Courtesy of Hirshfield's
We are calling it: color is officially back in. The dominant days of all-white kitchens and millennial gray rooms are fading, and other shades of the rainbow are reentering the home design scene. Midwest Design spoke with Wendy Doornink, color services manager at Hirshfield’s, to discern which colors are trending, and how can you thoughtfully infuse your home with them.
What Paint Colors Are Trending Right Now?
Chelsie Lopez
Yes, color is in, but there is some nuance to that statement. For one, many homeowners are thinking about colors in terms of personal wellness, explains Doornink.
“There’s a big trend towards wellness design … we are moving away from all the technology that we’re using all the time,” she explains, adding that people are looking for comfort and antidotes to the stresses of our tech-forward, fast-paced world. For that reason, she’s seeing a massive shift to restorative greens and other colors that reflect the natural world.
And while stark white and gray might be on their way out, soothing neutrals that call back to the outdoors are dominant, for homeowners shy away from bolder hues. Warm beiges like deep khaki and rich, and slightly muted colors like Benjamin Moore’s color of the year pick, Silhouette, are popular options.
Additionally, “boozy” colors, like hues reminiscent of wine and bourbon, are also trending—as homeowners think more intentionally about how comfort and color work together.
Doornink is also seeing the color-drenching trend hold strong. “I’m seeing [color-drenching] a lot in one special room—a sunroom, a den, or an office. In a space that feels cozy, cocoon-y, one that you want to spend a lot of time in that brings in all the warmth.”
She’s also observing a shift toward authenticity—homeowners are less concerned with chasing trends and are opting to embrace colors that bring them joy instead. “Find the one that you love. Just go with it!” she says.
Wallpaper and Murals Are Making a Comeback
Scott Amundson
Hirshfield’s also sells wall coverings, and Doornink is seeing people embrace botanical wallpaper, textured wallpaper (like grass cloth), and even wall murals right now. Adding wall coverings to a powder room, or somewhere unexpected—like the dining room ceiling—can add pops of color and visual interest to a room.
Chelsie Lopez
For those wary of something so bold, Doornink says there are many websites that can create renderings of what a wallpaper would look like in your space. York Wallcoverings, for example, has a room previewer tool that allows you to upload an image of your room and test wall coverings with AR technology.
Beyond the Wall: Other Uses of Color
Courtesy of Hirshfield's
Painting your walls is one of the easiest ways to add color to a room, but there are other applications, too. You can keep your walls more neutral and use artwork, punchy furniture, and other colorful decor to add personality to a room.
“There’s a little slogan I saw, and it was ‘poetry over perfection,’ which I thought was great,” Doornink says. “Get an interesting red chair. Bring it in, see what you think. Maybe it works!”
She also acknowledges that after many years of whites and grays, it may feel a little foreign to drench your room in color. “If you have a millennial gray home, just start bringing color in slowly,” she advises. “Bring in texture, bring in handcrafted [items]—anything that feels time worn. Those are the things that can really make a difference.”
Read this next: 5 Expert Tips for How to Paint a Room
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