Back Online with the Kakkoii Speaker in Pantone Colours

We have been a little quiet lately, and we are sorry about that. Life, work and a few home projects got in the way. But we are back online, and what better way to return than with something that makes a lot of noise, in the nicest possible way? Our latest find is the Kakkoii speaker range, a collection of small Bluetooth speakers dressed in Pantone colours.

Kakkoii is a Japanese word that roughly translates as cool or stylish, and these little speakers live up to the name. They are the kind of gadget you are happy to leave out on a shelf rather than hiding in a drawer.

Why we love the Kakkoii speaker

Technology and interiors have not always been comfortable bedfellows. For years, speakers came in black, black or silver, and were designed to disappear. The Kakkoii speaker takes the opposite approach. It treats colour as part of the design, so the speaker becomes an accent in a room rather than an eyesore.

The appeal is simple:

• Compact size. Small enough to carry from kitchen to bathroom to garden.
• Wireless convenience. Bluetooth means no trailing cables across the worktop.
• Colour as a feature. Each speaker is linked to a named Pantone shade, so you can pick one that suits your scheme.
• Giftability. A colourful speaker makes an easy present for design lovers and teenagers alike.

Good design does not stop at the sofa and the curtains. The gadgets we leave on show deserve a little thought too.

Pantone speakers and the joy of colour

Pantone is the colour-matching system used by designers, printers and manufacturers around the world, and its numbered chips have become something of a design icon in their own right. Using Pantone colours on everyday objects is a clever idea: it gives each product a precise, recognisable shade and a name, which makes choosing between them half the fun.

Some of the Pantone speakers we have spotted carry names such as Caviar, a deep near-black, with the Pantone reference printed as part of the design. It is a small detail, but it turns a gadget into something that feels collectable.

Styling Pantone-colour Bluetooth speakers at home

Because Pantone-colour Bluetooth speakers are so small, they are easy to work into your styling. A few ideas:

1. Pick a pop. In a neutral room, a single bright speaker in teal, coral or yellow can act like a cushion or vase, adding a flash of colour.
2. Match your accents. Choose a shade that echoes a print, rug or piece of ceramic in the same room, so the speaker looks intentional.
3. Go tonal. In a dark, moody scheme, a deep shade speaker blends in quietly.
4. Give it a perch. A shelf, a stack of books or a small side table shows it off; for display ideas, see our post on Cubit shelving.

Wood and colour make a lovely combination too. A timber-cased speaker against a teal wall, or a bright speaker on a pale oak shelf, brings warmth to what could otherwise feel like a purely technical object.

What to check before you buy

Pretty is good, but a speaker still has to sound decent and work reliably. Specifications for small Bluetooth speakers vary a great deal between models and retailers, so check the details on the box or the seller's page rather than assuming. Look at:

• Battery life and how the speaker charges.
• Bluetooth version and compatibility with your phone or tablet.
• Size and weight, especially if you plan to carry it around.
• Returns policy, in case the sound is not what you hoped.

Small speakers are best for background music, podcasts and radio rather than filling a big room at party volume, so set your expectations accordingly.

Looking back

When we wrote this post, colourful Bluetooth speakers were still a novelty. Today almost every brand offers a rainbow of finishes, and Pantone-branded products appear in all sorts of categories. Ranges like these change frequently, so the exact models we saw may no longer be on sale. The principle, though, still stands: the objects we live with every day are worth choosing with care. For more on design that blends wit and function, see our feature on Alberto Alessi, and for a different kind of colour hit, our final paint selections.

Questions readers ask

What is a Kakkoii speaker?

Kakkoii speakers are small, colourful Bluetooth speakers. Some models are linked to named Pantone shades, so the colour becomes part of the design.

What does kakkoii mean?

Kakkoii is a Japanese word that roughly translates as cool or stylish.

What should I check before buying Pantone speakers?

Specifications vary by model and seller, so check battery life, Bluetooth version, size, weight and the returns policy on the box or the seller's page.