Cocoon yourself in deep, rich tones, practice mindfulness with new and optimistic neutrals, and reimagine what home really means to you. Industry experts predict that 2021 will be all about using color to reconnect to the places and themes that matter most.
In 2020, the buttoned-up, Gilded-Age drama of Navy (SW 6244) splashed across interiors like star-studded tracts of the night sky. That celestial celebration gives way to something more grounded in 2021: Urbane Bronze (SW 7048), which draws on the comforts of home by cultivating a familiar contemporary retreat from the outside world. “Urbane Bronze encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “There’s also reassurance in its sentimentality, with nostalgic ties to the design of the ‘70s and ‘90s, but with gray undertones that give it a distinctly modern twist.”
The color landscape for interior design in 2022 is swathed in paint shades that make us feel oh-so serene. Ahead, industry experts dish details on the palettes we’ll be seeing more of in the coming year.
It’s high time for some fresh air, wouldn’t you say? Industry experts look to 2022 and see a design landscape infused with colors that make us feel healthy, serene and centered. These clarifying blues, delicate greens and grounded earth tones nudge interiors awake and aim us at a horizon that’s brimming with optimism.
1. The Color Green
Notice anything about every brand’s 2022 color of the year? They’re all going green! And for good reason. According to Houzz, searches for green kitchen cabinets were up 829% in recent months. So where to start? Sherwin-Williams’ 2022 Color of the Year, Evergreen Fog SW 9130, is an earthy green-gray. Glidden’s color of the year, Guacamole PPG1121-5, is a zesty green that would be right at home in a cheery kitchen. And PPG’s color of the year, Olive Sprig PPG1125-4, offers a subdued spin on the trending color.
2. …And All the Other Colors of Nature
Mother Nature knows best. Alongside green, several other colors plucked straight from nature are on the rise. Instead of committing to one color of the year, Valspar dreamed up an entire palette based on the soothing hues found in nature. They’re not alone–HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams selected a seriously soothing blue, Aleutian HGSW3355, as its color of the year and Behr went blue-green with Breezeway MQ3-21.
3. Nostalgic Hues
It’s no wonder we’re seeing a general sense of nostalgia creep into color palettes for 2022, since recent years have brought trends like grandmillennial style and cottagecore (though we’d argue wicker and chintz transcend trends). Farrow & Ball selected five colors as standouts for 2022 that, as Farrow & Ball’s color curator Joa Studholme put it, “extol the virtues of a simple life.” And they include, yep, you guessed it, a green! The full list is: Babouche No.223, School House White No.291, Breakfast Room Green No.81, Stone Blue No.86, and Incarnadine No.248.
4. Using Color To Designate Space for Work, Play, Rest
When work from home (and school at home and workout at home and…you get the idea) became the norm in 2020, it only made sense people wanted creative ways to make their spaces work harder. Houzz reports that dedicated spaces for work, hobbies, and entertainment are a major emerging trend. The 2022 interior paint trends reflect that, with colors that strategically set the tone. Take a page from PPG’s ‘inspired’ palette for the year ahead, and designate spaces for play and creativity using mood-boosting hues.
5. Clean and Classic Colors in the Kitchen
Green may be the color on everyone’s mind, but we’re hoping to see a few others make an appearance in kitchens next year. Citrus hues, white, and shades of blue are classic and will always feel fresh. Try the aforementioned Guacamole PPG1121-5 by Glidden for splashy lime cabinets or one of our favorite white shades for a kitchen that’s equal parts on-trend and timeless.