At Powdertech Corby, colour isn’t just a coating – it’s a design statement. Our specialist powder coating finishes enhance, elevate, and perfect metalwork, bringing design visions to life while keeping architects and designers in tune with the latest colour directions for 2026. With thousands of shades, tones, and textures, from Evolution and PowderLUX to Wood Finish, Inspirations, Stone, Rust, and Terracotta, our finishes ensure that great designs receive the beautiful finish they deserve.
Powdertech ‘Original Terracotta’ at Warwick University
Design and Emotion in Colour
The colours and textures we introduce into buildings influence how we experience our towns, landscapes, and interior spaces. Colour choices shape emotion – conveying success, comfort, creativity, or heritage – and play an integral role in design. Whether used on architectural façades, interior features, balustrades, or furniture, the right finish can transform form into feeling. Green and blue shades are known to be calming; reds energise and stimulate a faster heart rate; brown shades are thought of as reliable and trustworthy; yellow, the most difficult colour for the eye to take in, enhances concentration as well as being attention seeking.
PowderLUX ‘Pastel’
Colour also emphasises shape and design to different degrees and the choice of colour is often integral to the design. For instance, white will enhance relief and detail, while a deep midnight blue or bronze will define smooth curves and clean geometry.
In design, colour is both art and psychology.
Some Colours of 2026
Beautiful on the Outside, Inspired on the Inside
A wave of Colour of the Year (COTY) announcements from leading paint and design brands reveals a shared shift toward warmth, humanity, and craftsmanship. Across the palettes, we see a renewed appreciation for handmade finishes and natural textures – timber, clay and stone – that reconnect design with the tangible world.
We have always been passionate about colour at Powdertech Corby. Over thirty years working with architects and designers, we’ve watched powder coatings evolve from simple protection to a creative design medium in their own right – rich in tone, texture, and tactile appeal. Advances in powder chemistry now allow for breathtaking effects, from soft matte surfaces to metallic lustres, organic stone looks, and lifelike wood grains.
Powdertech ‘Regency Gold’ on interior balustrade, Leeds.
We take pride in guiding our clients through the colour and texture selection process, considering the project’s location, surrounding materials, intended use, and the finer details of design. Every finish should be chosen with both insight and intent, because colour does more than complete a surface; it shapes the mood, atmosphere, and emotional response of a space.
Powdertech ‘Bronze’ at Jai Ho, Cheltenham
2026 Colour of the Year Trends: A Reflection of Our Times
The colours announced by colour-in-design trend setters such as Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, Glidden, and Behr show a warm and tactile palette embracing authenticity, human connection and a yearning for the serenity of nature. They reflect our collective mood for comfort and realism.
Far from an impulsive decision, these colours result from months of research and dialogue across design, psychology, and cultural disciplines. Specialists study social changes, creative movements, purchasing habits, and global events to anticipate how people will want to feel in their spaces for the year ahead
The consensus? A turn toward earthy comfort and understated elegance – soft neutrals, deep browns, and tactile, nature-inspired materials.
Key 2026 colour directions
- Muted, subtle shades of green and beige
- Warm, rich wood tones
- Deep, grounding browns
- Earthy terracotta and clays
- Neutrals with added warmth and softness
Powdertech Finishes in Tune for 2026
Our extensive ranges perfectly align with these emerging palettes. From calming eucalyptus greens and warm khakis within our Inspirations range, to rich Roughwood browns and sophisticated Terracotta tones, our finishes reflect the natural warmth and authenticity of the 2026 trend.
- Muted Greens & Beiges: Echoing Sherwin-Williams’ Universal Khaki and Valspar’s Warm Eucalyptus, our Inspirations and PowderLUX finishes bring serenity and natural harmony to both interior and exterior designs.
Powdertech Evolution ‘Copper Mine’
- Warm Woods & Deep Browns: Our Wood Finish and Roughwood collections range from pale maple to dark mahogany, and mirror Glidden’s Warm Mahogany and Krylon’s Matte Coffee Bean, combining timeless character with contemporary depth.
Powdertech Roughwood Finish ‘Purple Heart’
- Earthy Terracotta & Clay: The enduring appeal of terracotta continues in 2026 and is present in many 2026 palettes. Behr’s Terra Cotta Urnis a rich, clay-red hue inspired by natural pigments and traditional pottery. It’s a tone that brings a feeling of permanence – a reminder of our connection to the earth beneath our feet. Powdertech’s Terracotta finishes can be seen on buildings in many locations across the country. For a touch of luxury, the glazed terracottas in our PowderLUX range bring a warm richness and a deep, refined gleam.
Powdertech ‘Dark Terracotta’, Broadmarsh Car Park, Nottingham
- New Neutrals: Soft sages, dusky pinks, and caramel tans replace cooler greys. Our Stone Finish range provides the perfect neutral backdrop with subtle texture and warmth.
Powdertech Stone Finish ‘Kilkenny Limestone’
Looking Ahead
The palette for 2026 is unmistakably human — tactile, natural, and comforting. It’s less about polish and perfection, and more about connection and belonging. Whether through the organic feel of wood, the grounded nature of clay, or the gentle optimism of green, the coming year’s colours invite us to feel at home again.
Powdertech Evolution ‘Firebox’ at Leicester University
Get in Touch
Give us a call – 01536 400890 – to discuss powder coating, colour, texture and design.
Visit the website www.powdertechcorby.co.uk
And order free colour swatches https://powdertechcorby.co.uk/finishes
Contact pcl@powdertechcorby.co.uk
