The new year brings new beginnings or changes. For almost two years, many people have worked from home at least part of that time. While being inside more, you may have noticed some opportunities for improvement in your surroundings.
If you look around your home, have you seen areas that need work? What about the paint on your interior walls? Is it fading or flaking? Does your color scheme still appeal to you? Maybe your tastes have changed and you’re ready for something different.
With hundreds of paint colors and hues to choose from, it may be challenging to choose the right ones. Perhaps this article can help inform you of the latest trends in paint colors for this year. You might find one or several that catch your eye.
Popular Paint Colors for the New Year
Paint manufacturers are constantly creating new shades of paint. There are subtle variances in each hue that may not be very apparent but, once they’re on the walls, they will make a difference. We’ve done a little research to find out the top colors customers prefer.
You’ll notice most of these new paint colors reflect those of nature. They encourage calm, regrowth, and rejuvenation after two years of worry, stress, and chaos.
Because the major paint manufacturers have their own specific names for their colors, we’ve also included the company name in the description. The colors are not necessarily listed in order of most to least popular because individual opinions vary. Rather, the list is compiled in random order.
1. Very Peri
This shade, offered by Pantone, was selected by the company as its color of the year. It’s a new color consisting of shades of periwinkle blue with a vivacious violet-red. It’s a color combination that is invigorating and dynamic.
Pantone has chosen their color of the year for the past 23 years. Each year, the selected color has influenced not only paint colors but also fashion, furnishings, and interior design.
2. October Mist
Benjamin Moore Paints selected October Mist as its color of the year. This silver-green light sage hue will blend with many other colors and designs to bring your room together. Warm and inviting, it’s versatile enough to use in almost any room.
3. Evergreen Fog
A bit deeper and darker than the October Mist described above, the Evergreen Fog shade by Sherwin Williams adds a touch of blue to the mix. It’s a warm hue that creates a subtle, but stunning backdrop for almost every room in the home.
4. Art and Craft
The name of this new color creation isn’t very descriptive as to what shade it is, but it represents a classic hue that is tied to nature. Dunn-Edwards Paints developed this new paint color and selected it as their color of the year. They tout it as a great foundation color that brings other colors together. It creates a warm and cozy environment that connects us to the earth and nature. It is available in both interior and exterior paints.
5. Laurel Leaf
The trending colors this year seem to be leaning a lot toward the greenish-gray hues. Laurel Leaf, by Better Homes and Gardens, is one more making the list. Better Homes and Gardens paints can only be found at Walmart. This shade of warm dusty green evokes the desire this year to incorporate more elements of nature, specifically eucalyptus leaves. It pairs well with other earthy tones.
6. Aleutian
Sherwin Williams has created a Softened Refuge paint palette collection under their HGTV Home division. This collection includes paint colors that encompass feelings of comfort and relaxation. The Aleutian shade resembles faded denim, a soft, warm hue that blends with other colors of nature and evokes feelings of calmness.
7. Guacamole
Here’s another green shade of paint introduced by Glidden. Guacamole is a zesty, yet soothing color that can be used in almost any room. It pairs well with other neutral colors of nature, as well as black and white.
8. Breezeway
Another beautiful and soft shade of green, Breezeway by Behr also includes touches of blue and silver to create this unique hue. The color evokes feelings of tranquility, while at the same time is lively and energizing. Erika Woelfel, Behr's vice president of color and creative services, calls Breezeway "a color that welcomes a hopeful sense of renewal, restoration, and healing."
9. Olive Sprig
What do you know, another beautiful green paint shade! Created by PPG Paints, Olive Sprig is a silvery-green hue that reminds us of the aloe vera plant, a soothing and healing source. It represents regrowth and the resiliency of nature as we adapt to new ways of living post-pandemic. You can even paint your kitchen cabinets this color with an abundance of white accents in the room.
10. Terra Cotta
Staying within the tones of nature, Terra Cotta by Farrow & Ball also adds some spice to the room. With its subtle orange undertone, it looks great paired with other earthy tones like deep browns, sage greens, and light cream shades.
Where to Use these New Paint Colors
If you like any or all of these new paint colors, you may be wondering where you can use them. Since paint colors can affect your mood, you want to make sure you’re not painting a bedroom in a color that instills feelings of energy or intensity. If you’re painting an office, you’ll want a color that inspires you and encourages productivity.
There are basically two distinct types of color categories, cool and warm. Warm colors are associated with sunlight and heat. They create a warm, lively, energetic, and inviting space. Cool colors relate to nature, like water, sky, and plants. They generate a calm and relaxing mood.
Scanning through the 10 colors listed here, they mostly fall into the “cool colors” category. That means that they can be used in almost every environment where you want to inspire calmness, relaxation, and reduced stress. Bedrooms, family rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, spas, medical institutions, and any other room or area where your goal is to chill out and unwind.
Cool colors probably wouldn’t be ideal in rooms or locations where you want to inspire energy, productivity, or creativity. Warm colors are better for those intentions. Stick with the reds, yellows, oranges, and brighter colors for places like gyms, classrooms, recreation centers, and the like.
DIY or Hire a Professional Painter?
If you’re thinking about tackling a home painting project by yourself, you may want to consider a few factors. It can take more time and effort than you might think, even if you’re just painting one room. Here are some reasons why you should consider hiring a painting professional.
1. Quality Results
A reputable professional has been trained and is experienced in the proper techniques of painting. They don’t skip on the prep because they know it’s the most important step in ensuring a smooth and lasting finish. Professionals have the tools and equipment needed to do the job right.
2. Time and Effort
Painting involves more than just slapping a couple coats of paint on a wall. Protecting furnishings with drop cloths, taping areas that won’t be painted, moving around crowded rooms – all these are part of the process. If you’re doing it yourself, the project will probably last much longer because it a) takes an amateur longer to complete, and b) it’s not your day job and you’ll get interrupted by other responsibilities..
3. Convenience
The room you’re painting may not be usable for the duration of the painting project. Because an amateur usually takes longer to get the job done, this causes more inconvenience for your family. Plus, part of a professional painter’s responsibility is to keep the project area as clean and clear as possible to minimize disruptions. And when the project’s done, there will be no debris or mess left for you to clean up!
4. Extra Prep Is Needed
If the surface to be painted is damaged, a professional can repair these imperfections easily. If there are lots of nicks or gouges in the wall, the drywall will need to be repaired or replaced. The pros have the expertise to recognize flaws and to correct them before applying the paint.
5. Safety
If you’re painting high walls or ceilings, or the exterior of a multi-story building, there are always risks of falling and getting severely injured. Professionals have extension ladders, scaffolds, and other equipment that they use for hard-to-reach areas. They usually follow safety guidelines to help them avoid accidents. Make sure any professional painter you hire is covered by insurance to limit your liability in the event of injury or damages.
Let The Painting Pros Handle It!
When you’re ready for a fresh paint job and want to try new color schemes, contact The Painting Pros. We have been in business since 1978, beautifying homes and commercial properties. We have a color consultant on staff, so you can discuss these new trendy paint colors with her and get some more ideas to boot!
Contact us today to get a free consultation on your next painting project.