Colour, Material & Finish IFA Sony Trade Show 2017 Berlin September New colour directions and a focus on warmth and tactility bring a more expressive, emotive feel to consumer electronics and tech devices.
Overview De'Longhi Group Urbanears IFA, Europe's largest consumer electronics trade show, was fully booked for its 57th edition, with more than 159,000sq-m of show floor, 1,805 exhibitors and 245,000 attendees. IFA's keynotes programme and startup platform TecWatch moved to a new show area called IFA NEXT, while IFA Global Markets a separate show that offers businesses a place to source directly from OEMs and ODMs doubled in size. This year, with a number of new technologies emerging or maturing, CMF design generally followed tried-and-tested directions. But there were still new trends emerging, and continued trends to track. In particular, two new colours: violet and apricot, emerged to rival rose gold and dark blue. A more refined palette across the show proved CMF for technology is now firmly elevated, with consumers expecting their tech products to look just as good as any other item in their home. Next dates: August 31 - September 5 2018 b2b.ifa-berlin.com Ryght
Trend Checklist Violet and apricot are key emerging colours for tech, and are taking on new associations as they become more central to CMF design Pastels are more chalky this year, toning down the sweetness with matte finishes Gold metallics go bright and high-shine, while rose gold takes a paler direction, edging closer to bronze LG White and grey receive premium upgrades, with white becoming warmer and grey deeper Fossil Microsoft Contrasting colours remain key, particularly for wearable tech and audio accessories, but are also emerging for larger appliances Primary red, dark blue and deep shades of teal join wine red as colours to watch Soft-touch fabrics, wood effects and mottled plastics add tactility across the board Matte remains the key finish, applied in a dry gummy touch this year, while print and pattern focuses on dramatical florals
Samsung Urbanears Fitbit LG Fitbit B&O Play B&O Play Urban Violet A star colour across a number of launches this year, violet offers an urban-edged, genderful alternative to pinks and purples. LG's new V30 comes in Lavender Violet, while Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 includes Orchid Gray, a greyed violet shade. B&O Play's A/W 17 collection includes violet and lilac as two of its four key colours, while Urbanears' new Prism Cut collection showcases Amethyst Purple.
Libratone Sony Libratone Gorenje Soft Apricot An important emerging colour, although not yet as prominent as violet. Updating the successful putty trend of recent seasons, soft apricot ranges from a blush pink-orange shade to a brighter orange-yellow tone. Gorenje's new Apricot fridge is part of its Retro collection, but the colour looks modern when muted and used for headphones and wireless speakers.
Swan Bang & Olufsen Bomann Pure Defunc Trendwoo Urbanears Sony Vintage Pastels Pastels remain core to colour design for consumer electronics, with last year's Premium Pastels moving in a more dusted and chalky direction for 2017. Powdered shades of pastel green, blue, pink, yellow and lilac come together for a vintage-inspired palette that's made modern by simple shapes: either rounded and soft, or sharp and angular, as well as matte or brushed surface finishes.
Happy Plugs Bright Gold Loewe Bang & Olufsen Fossil Pure Last year's focus on rich bright gold continues, but becomes more diffused, with tones spanning gleaming gold and bright brass. Loewe's Bild X concept TV is edged by a gold metal frame that attaches via magnets. For high-end audio accessories, brass-toned gold remains important, while for smaller speakers, radios and jewellery tech, true gold is paired with a brushed or high-shine finish.
Pure Diesel On Garmin Rose Gold De'Longhi Group Fitbit Samsung Rose gold is now a core metallic for consumer electronics, and is used in a number of ways across this year's show. Brushed-back, beigetinged hues take the colour further away from pink and closer to bronze, updating its appeal, and are used as pale, polished accents for audio products. For statement-making appliances, rose gold goes bright and high shine, as in Kenwood's limited-edition kmix collection.
Diesel On Bosch Nespresso B&O Play Swan Philips Philips Gorenje Warmed White Just as grey received an upgrade at IFA 2016, white is warmed up and made more premium at this year's show. Finished in a sleek semi-shine or instead a matte or textured surfacing, white becomes less bright and more refined this year. Philips' headphones use a flat matte white, while Nespresso's coffee machine enhances a smooth white finish with sections of fine or spaced-out ridging, adding texture and shadow.
Defunc De'Longhi Group Usbepower Sony Microsoft Samsung Sleek Grey Greys retain their premium, fashion-forward association within consumer electronics but go deeper and richer this year, moving closer to Apple's Space Grey colour. Blue-toned greys continue the trend toward tinted grey, as seen at CES 2017, while sleekly brushed metallic grey enhances the professional feel of high-grade kitchen appliances such as blenders and food processors.
