“The patterns and colors… acknowledge the brand’s past – especially with designers such as Brooks Stevens
and Raymond Loewy – but without delving into nostalgia…
— Designer Abbott Miller
Yup, the day is finally here — Formica is announcing its much anticipated 100th Anniversary Collection. One minute after launch, we have all the new patterns ready to show to you. And, yes: Hurray! for color and pattern! — We have some great new Formica patterns for your kitchen counter tops and bathroom counter tops to add to our archive of retro-worthy laminate options. What do I like about these new designs:
- Homeowners wanting classic cherry red counter tops will most likely be happy to see Formica’s new Ellipse design in red. It’s nice to have a tone-on-tone red again that doesn’t cost a small fortune (our current “reds” of choice are Arborite Xania, which is not tone-on-tone… and crackle ice laminate, with is highly pixelated and expensive.)
- The patterns on the Halftone and Dotscreen designs are downright fun — and that orange in the Halftone is downright Brady Bunch. However, these are more so 1970s colors, rather than immediate postwar colors. Not that I mind, of course, but folks wanting aqua and coral and baby blue didn’ get ’em’. Note — I’m declaring the orange is the same as my 2011 color of the year… the blue the same as my 2012 color of the year and the green, not too far off my 2013 color of the year. Let me say it again: Hurray for real color and pattern!
- Yes, Formica gave us some real colors… not just gray. Of course, there still are lots of grays. Grays are “in” today, and to be sure, offer a neutral alternative. (If you want retro grays, there are numerous additional alternatives from Formica, and other manufacturers.) Even so, it seems like Formica is banking on the appeal of its retro heritage with all these designs — these new designs offer edgy, FUN, graphic patterns, not stone or granite, like the mass of new laminate patterns today. Hurray!
Nicely done, Formica. Not to appear immediately ungrateful but now, can you give us some more!? xoxo
Details on how much, where to get, and when:
- Same pricing as standard laminate.
- Not promoted in the big box stores initially but if a consumer asked for it they would be able to order it from them.
- Available January 31st.
Read on for the complete news release from Formica, along with ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHY from the announcement AND a slide show with the images bigger, too:
Formica Group Celebrates 100 Years in 2013
with the Formica® Brand Laminate Anniversary CollectionExclusively designed by world-renowned design firm Pentagram
Cincinnati (Jan. 22, 2013) — Formica Group, the original inventor of laminate, celebrates 100 years with a fresh take on its iconic Formica® brand laminate. The 2013 Anniversary Collection features 12 new patterns that reflect the Formica® brand and its history.
“While Formica Group invented laminate, designers are credited with realizing its full potential as a stylish and desirable surfacing material,” said Renee Hytry Derrington, Group VP of Design for Fletcher Building’s Laminates & Panels Division, which includes Formica Group. “The Anniversary Collection is just one example of our commitment to continue the joint exploration with the design community to define the future of Formica Group in the next 100 years.”
Collaboration with World-Renowned Design Firm Pentagram
Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design consultancy, created the collection exclusively for Formica Group. Pentagram partner Abbott Miller designed the anniversary patterns, introducing characteristics and colors that are new to the range.
“Developing this iconic brand’s 100-year Anniversary Collection was inspiring,” Miller shared. “Formica laminate is extraordinary because of its Zelig-like nature, blurring the past, present and future while completely crossing all social and economic categories. It’s a material with distinctive tactility, a warmth and domesticity; it’s man-made, yet has attained a natural quality in our lives.”
Miller’s vision for the Formica® Laminate Anniversary Collection underscores the material’s limitless design potential. “The heart and soul of Formica laminate is a printed sheet. Pattern and color are intrinsic to the culture of the company, so exploring the translucency of ink and the interaction of pattern and color was a natural area for me.”
Twelve New Patterns in Four Collections: Ellipse™ Collection, Endless™ Collection, Dotscreen™ Collection and Halftone™ Collection.
Ellipse™ and Endless™ play off the anniversary theme “Formica Forever” by utilizing innovative printing techniques that allow independent layers of pattern to randomly interact during the course of printing. The method creates seemingly infinite patterns that appear consistent due to the fluidity of the overlapping elements. Unlike most patterns that repeat every 50 inches, the pattern repeat of Ellipse™ and Endless™ only occur every 500 to 700 sheets, the equivalent to more than a mile in length.
