Pantone Color of The Year 2024: Incorporating Peach Fuzz in Learning Environments

As we enter a new year, new color trends are on the horizon. The Pantone color of the year 2024 is Peach Fuzz, a color Pantone describes as “a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance. . .that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.” Peach Fuzz is cheerful and uplifting, evoking a warm fuzzy feeling in spaces where it is used.

Incorporating vibrant and enriching colors into learning environments can impact both mood and behavior in students and teachers. Peach Fuzz highlights our innate desire for togetherness and for moments of stillness. This gentle and cozy hue is similar to orange, which signifies optimism and self-confidence, promoting happiness and energy in educational spaces. Peach Fuzz also promotes collaboration by communicating a message of kindness and community.

Here’s our inspiration for incorporating Peach Fuzz into learning environments:

Ceremony in “Papaya” is a dimensional woven fabric with a subtle pattern in peachy hues. This performance fabric from CF Stinson emits an energizing warmth when used as an accent color for furnishings. With this fabric, create an inspiring and nurturing learning environment similar to Ignite Institute’s bright, modular spaces.

Quest in “Shrimp” is a peach-toned performance fabric by Camira Fabrics which is perfect for use in a variety of learning environments. This fabric is a sustainable solution which is woven entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic through a partnership with the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE to combat marine plastic pollution.

Peach Fuzz can be incorporated into the color palette through hard surfaces, as well. Bring in a pop of color with laminate surfaces in Solar Orange, like West Rowan Elementary used with the F2F Post Leg Table in some of their classrooms. For a more subtle option, Fusion Maple laminate simulates the warm hues of Peach Fuzz while maintaining a more natural wood-like finish.

Peach Fuzz doesn’t have to stand alone in learning spaces. This soft and vibrant blend of pink and orange tones fits well into a variety of color palettes, including a wide array of materials offered for MiEN furnishings.

For a monochromatic approach, try pairing different tones of creamy yellow, peachy pinks, and bright oranges. Kumo in “Tangerine” is a bold patterned woven fabric that includes peachy tones paired with dark orange. This can offer a pop of warmth in learning environments. 

Peach Fuzz is a modern hue with a vintage feel, and pairs well with other vintage tones such as ochre and teal. Our Bloom fabric, available in both “Honey” and “Teal Blue,” pairs nicely with Peach Fuzz for a fresh take on a vintage classic color palette.

While furnishings in vibrant Peach Fuzz may not fit your school’s color palette, a peachy orange accent can add a lot of visual interest and excitement in any learning environment. Consider using this shade to brighten up your spaces with the HIH and J4F stools, which both are available with a subtle “Mango” accent. Alternatively, bring in peachy tones through accents on ottomans and stools, like MiEN customer Megan Cope Elementary decided to use in their media center. These colorful and playful accents work great in early education and elementary learning environments, adding a pop of excitement to any learning space.

The Pantone color of the year is chosen to reflect the culture and trends of the year, setting a tone for design, media, and more. Peach Fuzz is a color centered around peacefulness and warmth, yet it also awakens energy and connection. Incorporating this hue into your learning environments can help to modernize and refresh stale spaces, inspiring collaboration and community.

Dr. Christina Counts, ALEP, VP of Education for MiEN Environments, is a proven leader with a successful background in transforming learning spaces into modern engaging learning environments. Dr. Counts has worked in education for over 17 years with experience as a classroom teacher, district instructional leader, school administrator, and digital and innovative learning designer. In her most recent position, Christina leads a team of professionals that support schools making the transition to a flexible, collaborative, & student-centered learning space.  She holds a doctorate in K-12 Educational Leadership, National Board-certified, and Google & Apple certified. Dr. Counts envisions a learning space in which educators are empowered to transform education through design, technology and innovative instructional pedagogy to create learners ready for any future!