artLIVE – On November 29, during the opening of ELLE Decoration Pop-Up Office Season 4, KES officially unveiled KES Living LAB – the brand’s first digital library platform. This open space allows architects and interior designers to explore, apply, and share creative ideas inspired by the KES-curated Color Palette of the Year.
Born from a spirit of harmonizing technology and aesthetics, KES – a leading brand in Vietnam’s industrial wood sector with a fully integrated manufacturing ecosystem from raw materials to surface finishing – aims to create a digital space where architects and designers can explore, apply, and share creative ideas inspired by the brand’s annually curated Color Palette of the Year.
Color Palette of the Year & KES material system: A holistic design mindset
The 2025 Color Palette of the Year is developed around the central concept TOUCH RENAISSANCE – a “Renaissance of Touch” that celebrates the return of tactile sensibility in contemporary design. Here, material surfaces, wood grains, and tonal variations are not only meant to be seen, but to be felt through every sense.
Beyond a mere color trend, the palette is crafted as a comprehensive harmony of shades and materials, enabling designers to create spaces that are refined, cohesive, and rich in aesthetic depth.
The five key color groups for 2025 include:
- Maestro Oak: a palette of European oak grains with warm, grounding, and timeless tones that evoke a sense of refuge and nostalgic materiality.
- The Italian Series: refined walnut, espresso, and light brown hues that bring emotional depth to sophisticated interiors.
- The French Series: soft, airy neutrals infused with elegance and openness, inspired by the spirit of fine art and the modern rhythm of Parisian living.
- Serene Haven: a collection of elemental shades — Deep Blue, Charcoal Grey, Olive, and Étoupe — offering balance and tranquility to any space.
- Dreamscape: gentle and romantic pastels such as Ballet Pink, Cloud Nine, and Morning Dew, ideal for spaces seeking softness and calm.
An open creative platform for the design community
KES Living LAB is developed as an online design library that brings together reference projects, execution ideas, and real-world material applications. In this open creative space, architects and designers can explore KES’s annually curated Color Palette of the Year, while freely creating and submitting their own projects using KES materials to enrich the platform’s growing project database.
KES envisions Living LAB as a true “laboratory” – a place where the design community can find inspiration, exchange perspectives, and collectively elevate aesthetic standards for wood materials, especially industrial wood, within Vietnam’s interior design landscape.
Photos: Organizing Committee
