Every year brings new trends in fashion, beauty and interiors - and colour is the ultimate style barometer. Whether you're into muted tones, dark hues or painting the whole rainbow, there's always a fresh look to try at home. Here's our breakdown of the killer colour trends for 2018...

Pantone - the global authority on everything related to colour - has proclaimed a vivid shade of purple as their colour of 2018. "Ultra Violet can transform a room into one of extraordinary self-expression, or conversely its polish can tone down a room with subdued, modern pairings," they said. Until Valspar offer Pantone's official colour in store, go ahead and add splashes of purple to get ahead of the style curve. We love this shade, Blueberry Mash.

Dulux's colour of the year is a soft dusky rose named Heartwood that contrasts beautifully with Ultra Violet. Use this soothing chalky pink alongside a dark accent hue to create a chilled out bedroom with a sleek contemporary edge.

Dark charcoal colours have been covering the walls of fashionable homes for a few years now but these are now moving over for inky blue tones. Contrast deep navies with white painted woodwork to create a moody romantic French feel in a bedroom or team them with vibrant pops of pink or lime to make your snug or cinema room a talking point.

Maybe it's part of the 90s revival but terracotta is set to return in a big way. This rich, earthy red with brown tones works well with ethnic prints, 70s style and as a vibrant background for a living space. This shade called Very Terracotta is from Dulux's 2018 colour trend Kinship. Mix it up with moss greens and soft peaches or use alone with white in a bright sunny room for a Mediterranean vibe.

PPG Paints' colour of 2018 is called Black Flame, a deep black with an indigo undertone. It's described as "evoking the privacy, hope and classic modernism that many consumers crave today. Embodying the spirit of a tailored tuxedo or a little black dress, it is dressed-up, coveted, unapologetic and – most importantly – timeless."

Dunn-Edwards' colour of 2018 is called Green Hour, a teal that teams well with both bright primary colours and pastels. This grey-blue-green takes its inspiration from turn-of-the-century Paris, when 5 o’clock became known as 'The Green Hour' due to the popularity of absinthe at this time. Dunn-Edwards' research has also found that green will be trending in all colour values from cool greens, warm greens, blackened greens and complex greens to grey-greens.

Moving into the brighter greens, avocado is making a comeback too. You might associate avocado with a 1970s bathroom but high-end British paint and wallpaper producer Farrow & Ball have created a much riper take on the hue, suited to soft lilacs and pops of turquoise for a contemporary country home feel. Use it also with bright whites and dabs of pink to create a room with a year-round summery feel.

If you don't have the time or the budget to decorate a whole room, you can tap into these colour trends on pieces of furniture. Painted chairs are making a comeback - nail the look for 2018 with shades of ripe avocado and lavender, which is fast becoming the new neutral for the fashion forward.

Colour is going to increasingly be used in the bathroom with white sanitaryware giving way to colourful baths, basins, bidets and toilets. For now though, add a touch of luxury by painting a feature wall or the underside of a freestanding bath tub in an opulent gold or bronze.

Seaside themes never date and Sherwin-Williams' colour of 2018 is a jewel-coloured blue that the company claims "offers a sense of the familiar with a hint of the unknown". Use to inspire contemplative thought in a study or introspection in a light-starved snug. This is a colour that works equally well in a contemporary and period setting.

One of Dulux's trends for 2018 is called Reflect. Made up of mossy greens, plummy reds and moody blues, the range embraces classic English style with an expensive feel. This is high end decorating with a moody opulence. Team with luxurious gold accessories, a mix of textures and marble.

The hottest, reddest red is all over the catwalk for 2018 and it works so well when teamed up with the new charcoal shades. This orange-red, for example, lifts rich midnight navy. Use this combination to create an ultra modern teen bedroom or to brighten a naturally dark room such as an entrance hallway or cloakroom.

Palettes of soft muted pastels have been prevalent for a few years, but now these delicate shades have been taken up a gear to make them more vibrant. Shake up a miky backdrop with furniture and accessories in peach, zesty lemon and calming soft taupes to create a room that is both instantly energising and yet also chilled.

Trend forecasting company WGSN finds that our craving for nature and comfort is drawing many of us towards colours taken from the natural world: leafy greens, sea blues, misty sky blues and earthy and sandy tones. These hues help us to switch off from the connected world that can easily crowd our every waking moment. Use the brighter tones in busy rooms such as the kitchen or study and more neutral pigments in the bedroom and bathroom.

