Pantone made even more of a stir than usual when announcing its official Color of the Year 2016, by making the unprecedented decision to give the win to a blend of two shades. The two proud hues to reign supreme in '16 are Rose Quartz (Pantone 13-1520), a warm, soft pink, and Serenity (Pantone 15-2919), a cooler baby blue.

After 2015's strong earthy Marsala (Pantone 18-1438), Pantone decided 2016 deserves a softer take on color, and with the blending of the two shades hopes to challenge traditional perceptions of color association.

The two shades of pink and blue are traditionally associated very heavily with a gender divide, particularly in children, which has deep implications reaching into all areas of design and marketing. By blending the two shades, it is hoped new design applications and associations can be built.

But before jumping into the deep end of expanding our pink and blue horizons, lets separate the winning couple one last time to see what we know and love about the shades beyond "boy and girl". And because designers are visual creatures, and a logo says many more words than we can squeeze in one article, we'll also give you a couple of examples for each color. Finally, we'll round off with an exploration of the glorious blend of two worthy colors. What's not to love?

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz, as the name suggests, is a warm rose color, and according to Pantone a "persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure".

Pink is traditionally a color associated with all things cozy – love, romance, nurture and hope spring to mind. This makes it perfect for wellness businesses, maternity brands, hospitality and fine dining among many others. Be careful not to overdo it though, as an ill-applied pink can conjure weakness and immaturity.

Pink rose tones inspired by Rose Quartz

Serenity

Serenity is a cool, tranquil blue, bringing to mind wide expanses of spring skies and pure frosty ice sheets. We've previously raved on about the color blue, as it deserves the highest of praises. Blue is the color of our planet and our sky, our seas and our Man Group. It's a color of tradition and dependability as much as one of camaraderie and peace.

The light shade of Serenity means its conservatism doesn't translate into stuffiness, and we're left with an airy, approachable shade that's just screaming to be used for just about any business endeavor.

Cool tranquil blue tones inspired by Serenity

Rose Quartz and Serenity

With two colors that are already solid winners on their own, the 2016 blended shade is sure to knock it out of the park. By combining the two colors that are usually forever apart through incessant gendering, we get to do away with overemphasized aspects of them and focus on their deeper meanings.

With Rose Quartz's warmth and air of compassion, and Serenity's associations with security and home, we've got ourselves a 2016 power couple ready to embrace the world. Pantone envision their winners as the "antidote to modern day stresses, [as] welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent".

Experiment with contrasting these shades or blending them into a million other colors to create interesting effects in your designs. With two such versatile colors, your imagination is the limit to their applications. So go forth and create, but take these three amazing examples as inspiration on your way out!

Cool blue & rose pink design inspired by the blending of Rose Quartz & Serenity

Want More?

Color is one of the most important aspects of any design, so know your stuff! Check out these for help and inspiration:

Creative Rose Logo Ideas

35 Purple Logos Inspired by Pantone's Radiant Orchid 2014

How to Convert CYMK to Pantone in Illustrator

Getting Psychological About Brand Color

Written by Divya Abe on Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Divya Abe is an expert graphic designer ready to share her knowledge with the crowd. Besides spending quality time on the internet she enjoys anything to do with cats. Get in touch via Google+.