we cmf.

 

feel it before it’s real

We design, we engineer… we are experts in colour, material and finish!

At CALLUM we have a team of Colour, material, and finish (CMF) experts who work closely with both Design and Engineering bringing clients ideas into reality. With expertise across across multiple sectors including Automotive, Transportation & Mobility, Product Design, Consumer Electronics, and Interiors.

Colour, material, and finish are essential elements of the CALLUM design philosophy. Exceptional CMF can elevate a product from good to great. Every tactile interaction a user has with a product can benefit from the thoughtful expertise of a CMF designer.

CMF is embedded throughout our entire CALLUM design process. Our CMF designers are involved from the very beginning, working with you to define the brief and strategy.

The smallest details have the power to bring big ideas to life. By drawing on relevant trends and positioning your brand to resonate with your target audience, we can express your brand or product through colour, material, and finish. We also ensure that your strategy and CMF work seamlessly together for every product or service we create.


CMF services we offer:

  • Trend Analysis: Research and identify emerging colour, material, and finish trends to keep the product relevant and appealing.

  • Brand Alignment: Tailor design choices to reflect and enhance the client's brand identity and values.

  • Colour Strategy: Develop a colour palette that resonates with the target audience and aligns with the product’s purpose.

  • Material Selection: Choose sustainable and innovative materials that enhance both aesthetics and functionality.

  • Finish Development: Design finishes that add texture, durability, and uniqueness to the product.

  • User Experience Enhancement: Ensure design elements contribute to a cohesive and engaging user experience.

  • Sustainability Focus: Integrate eco-friendly materials and practices, aligning with modern sustainability goals.

  • Market Differentiation: Create a distinctive design that sets the product apart from competitors in the market.

Ready to make your ideas real? lets talk.

Enquire here… hello@callumdesigns.com

‘CALLUM colour of the year’

The CALLUM Colour of the Year 2025 is the first in what will become an annual forecast of colour trends from CALLUM’s growing team of colour, material and finishes experts.

Introducing the CALLUM Colour of the Year 2025… Aqua Mist.

  • A fresh pastel blend of green and blue, it is vibrant and optimistic while promoting relaxation and tranquillity.

    Aqua Mist represents renewal and innovation in a fast-changing world. The refreshing, soothing hue combines the calm of blue with the rejuvenation of green, perfect for creating peaceful, balanced spaces.

  • Inspired by recent projects, the team has redefined its approach to colour, centring on its impact and the emotional responses colour can evoke. By selecting a signature shade for the year ahead, the brand anticipates and influences design trends while demonstrating its creativity and innovation, reinforcing its position as a forward-thinking leader in design.

Head to the bottom of this page to get your CALLUM Colour of the Year 2025 Report.

“Aqua Mist offers a fresh, calming energy. Its soft and cool undertones are associated with tranquillity and openness, providing a balanced base that doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Its versatility means it is suited to a number of applications, materials and surface textures, while layering with CALLUM’s specially-selected balancing colours creates a fun, energetic vibe.

 

“Recent projects and collaborations have given us valuable insights into the needs, preferences and experiences of a variety of customers, particularly those who rely on well-considered inclusive design to enhance accessibility and comfort. We want the CALLUM Colour of the Year to spark conversations about how colour resonates with the emotional needs of customers and can help shape spaces and products that elicit deeper emotional responses.””

— Charlotte Jones, colour, material and finishes designer at CALLUM.

A complimentary palette

 

Aqua Mist

Neon Riot

Midnight Tide

The CALLUM team has identified a concise complementary palette. Teaming Aqua Mist with balancing colours Neon Riot and Midnight Tide, it has created a playful, dynamic trio that offers an energetic yet approachable look, ideal for designs that need both vibrancy and sophistication - perfect for playful brands.

  • Neon Riot is an attention-grabbing hot pink. It brings energy, fun and vibrancy to the palette by adding a pop of brightness, evoking feelings of excitement and creativity. Neon Riot is bold and youthful, which gives any design a sense of dynamism and fun. 

  • Midnight Tide is a rich, deep blue. It grounds the other two colours with its darker, more intense shade, making the overall palette feel balanced and mature.

“Every design team in the world looks at future aesthetics to stay relevant and appeal to ever-evolving consumer tastes. Plus, it’s creative and a lot of fun. The CALLUM Colour of the Year 2025 is the first time we’ve made any of our forecasting work public.”

— Ian Callum, design director at CALLUM.

How to use Aqua Mist

  • The combination of Aqua Mist, Neon Riot and Midnight Tide in automotive projects can create a bold, futuristic and attention-grabbing aesthetic, especially for brands or models aimed at trend-conscious audiences.

  • Aqua Mist can be featured in matte or satin finishes, and is especially on softer materials such as rubberised surfaces, textiles or smooth plastics. Its calm, cool vibe can be elevated using tactile textures like pebble-grain leather or mesh fabrics, providing a soft, inviting touch while maintaining a fresh and modern look.

  • This soothing hue combines the calm of blue with the rejuvenation of green, promoting relaxation and mental clarity, making it perfect for peaceful, balanced spaces.

  • Aqua Mist represents innovation and forward-thinking in a rapidly-changing world, ideal for cutting-edge technology.

To mark its Colour of the Year, CALLUM will subtly incorporate Aqua Mist into its branding throughout 2025. CALLUM also looks forward to discussions with partners and brands about potential collaborations interpreting Aqua Mist in creative, impactful ways.

 

Fill out the form below to be sent your CALLUM Colour of the Year 2025 Report.