors in recent years. Turning Oakleaf, which is soft enough to be a neutral but bright enough to generate a sunshine-like energy, represents a trend toward warmth in harmonious living, deep appreciation for the surrounding natural elements and a thorough understanding of enlightened philosophies,” said Dee Schlotter, brand manager, The Voice of Color program. “We are experiencing the popularity of the soft yellow shade across all markets, such as home decor, automotive and electronics, making it a clear Color of the Year selection.”

PPG employs more than 20 color stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and color trends for the home, consumer products and automobiles. The megatrend of refreshed thinking drives diverse color options in the Pause & Refresh trend palettes, enabling homeowners to determine what color combinations will create a customized room that captures the necessary elements to evoke a calming and refreshing hiatus from the hectic nature of everyday life. Whether it’s a bold, rich red like Red Gumball (223-7), an elegant and refined blue like Stained Glass (447-6) or a soft, pale pink like Ballet Slipper (231-2), consumers are using color to capture their personal definition of tranquil living.

“With today’s 24-hour connectivity and on-the-go lifestyle becoming more and more common, homeowners are transforming their living spaces into comfortable retreats with colors that represent how individuals perceive their ideal form of relaxation,” Schlotter said. “For some, the back-to-basics feel that captures an earthy, primitive and organic reference is the natural influence needed to pause from today’s technologically-driven lifestyle. For others, bold, dynamic colors mixed with artisan patterns, shapes and prints generate an atmosphere that is lively, vibrant and creatively energizing.”

The key trend colors for the PPG Pittsburgh Paints brand are presented in signature five-color palette cards that create color opportunities for all design elements in a space, including window treatments, flooring and fabric.