Every time I wander through a thrift store or antique shop, my eye picks up on all the yellow-browns. It’s a comforting color, the warmth of age. You find it in old pine furniture, brittle bakeware, and fantastic, faded clothing. It’s a happy, nostalgic tone that makes me feel hopeful. Mimosa Pantone 2009 is exactly that color.
How the Pantone Color of the Year Impacts Design
Every year, Pantone’s announcement influences visual trends. Sometimes, the impact is quick. Other years, you only see the tone in high-concept designs. Of course, it always inspires people in the creative business and we work it into our projects. Then, as designers work the hue into their projects, the color begins to trend.
Eventually, consumers start to look for the color both consciously and unconsciously. If they like the tone, their eyes will glide toward anything that makes use of the color.
Is there a color that feels more “now” than Mimosa?
When Mimosa first came out, I didn’t embrace the tone. Mimosa is a yellow with nuance — that can quickly get lost alongside other colors. Within a color way, it really rallies beside shades of ivory. Then, it’s antique, rich, and somehow upbeat.
For 2009, “Mimosa” was a riskier choice for Pantone. Yellow is always hard to work into designs. It can overwhelm an idea quickly. Mimosa balanced the idea of a bright hue with the reality of creating a color palette.
The colour yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance. Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.
Pantone
Close to a digital gold tone, fits well with both pure white and shades of brown. Personally, I liked it as a way to “antique” an idea.
Below are some of my favorite aesthetics that use Mimosa.
Light and Airy
I’m most drawn to Mimosa when it’s used simply. It does wonderful things in natural light. Next to light skin, it can make you notice the peachy tint.
I love to see it with a lot of white and white space — drawing the eye to the subtle layers of the color.
Grounded and Vibrant
I’m always drawn to mono-tone styling. Yellow-on-yellow is always eye catching and Mimosa tends to bring out natural warm tones in complementary shades.
In editorial layouts, it feels tropical without being obvious.
Super Saturation
Mimosa also provides an interesting counterpoint in super-saturated images. When you wedge it between ultra-vibrant shades, it looks like a beacon of light.
I love seeing it at the center of graphics, like a little burst of sunshine. As a visual filter, Mimosa makes things look golden, historical, and rich. See More Mimosa Inspiration
Like this? There’s More.
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