Diriyah Tan: The Color That Became a Place

ow do you translate centuries of culture into a modern identity — through architecture, narrative, or color?

Pantone just gave us a masterclass.

Their collaboration with Diriyah Company l شركة الدرعية resulted in Diriyah Tan, a color born from the earth, inspired by the heritage architecture of Saudi Arabia’s birthplace.

But it’s more than aesthetic.
It’s a symbol of belonging, a bridge between heritage, place, and modern identity.

"We walked the ancient pathways of Diriyah, our eyes drinking in the sunbaked earthen walls, our hands feeling textures shaped by generations. From this immersion was born Diriyah Tan—not just a color, but a feeling." —Pantone

Before I began writing, I spent years as a Creative Director shaping visual identities for brands across industries.
And every time, I learned the same truth:
Color isn’t decoration, it’s direction.
It defines how people feel before they ever read a word or step inside a space.

That’s the same truth Pantone captured with Diriyah Tan.

Color as emotion.
Color as storytelling.
Color as memory.

You can see that same principle in hospitality’s most timeless brands:

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 — Partnered with Pantone to create a bespoke shade, 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯, a visual thread that reflects calm, heritage, and quiet luxury.
𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘀 — Recently refreshed its identity with 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯, inspired by the landscapes surrounding its properties. A hue that signals its shift from luxury to meaning.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 — Its iconic 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘬-𝘢𝘯𝘥-𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 palette has become inseparable from its identity, instantly setting the emotional tone for its place in luxury hospitality.

Each of these palettes 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 before it tells.
They don’t just decorate the stay, they define it.

Now imagine if the rest of hospitality used color that way.

Every shade could become your emotional strategy:
• 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗮 that warms you the moment you arrive.
• 𝗢𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻 tones that slow your breath.
• 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀 that remind you to rest.

Color plays a bigger role than most admit.
It’s not a final touch, it’s a language.
One that shapes emotion, atmosphere, and belonging long before a guest ever checks in.

Remember:
Beauty draws you in.
But emotion brings you back.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

That’s the true power of color, and the most underrated tool in modern brand building.