PROPERTY TRANSACTION GUIDE

Cool Jade Emerges Dulux Colour For 2009
By Bamidele Ogunwusi, Correspondent, Lagos

Independent, Monday, 2nd March 2009

For the fifth year running, CAP Plc, the Dulux technological licensee for West Africa, has unveiled the 2009 colour of the year. According to CAP Plc officials, the initiative is furtherance of the firm's role in colour education with special attention on colour creation

The colour of the year, which was unveiled in the presence of a sizeable gathering of dignitaries at an elaborate event held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos, is Cool Jade. The colour's reference number is 10GG/51/125.

Acting Managing Director of CAP Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, in her welcome address, said CAP Plc pioneered the science and arts of colour trends in Nigeria by introducing the concept, referred now to as Dulux Colour of the year, in 2005.

She added that Dulux has sustained this colourful trend till now with unveiling of Orange as colour of the year in 2005, Kiwi Crush in 2006, Candy Love in 2007 and Majestic Colour in 2008.

Explaining the process of arriving at the choice of colour for each year, Elemide said that colour experts working for ICI Dulux convened annually at a colour forecasting summit to create the Colourfutures book.

The Colourfutures team, comprising experts from all over the world, according to Elemide, exchanges ideas, creates themes and explores the colour trend for each year drawing on a varieties of sources from research groups, colour marketing, trade and retail exhibitions, designs influences from the worlds of fashion, technology, architecture, music, nature and popular culture.

Her words: "The concept of Dulux Colour of the Year has come to stay and is acceptable by the generality of designers, interior decorators, architects and other stakeholders as CAP Plc established three additional Dulux Colour Centres in Kano, Port Harcourt and Lagos in 2008 after the unveiling of Majestic Yellow as the Colour of the Year 2008."

She called on all stakeholders in the fashion and design architecture to leverage on the colour of the year to further satisfy their customers.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UAC of Nigeria Plc and Chairman, CAP Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah, in his remarks pointed out that the world has become familiar with one of the acknowledged masters and experts in the art and science of colour and that "this is why the unveiling of the Dulux Colour of the Year has become an undertaking that we all keenly look forward to."

Ettah added that "the decision to focus on our core business of coatings has put CAP Plc in better stead to continue as a leader in the Nigeria coating industry."

Daily Independent learnt that there are now 13 Dulux colour centres across the country including Lagos, Abuja, Warri, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Kano, Asaba and Calabar.

Cool Jade, the Colour of the Year, is a particular colour that has a sense of natural stillness, of healing and balance. Its soothing tone is represented in different shades in more than one theme. In both exterior and interior decoration, the colour for 2009 has an important part to play.

In modernist terms it works it works with glass, steel, concrete and combines with a cool palette of grey, soft blues, taupe and chocolate, while for a softer and more domestic look it can be combined with warmer tones like plum, terracotta, peach and nude pink.

The Colour of the Year was unveiled by a Lagos-based fashion designer and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of JD7 Couture, Mrs. Data Okorodudu.