- Ellipse™ uses the “hidden oval” in the iconic Formica® brand logo to create a series of layered strands that ripple across the surface.
- 6613 White Ellipse – a tonal non-color
- 6614 Gray Ellipse – a classic gray
- 1913 Red Ellipse – a strong red (The signature color of Formica Group features 1913, the year the company was founded, as its product code.)
- Endless™ creates a digital grain from bars that alternately layer and punch through a colored base. The result is a continuous tone-on-tone, architectural pattern that provides visual interest at close range and, from a distance, provides a geometric texture.
- 6610 Endless Graytone – a versatile gray-on-gray
- 6611 Endless Smoke – an ebony that recalls carbon and mica
- 6612 Endless Indigo – a deep inky blue
Dotscreen™and Halftone™celebrate Formica Group’s history of exuberant color and printing technology. Both Dotscreen™ and Halftone™ feature “solid patterns” of bright and saturated colors made more complex by undercurrents of detailed patterning. Fine dot motifs provide a second scale of interest within the optimistic hues.
- Dotscreen™ features luminous colors with extremely fine micro-dots in continuous ribbons.
- 6615 Aqua Dotscreen – a distinctive sky blue
- 6616 Mint Dotscreen – a vegetal green
- 6617 Tangelo Dotscreen – a soft orange
- Halftone™ features “near-bright” colors patterned with various sizes of toned dots, reminiscent of halftone printing screens.
- 6618 Blueberry Halftone – a medium-toned blue
- 6619 Citrus Halftone – a bright lemon yellow
- 6620 Tangelo Halftone – a soft orange
Each Anniversary Collection pattern contains a subtle, tone-on-tone Formica® brand watermark embedded into the design on every sheet.
“The patterns and colors of the Anniversary Collection acknowledge the brand’s past – especially with designers such as Brooks Stevens and Raymond Loewy – but without delving into nostalgia,” Miller said. “While the collection aligns with the brand’s heritage, it offers surfacing design that is unique in the market. It also was satisfying to know that we were pushing the technical boundaries of print.”
In addition to the Anniversary Collection, Pentagram’s Miller and partners Michael Bierut and Daniel Weil collaborated on Formica Group’s anniversary brand elements, Formica Forever book and display concept.
About Pentagram & Abbott Miller
Pentagram is the world’s largest independent design consultancy with offices in London, New York City, San Francisco, Berlin and Austin. A partner in Pentagram’s New York City office since 1999, Abbott Miller has designed award-winning identities, exhibitions, environmental graphics and multi-media projects. He has received numerous design honors and his work is included in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, SFMoMA, and the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. He is the author of several books and numerous essays on design.
About Formica Group
Formica Group globally leads the industry in the design, manufacture and distribution of surfacing materials. Part of Fletcher Building’s Laminates & Panels Division, Formica Group is global group of companies consisting of Formica Canada, Inc., Formica Corporation, Formica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Formica IKI Oy, Formica Limited, Formica S.A., Formica S.A.S., Formica Taiwan Corporation, Formica (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Formica (Asia) Ltd., Homapal GmbH, among others.
Please Note: Formica® and the Formica® Anvil Logo are registered trademarks and Formica Forever™, the Formica® Anvil Logo Forever, the Formica Forever™ ellipse logo, Ellipse™, Endless™, Dotscreen™ and Halftone™ are the trademarks of The Diller Corporation. Ellipse and Endless designs are the protected designs of The Diller Corporation. ©2013 The Diller Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
A Fletcher Building Company
And: You can see all the images double size in this gallery:
Janice says
OMG! Just in time for my master bathroom re-do! I was going to go with the Wilsonart charcoal boomerang, but was concernced that the dark grey would become a cleaning headache since this is the bathroom that gets used hard every single day. I’m now intrigued with the Ellipse in the light grey. My accent color (both with accent tile and decorating pieces) will be orange so that light grey will be a perfect base. Thanks Pam – you did it again!
Kevin says
I am all over the red~!
