Hand wählt Farbmuster aus einer RAL Farbpalette aus.
Hand selecting colour samples from an RAL colour palette.

APPLICATION

Colour trends 2028+ in application

READ + RESPOND

In purely arithmetical terms, 15 colours yield 32,767 possible combinations; more than enough to find the right composition for any purpose and any context. Three basic moods show the range: soft, balanced and dynamic.

The RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+ palette responds to the complexity of contemporary design tasks: hybrid usage scenarios, adaptive spatial concepts and the integration of circular design principles. Every colour was evaluated in terms of its spatial effect, material integrity and cultural resonance.

By combining systematic colour research with experimental material exploration, design processes emerge that anticipate future living and working environments. This iterative methodology, the interplay of conceptual thinking and haptic experience, transforms trend observations into substantial design solutions. Colour is understood here as a space-forming element that creates atmospheres, influences behaviour and supports wellbeing.

With the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus, the 2028+ colour selection can be expanded as required and adapted to individual projects and products. With 1,825 standardised colours, the system enables unambiguous, systematic colour communication and true-to-colour implementation worldwide. Notation follows the CIELab standard using hue, lightness and chroma, the three parameters we intuitively associate with colour and through which harmonies can be developed comprehensibly during planning.
We warmly encourage you to look at the secondary colours as well. In graphic and packaging design you might raise the chroma of a given tone; in interiors you might soften an accent. What matters to us is not the exact nuance but the way the tones sound together, which keeps the report’s narrative transferable to existing collections and materials.

FIVE DESIGN DIRECTIONS

The colour combinations appearing most frequently in our research can be divided into five basic design directions. They present inspiring colour profiles as points of connection for situation-oriented decisions; for diverse and appealing working and living spaces. In the relationship between people, space and material, colour contributes to wellbeing, provides orientation and order, and makes products tangible in their embodied function and their distinct emotional content.

FOCUS — functional, readable. Everything here is about clarity and purpose. Its focused, highly readable appearance suits environments and interfaces that support concentrated work and ease of use.

FEEL — soulful, tactile. Developed to awaken emotion and depth. Its textile, sensitive character creates a rich atmosphere, ideal for immersive environments and emotionally engaging designs in which delicacy has its place.

RELAX — calm, balancing. Nature-inspired harmonies convey calm and equilibrium. Ideal for spaces and products intended to serve regeneration and wellbeing, physical and digital alike.

COMMUNICATE — welcoming, inclusive. This colour profile creates a sociable and inclusive atmosphere and encourages dialogue and connection. It suits spaces and products designed to support communication and shared experience.

PLAY — lively, experimental. This combination stands for creative energy, innovation and the joy of discovery. Its dynamic, optimistic tone encourages bold experimentation, in spaces, product collections or digital environments.

The profiles are tested starting points, not prescriptions. Take four of the five tones and add one of your own, or pick out a pairing that intrigues you. The report exists so that you are not looking at a blank page; the appropriation happens in your project.

COLOUR MEANING

The architecture of the palette follows a considered logic: versatile neutrals such as Pepper white, Soft orange, Transparent mauve and Light teal form the design foundation. They enable restrained, timeless spatial concepts and act as connecting elements in complex schemes. The accent colours, Maple red, Straw yellow, Madder rose and Butterfly blue activate spaces and objects, create fields of visual tension and allow for striking design statements.
The characterful main tones Pinkish brown, Chestnut brown, Broccoli green and Golden quartz ochre define space-forming surfaces and give designs substance. They are particularly suited to bold architectural interventions or as identity-defining elements in product design. Antique pink, Date fruit brown and Kiwi sorbet green mediate between these poles and work well as zoning colours.

GIVING COLOURS SUBSTANCE

Surface and material change the effect of a colour. The colour-material collages that follow therefore give the colours substance. The colour names already suggest associations and ideas about the origin and meaning of each colour. In application, these connections become part of the concept, and the narrative becomes part of the multisensory design.

COLOUR MATERIAL EXPERIENCE

The RAL TRENDBOX is the practical companion to the trend report. All 15 colours are available as RAL D6 single sheets, powder-coated metal samples and plastic samples, and have been translated into carpet and textile samples. Colour concepts can thus be developed and implemented across material boundaries. In the interplay of materials, it becomes apparent how a colour is experienced differently depending on the surface. The haptic component is fundamental to considered, sensitive design decisions, which makes the box less a sample collection than a small design laboratory.

All colours are selected from the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus. The colour system allows for easy expansion of the 2028+ selection and adaptation for specific projects and products. With 1,825 standardised nuances, the system ensures colour communication worldwide.

We extend special gratitude to the RAL Trendbox 2028+ collaboration partners: Covestro, Gabriel Fabrics, Object Carpet, Tiger Coatings and the German Design Council.

The RAL TRENDBOX extends the theoretical colour concept to include the material dimension.

Tools

Free to download:

Design Kit (Colour Libraries, Leporello, Images including copyrights, Colour overview)

Press Kit (Press Release, Images including copyrights, Leporello)