Kitchenaid's new Colour of the Year proves Barbiecore is here to stay in 2023

Kitchenaid's Colour of the Year is always bold, but 2023s might be the brightest twist of the brand's best stand mixer to date. The Colour of the Year 2023 is Hibiscus, a vivid fuscia shade that is giving us some serious Barbiecore vibes and has divided opinions among the Ideal Home team.

If you thought that the hot pink Barbiecore trend that was dominating clothes and home decor trends in 2022 was on the way out, think again. It seems hot pink's colour reign is only just beginning as we edge closer to the release of Greta Gerwig's Barbie Film in July. 

Kitchenaid says that the Hibiscus colour is inspired by the beauty of the Hibiscus flower and is designed to give your kitchen a vibrant mood boost. However, rather than a shiny pink, Kitchenaid has given the shade a sophisticated spin with a matte finish. 

If you're a fan of a green kitchen, then we'd definitely suggest you sit up and take note of this new shade as it might just be the best Kitchenaid colour pairing. Hibiscus and green sit at opposite ends of the colour wheel so the high contrast makes it a vibrant match made in colour heaven. 

The Artisan Stand Mixer will be available in Hibiscus for £699 and Artisan K400 Blender for £329 from kitchenaid.co.uk

Kitchenaid isn't the first brand to predict our love of vibrant shades this year, Pantone named a similar dopamine-inducing colour Viva Magenta as Colour of the Year 2023. In the face of the cost of living crisis and a looming recession, it's unsurprising that many of us are turning to bright shades to cheer ourselves up. The vibrant pink hues of the Barbiecore aesthetic alone have received 173.9M views on TikTok according to research by Piglet in Bed.

The vibrant pink has divided opinions among the Ideal Home team, but one thing is for certain we're all for the growing trend of bold and bright kitchen appliances.

'Not only do I love pink but I absolutely adore KitchenAid mixers, so I think this Colour of the Year is pretty dreamy. I hope the Barbiecore trend continues all year long, and can't wait to see the colour and finish of the mixer in person when we try it out at our testing facility next week,' says Molly Cleary, E-commerce Editor on Ideal Home.

'I look forward to the KitchenAid Colour of the Year every year so I was very excited to see another bold pop of colour for 2023. In my very humble opinion, it doesn't quite beat last year's warm and elegant Beetroot shade,' says Millie Fender, Head of Reviews on Ideal Home.

'But because my social media is currently flooded with beige and white kitchens, Hibiscus is a welcome injection of joyful colour. If this is paving the way for more statement appliances in 2023, I'll be very happy indeed.'

What do you think of this bold new shade?