Our Shasta camper needs a pop of color for the table and kitchen counter.. That red will do it!
amanda says
I love th patterns, but I’m disappointed in the color choices. I wish they had more 1950s type color options like pink, aqua, light yellow. All of the blues are too dark and not a fan of the shades of yellow and green they are offering. Seems like these would make the kitchen look dated rather than retro. I love the grays though.
jay says
Not to be a party pooper but I agree. I am not seeing retro in these colors unless you want to go back to the 70s. My first reaction this morning was the patterns were too trendy and hip. I also think these colors are too dark for a small kitchen.
Robin, NV says
I tend to agree with you about the colors but geez at least they’re vibrant and not greigy or icky faux stone.
My first thought was that they were odd colors and patterns to celebrate 100 years of Formica but they do look snazzy and in the right venue would look super cool. Unfortunately, that venue isn’t my birchwood kitchen. Still hoping for some nice soft pastels.
pam kueber says
As I mention in my writeup, I recognize these are 70s colors.
pam kueber says
amanda, we like “dated” looking here, if it’s in synch with the original design of the house. We don’t recognize this as a bad word. The colors, as I mention, are 70s — great if you have 70s house, or like the 70s — which I do!
Laura H. says
I have a 50s house, with a “modernized” 70s kitchen, so those colours are just what I need to replace the icky, broken tile counter. That orange is calling my name!
pam kueber says
Hurray!
Jay says
I am so glad a previous owner in the 70s decided the only redecoration the kitchen needed was a vinyl floor and an avocado green fridge. The floor was replaced before moving into the house and the fridge a year later – it was failing.
pam kueber says
P.S. I totally consider the 1970s “retro”.
Robin, NV says
It’s taken a while but I’m finally on board with 70s retro. After seeing Jon and Trixi’s avocado kitchen, I’m even seeing the delight in that much panned color.
One of my college professors liked to talk about “perspective distance,” which, simply put, means “the older something is, the more interesting it seems.” We will eventually develop nostalgia for everything. I’m bracing myself for the 80s nostlagia that’s coming. I’m not sure I can survive art prints of the Golden Gate Bridge and birds of paradise again.
Robin, NV says
Oh dear, just when I was sure I’d picked the countertops I wanted for my kitchen. But as much as I dig these patterns, I’ll likely stick with the one I picked – Nevamar California (very similar to the Citrus Halftone but without any patterning). The Formica patterns are maybe a little too cool for my granny ranch. Although I really like the grey Endless, especially in the photos with the green contrast.
If only Formica would rerelease the “falling leaf” pattern on my original countertops.
wendy says
Robin, I don’t know if you’ll see this, but I may have found your falling leaf countertops! email me here: (spelling it out to avoid web bots) weed dot 30 at charter dot net
Marta says
Pretty, pretty colors! I’m particularly enamored with the green, which is the exact color of the gingham apron I made in 7th grade home-ec waaaaaaaaay back when.
Speaking of color forecasts, Pam, you did a piece awhile back on white appliances making a come back. I want to give ya’ll a heads up; we put white appliances in when we remodeled 12 years ago. The problem is that most have plastic parts on the front, and the plastic DOES NOT stay white, and in contrast with the enamel/glass white parts, it looks particularly bad. The control panel/vent area of the dishwasher and handles on the fridge all are yellowed. The oven vents are stained horribly and nothing on earth gets them white again. Nobody smokes here, either, and we have hot-water baseboard heat. So, if anyone’s thinking white, you might want to go for options that have the least amount of plastic on the front, or stick with the vintage appliances 😉
jay says
I too have a 12 yr white dishwasher – gift with purchase (it came with the house) and it looks skuzzy. I can’t get the plastic white again – it’s gray looking. The next one will be stainless which will go with the original to house stainless wall oven.
Savannah says
Mr clean magic erasers work pretty well if it’s fairly smooth, otherwise, Krylon makes paint for plastics!
Marta says
Savannah, the biggest problem is that the plastic itself yellows. It’s not a stain that can be removed. I haven’t tried the magic eraser on my oven vents which are yellow AND stained. It’s a textured surface, but I’m going to give it a try anyway. Thanks for the tip!
Sarah g (roundhouse) says
Magic eraser is abrasive and will take off protective coatings and turn things dull… Beware!
Marta says
Oh, thanks for the warning, Sarah G!
Peggy says
I also have white appliances with some plastic pieces that had yellowed over the past 10 years. I recently used Cook Top Cleaning Creme for Smooth top Ranges on the plastic and it cleaned up beautifully. I bought the creme at Sears to clean my glass smooth top range.
