MARSALA: Pairing Color Schemes

When I first saw Marsala as the Color of the Year for 2015, I immediately thought of it as being equally feminine and masculine in any scenario. So often the selected color is hard for the male population to wrap its brain around as a color to incorporate into its lifestyle, let alone to be drawn to the color itself. Marsala (a color that falls somewhere between rust and burgundy) is appealing to both men and women and is inviting and accessable for fashion and interiors.

For 15 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as in product packaging and graphic design.

Pantone describes Marsala as: "Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors."

Whether in a flat or textured material, or with a matte or gloss finish, this highly varietal shade combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupes and grays. Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compatible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range.

Georgina Senior poasted a great blog preceding the announcement of the 2015 Color of the Year and showcased the color along with a palette of color pairings from famous Paris turn of the 19th century lithographs from the 1890s.

http://www.georgenasenior.com/2014/12/2015s-marsala-time-travels-1890s-paris/