Diesel On Fitbit Libratone Bosch Punchy Combinations Logitech Urbanears Ryght Contrast colour schemes remain a key strategy for lifestyle-oriented brands, although they have a smaller presence across the show floor this year. Colour-blocking is used to emphasise components with jewel-coloured buttons in Marc Jacobs' smartwatch while speakers tie together different materials with all-over colour. Bosch's Vario Style taps into mass personalisation, offering mix-and-match fridge colours.
Samsung Fakir Qardio Panasonic Vestel Sony Bosch Sharp Hero Red Red is a continuing key colour for consumer electronics. This year, 2016's juicy coral tones evolve to a bright scarlet red. Associated with power and dynamism, this hero red matches well to fabric, plastic and metal in both high-shine and brushed-back finishes. Vestel and Sharp showed red concept collections for kitchen appliances and TVs, while Bosch's vacuum cleaners prove the colour's commercial power.
Panasonic Sony Ryght Philips AKG Ryght Nokia Deeper Blue Since blue emerged as a key colour several seasons ago, it's been going from strength to strength across consumer electronics. This year it takes its deepest turn yet, used across the show in several tones within the midnight blue family. In line with wider trends across interiors, Sony takes its deep blue closer to teal, while speaker brands pair deep blue with textured panelling for an Indigo Ink effect.
Sinbo Bomann Pensofal Philips Samsung Bosch Amica Kuvings Purple Shades Rich, deep shades of burgundy and wine red bring a sophisticated feel to consumer electronics and home appliances. Important for home tech products such as kettles, toasters, irons and fridges, this colour is increasingly used across headphones, too. It pairs well with black, white and silver, highlighting its versatility. Making the colour deeper and less pink-toned extends appeal across markets and genders.
PopSockets TomTom Sony Google Samsung Teal Tones Last year's bright aqua tones develop in a darker direction for 2017, taking on a flatter and more matte finish. Green-tinted shades of teal make up a core part of Sony's CMF design for its audio accessories, as well as proving popular for fitness trackers and smartwatches, particularly as these products become more water-resistant. For phone accessories, teal takes on jewel-like shine.
Microsoft Samsung Libratone Philips SLG Design Fabric Touch MATERIAL Woven fabric speakers prove a key item at CES this year, and now the trend makes its way over to more product categories. Alcantara is a material to watch, used in the keyboard of Microsoft's tactile Surface laptop and as a phone case option at Samsung. Philips has worked with Kvadrat for a fabric-based TV design, while tweed and fuzzy covers add a plush tactility to speakers and cases.
Pure TCL Woodcessories Woodcessories TCL PopSockets Bang & Olufsen Woodcessories Wood Effects MATERIAL As tech products become warmer and more integrated into the home, wood is an increasingly important material. This year, brands apply it to large-scale electronics: TVs and standalone speakers, as well as much smaller accessories such as phone pop sockets, and as a detail on USB cables. Pure has introduced a white oak digital radio, while Woodcessories has expanded into solid wood laptop skins and stands.
Garmin Tractive Pet Tracking Bullboat Bullboat Camo Plastic MATERIAL With a small but interesting presence across the show, mottled and printed plastic brings a dynamic feel to smaller items such as on-the-go speakers and fitness trackers (for animals). Tonal geometrics and traditional khaki camouflage prints tap into the Cool Camo trend, while the melted-together colours of Bullboat's waterproof speakers bring a playful, urban feel to the material.
Flama Vifa Philo Usbepower Philo Dry Matte FINISH & TEXTURE Matte finishes develop in a dry, chalky direction this year. Silicone and plastic carry just the slightest hint of sheen, with a hand feel that provides a slight drag. Usbepower's USB ports pair saturated colours with a matte finish that almost appears to absorb light. Vifa's new Reykjavik speaker features tiny speckles of sand in its matte black finish, referencing the volcanic landscape around the city.
ideal of Sweden ideal of Sweden Logitech Pure Lenovo Print & Pattern FINISH & TEXTURE For more lifestyle-driven brands, print and pattern offers an important way to tap into the trend towards Dressing The Home. This year, dramatic botanicals are an emerging direction, used heavily outlined or set on dark grounds. Pure has launched Nordic knit-inspired patterns for its speakers, while Lenovo's artistic laptop covers were created for the brand by a select group of graduate designers.