Neutrals never date but to bring them in to 2018 add some deep, dark accents perhaps to the skirting board, window and door frames or fire surround. Warm up this monochrome back drop with natural materials, gently textured soft furnishings and a few gem-coloured accessories and you have a cosy inviting room with a classic timeless quality.

Sherwin-Williams has forecast three key trends for 2018, one of these is Sincerity, which is inspired by our desire to declutter, to move our assets into the cloud and enjoy the unfiltered silence. Influenced by Hygge, minimalism and Instagram, it draws on a palette of soft greys, sands and hazy botanicals. Perfect for a formal living or dining room.

Another Dulux colour trend for 2018, the Essential trend is inspired by timeless home comforts and also borrows a lot from the Nordic tradition of Hygge. This calm and nurturing palette features colours found in nature such as soft brown, sand and grey green, all the ingredients for a chilled out bedroom.

Continuing this idea of turning our home into an inner sanctuary that lets us disconnect from modern life and unwind, one of Behr's key 2018 colour palettes is all about creating a mindful space. It describes its key paint for this, Kombucha, as "a soft honey-touched gold that brings joy to the inner self." Combine with pale taupes to create a classically serene living room or whites for a fresh feeling entrance hallway.

Still in holiday mode, but on a more exotic level, one of Jotun's trends for 2018 is entitled Lush Garden and is described as: "Lush blue-green rainforest hues reconnecting us with the organic, energised by touches of yellow and the soft pink of sunrise. Colour carries the spirit of these surroundings into the home creating a calming sense of sanctuary." Use these hues to create a spa-like ensuite bathroom and dressing area.

When we're searching for comfort we look back to times when we perceive that things were better. This is why chalky vintage palettes are seeing something of a renaissance this year. Use them to evoke the feeling of yesteryear in the bathroom and team them with fresh whites to keep them feeling fresh and bright.

Valspar released their Perfect White at the end of 2017 and its timeless quality never goes out of fashion. This is the purest, whitest white without any hint of colour. The beauty of pure white is that it is a canvas for light; enjoy the interplay of shadows and feel connected to nature as the sun tints the room in various hues. It's also a great way to start the new year, no?

That urban industrial look that has been around for a while now has been softened with Jotun's new colour trend for 2018. Named City Motions this palette swaps strong greys and blacks for a cross-section of blues and soft greys. "Cool deep blues, marble greys and warm-weathered woodland browns create a palette of soulful simplicity," Jotun explains.

Another of Jotun's colour trends for 2018 is called Silent Serenity. The company describes this palette as: "Tonal desert colours, muted peach and sandy browns coming together in relaxed environments whispering tales of sun-warmed lands. This nomadic palette interweaves cultures. Taking its cues from natural light, open air and soft earth. Here time seems to slow down, giving you space to breathe." Use in a formal lounge or entrance hallway.

Another of Sherwin-Williams' colour forecast for 2018 is a second teal shade called Peacock Blue. It describes this as "everyday nomadism" and says it is designed for shared spaces to add a pop of thoughtful and uplifting colour, so it would work particularly well in a library area or study.

It's not just the inside of your home that can be colorful. In a bid to lift the general gloom you will increasingly see vibrancy injected into the exterior of homes too this year. Paint the front door in a vibrant lime green and no one will ever have trouble finding your house again.

Another one of the breakthrough brights for 2018, electric blue is a fresh take on a bright accent colour. Use it to add colour to your outdoor space - the number of shades of paint available for garden furniture and buildings has grown extensively in recent years and this palette will only be added to further in 2018.

This spicy yellow touches on the trend for African prints and warm colours. "From autumn leaves to fields of wheat, ochre tones are associated with all things natural," says Dulux. "When used in decorating, they instantly evoke a cosy and intimate feel, making them a perfect choice for entranceways or in any space where you want to make guests feel at home. Ochre looks particularly glorious with timber flooring and tarnished metals, like copper and silver."

Inspired by the Miami trend and holidays in the sun, this fresh mint green is another one of Dulux's colour trends for 2018. Escapade is summed up as: "Taking a colour vacation. A playful clash of colours helps to brighten your space and feels as good as a holiday. Tones of pale mint, teal and blue promise plenty of light-hearted fun." Use in a light-filled garden room or conservatory and tone done the sweetness with contrasting blood red accents.