Passion for colours since 1851

A talk about colour design

For our Creative Director, Cenk Kivrikoglu, colour design is a craft and an art form that require intuition, creativity, ingenuity, and knowledge. We joined him for a talk about his approach to colour design, how colours and colour schemes are composed, and about the defining characteristics of Gabriel colours.

Fusing intuition and data

At Gabriel, the process of developing colours is based on the combination of two equally important factors: Intuition and data.

“Intuition is the human factor - the designer’s creativity, a spark of an idea, a feeling. Data, on the other hand, is all the knowledge we have. Of markets, demands, and of our customers. Combining the two creates a solid foundation for the development of colours that define spaces and furniture.”

Interplay of colour and material

Behind every single Gabriel colour lies a time-consuming development process and multiple attempts to adapt the colour vision to the fabric material to ensure that the colour highlights the fabric – and vice versa.

“It is impossible to think about colour without thinking about material, just as it is impossible to think about material without thinking about colour. The two elements are intertwined, impossible to separate, and mutually dependent. At Gabriel, we have the specialist knowledge to adapt the idea of the colour to the material. We know exactly how specific colours react to specific materials, and we know how to adapt the colour vision to the material in order to create the exact colour we want.”

Colours create user value

User value and the interplay between colour, product, and user is an important focal point for the development of colours at Gabriel.

“We want to compose colours that create a connection with the users and build a bridge between product and user. The colours that we develop have to be easy to integrate into different spaces, into different contexts, and complement a variety of furniture designs. It is important that our customers can easily envisage the colours on their specific furniture and in the spaces in which their furniture will be put to use.”

"At Gabriel, we are always looking ahead, predicting the colours of the future and transforming trends into new shades and tones to meet market demands."

Cenk Kivrikoglu

Zeitgeist & feel-good factor

A poetic dimension and longevity are some of the defining characteristics of Gabriel colours and colour schemes.

“We always strive to create colours that are long-lasting and remain relevant for years but at the same time catch the zeitgeist, express personality, creativity, and innovation. Gabriel colours are poetic and dynamic, send out positive vibes, have a strong feel-good factor, and create a sense of quality."