Antalis and Design & Practice reimagine Keaykolour with a hands-on tool for exploring colour

For generations, designers have relied on swatch books and print samples, but a new tool from Antalis suggests there’s a more interactive way. To celebrate the relaunch of Keaykolour, a premium collection of 45 distinctive coloured papers, Antalis has partnered with Amsterdam-based consultancy Design & Practice to create an educational and tactile instrument that rethinks how creatives explore colour.

At the heart of the campaign is a philosophy inspired by Josef Albers’s book Interaction of Color, which puts forward the theory that no colour exists in isolation. The Keaykolour tool brings this principle to life through a series of cards that can be layered, overlaid and juxtaposed. Featuring cut-out windows, marquetry-style combinations and processes such as micro-embossed hot foils and 3D sculpted embossing, the tool encourages users to discover unexpected harmonies and shifting relationships between hues. “We wanted to create a tool that was less of a static library and more of a dynamic laboratory,” says Ruben de la Rive Box, creative director at Design & Practice.

For creatives, the value is both practical and poetic. The tool doubles as a quick way to mock up colour combinations for projects while also deepening understanding of colour as an emotional and relational experience. “Our goal was to create an instrument that would empower exploration,” says Design & Practice co-founder Golnar Roshan. “By giving creatives confidence with colour, you open up new ways of telling stories and connecting with audiences.”

The refreshed Keaykolour range itself reflects the same ethos. Now part of the Creative Power by Antalis collection (which also notably includes icons such as Conqueror, Olin, Curious, Rives and Delos) the brand has been repositioned with a clear strategic vision. The palette spans tints, shades, and weights across its 45 hues, alongside new extra rough black-and-white papers and tactile embossed finishes. “Keaykolour brings together tradition, innovation and tactile beauty,” says Jérôme Noyelle of Antalis. “Our aim is to provide creatives with not just a premium coloured paper, but with a rich and complete palette that supports their ideas and enhances their work.”

For Antalis, the relaunch is an affirmation of paper’s enduring role in creative culture. At a time when digital tools dominate, Keaykolour’s renewed identity and interactive tool remind us that physical experience and sensory engagement remain powerful drivers of inspiration.