Saffron, a brilliant, golden-yellow that recalls the color of the rising sun, instantly inspires positivity and joy.  A gorgeous color in its own right, Saffron has been the subject of songs, red carpet ‘wow’ moments, and in terms of foodie culture, a much sought-after spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus. Since each flower has only three thread-like stigmas which have to be harvested and then dried for approximately 12 hours, it can take up to 16,000 flowers to produce just over two pounds of saffron spice. To put it lightly—Saffron, in all its forms, offers quite the unique appeal.

While we love every color on the spectrum, we were drawn to the cheerful nature and versatility of this earthy shade. It’s at once transportive and nostalgic— travelers with a wanderlust bent might harken back to their days exploring the Tuscan hills while Francophiles are instantly taken back to the light dusting the rolling vineyards and olive groves of Provence. Mid-century design buffs on the other hand, might imagine themselves in a Slim Aarons photograph or poolside in Palm Springs. If you’ve ever attended Modernism Week in the desert resort city, you’ll understand why. Saffron is a color that inspires contemplation, creativity, and cheer in any style or form—and the reason we added it to our Build Your True collection of custom finishes and hardware solutions. Possibilities in use stretch as far as the imagination can go. For example, while Scottish singer/songwriter Donovan was not referring to any sort of design in his 1966 hit song “Mellow Yellow,” he certainly managed to instill a laid-back, 60s-style cool association with the color. His lyrics for the song, which begin with  “I’m just mad about Saffron,” forever intertwined the happy tune with the word and the color. When The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” also nabbed the number two spot on the U.S. charts that same year, the color was solidified as a symbol of idyllic cheer. Regardless of the underlying meanings of the songs, we can agree on one thing: we’re just mad about Saffron!

So, it appears, is Porsche. In 2017, the luxury German car manufacturer released a striking, multi-coat Saffron Yellow Metallic hue to spice up its 911 Turbo models. The lustrous, brilliant finish—which requires four coats of paint and intermediate sanding—created a media frenzy in the automotive world. The color is just as head-swiveling on the red carpet, as Michelle Williams found out when she wore a saffron-colored Vera Wang dress to the 78th Academy Awards in 2006. Regardless of the year, the dress is touted to this day as the pinnacle of Oscar-worthy attire. Cosmopolitan even cited it as one of the best Oscar dresses of all time, describing Williams as “straight out of an old Hollywood film.” At the risk of repeating ourselves, we’re just MAD about saffron. Which is why designers and homeowners can now outfit any of our units—from full-size to indoor/outdoor undercounter units—in our beguiling Saffron finish.