Joe Felice says
Did you try bleaching them? I guess the problem is that plastics do tend to discolor/yellow vis-a-vis the metal enamel-painted appliances themselves. My issue is that the handles are often bumpy, instead of smooth, which makes them hard to clean. Nonetheless, I did go with white for my kitchen re-do. I am sooooooooooo sick & tired of stainless steel and granite. To me, they are just plain boring, because everybody thinks they have to have them. Shame on HGTV for continuing to push them on us. I have noticed that the plastic on Kenmore appliances seems to yellow faster and more than the plastic on other makers’ machines. And by the way, did you see the new colors GE has? The new Adora washer & dryer are now the Cadillac of the industry. I fell in love when I saw them.
pam kueber says
what colors are they?
Marta says
We don’t use bleach because of the septic system (and the wood floor under the wall ovens and my clutzyness, lol). Kenmore doesn’t actually make any appliances. My double oven is a Kenmore-branded GE, and has so many design defects that GE and I are no longer speaking. But, I wonder if the specs are different depending on what name is going on it?
Tom says
I’ve seen in a few web pages that hydrogen peroxide can un-yellow some plastics. Some of the before-and-after pix are pretty impressive. A web search would give you some procedures to try if you’re game to give it a shot!
lady brett says
oh my – i had just decided to give up on buying countertops and make my own of wood…but maybe i should reconsider! i love the ellipses pattern (and i love red counters).
Lynne says
Normally I am a big fan of color, but, I am REALLY liking the gray’s the best.
75Heather says
I’m really digging the grays, too – the Ellipse and Endless patterns are my favorites! I love color, too, but I really like gray as a neutral base so the colors can really pop against it. Plus, I go through phases with my favorite colors. For the last few years, it’s been aqua. Before that, it was smoky blue or deep red or teal…. If I based my countertop choice on my color-of-the-moment, I’d likely regret it within a couple of years. IMO, gray gives you the versatility to change your accessories, your paint colors, your artwork, etc., with less expense.
My home was built in ’64 but the countertops were replaced in probably the 80’s, judging by the poopy brown marbley formica that was put on the countertops. It’s falling apart and really needs to be replaced. Due to budgetary reasons, I’ve been considering butcher block, but with these new formica patterns, I might actually rethink that! Just might go with gray Endless, with aluminum trim. That would look pretty sharp. 🙂
Mark says
Great news, but still waiting for the vintage “freckled” looks as well… 😉
KL says
I’m in love! And just in time for the kitchen remodel I’m planning. Thanks for sharing.
ashley minter says
o.m.g.! we are redoing our 1949 camper and i need new countertops/tabletop. i have been so bummed because they quit producing the boomerang. any idea when these will be available for order?
pam kueber says
ashley, I just received these materials. I already have an email in, asking: How much will they cost (Home Depot prices) and when will they be available. I’ll add the info just as soon as I get it!
ashley minter says
thanks! i will keep watching the site. =)
pam kueber says
Info just received from Formica, and added to story:
Same pricing as standard laminate.
Not promoted in the big box stores initially but if a consumer asked for it they would be able to order it from them.
Available January 31st.
Nita says
Just in time for me to order new laminate countertops for my kitchen, since one of my sections of yellow “cracked ice” is cracked all of the way across… I’m just waiting for this year’s tax refund before I order, so this will be perfect!
Amy in Sacramento, CA says
Thanks for asking that, Ashley. We just bought a 1960 Oasis trailer, and am in the same situation you are (I was going to ask the same thing!) If we can’t get boomerang, I’d even go for a cross-hatch type of pattern or gold flecks…but with a pink background. Any chance they’ll add more colors, Pam?
pam kueber says
You CAN still get boomerangs from other manufacturers, although they are going to cost more than Formica from the big box: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/20/boomerang-laminate-3-designs-14-colors-available-today/
SEE ALL MY COUNTERTOP RESEARCH IN kitchens/countertops category!
Eva says
Formica makes boomerang!
pam kueber says
Yes – but charcoal only. See my story on the three companies that make boomerang laminate — 14 color/designs in all: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/20/boomerang-laminate-3-designs-14-colors-available-today/