the most stunning places around the world to find pantone’s colour of the year
every year, paint aficionados pantone announce their colour of the year, a trend forecast of sorts that sets a roadmap for the each new year’s mood and aesthetic. 2022’s winner, very peri (or number 17-3938 if we’re getting technical), is a whimsical blue with deep violet-red undertones. it’s the colour of digital artwork, instagram grids, and makeup palettes that we’ve seen this year and that’s about to become even bigger. as pantone explain, “very peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression”.
if very peri’s carefree presence and creative expression is anything to go by for what’s to come, then we’ll definitely be letting it guide our travel plans in the new year. this purple hue can be found in broad strokes across the world, from australia, to spain, to the united states. join us as we hop across radiant flower fields, marvel at surrealist architecture, and gaze up at the night sky, all in search of pantone’s colour of the year.
the Australian outback
australia’s outback is a wonderland for stargazers. from the sprawling red centre to western australia to the country’s northernmost regions, the absence of light pollution at night gives visitors utterly clear, uninterrupted views of the galaxy. the photo below, from friend and photographer adam edwards, captures the majesty of the night sky over broken hill, complete with hues of deep purple, midnight blue, and yes, pantone’s very peri.
image credit adam edwards
lake tekapo, new zealand
about three hours drive out of christchurch on new zealand’s south island, lake tekapo is an iconic destination for a reason. set against the drama of the southern alps, the lake is famous for its milky, turquoise waters. today, however, we’re not interested in the lake itself but what surrounds it. in november each year, thousands of lupins come into bloom, bringing the region to life with cornflower blue, periwinkle, hot pink, and coral.
la muralla roja, spain
sitting on the spanish mediterranean, ricardo bofill’s la muralla roja is a surreal playground of pastel pinks, purples, and blues. fan’s of netflix’s squid game may see echoes of la muralla roja in its playful set, with its zig-zag staircases and colour-blocked walls. designed as a series of apartment blocks in line with bofill’s vision of ‘enhanced living’, the fortress overlooks the mediterranean sea and includes its own solaria, swimming pool, and rooftop. fans of bofill’s work can even book a room in one of the apartments for a night of technicolour fun.
image credit ricardo bofill
bridestowe lavender estate, tasmania
we couldn’t dedicate a list dedicated to the colour purple without including at least one lavender farm. while france’s provence region may be the most famous place in the world for lavender, tasmania’s purple fields give their european counterparts a run for their money. sitting on 260 acres, bridestowe lavender estate is the world’s largest privately owned lavender farm. while the flowers hit peak bloom in summer, their purple splendour can be enjoyed all year round.
image credit bridestowe lavender estate