2023 Interior Paint Color Trends

2023 is gearing up to be a year of dramatic transformations for our homes! We have seen many world-changing events these past few years, which has prompted us to create more calming indoor environments. Expect to start seeing more vibrant shades and color combinations rise in popularity, as well as an emphasis on emotional wellbeing and focus on curation of materials that are kinder on both our interiors and the environment. It is important for us now, more than ever, to find ways for our living spaces to contribute to our mental well being. Whether you're in a place in life where you need calming energy — or you have the need to be expressive — choosing the right colors can help you get there.

SEEING RED (and magenta...and terracotta...and orange)

Previously we've been seeing light pinks and blushes ruling supreme in interior paint color schemes, but now more energetic reds will rule. Red, orange, and terracotta colors are expected to soar in popularity this year due to their ability to take people out of their comfort zones and be more expressive with their color choices. 

Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year is Viva Magenta. This color is a shade of fuchsia that has both warm and cool tones making it a versatile addition to various color palettes. While it goes well with other reddish hues, like coral and maroon, it’s especially striking when mixed with rich jewel tones. A personal favorite combination of ours is pairing fuchsias with a turquoise tone.

Pantone notes that as virtual reality and multiverses become more and more prominent aspects of our everyday lives, a shade like Viva Magenta is able to thrive in both worlds. "Viva Magenta is a celebratory color—it's more active and has vigor attached to it," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "We are trying to encourage and uplift people who use it."

EARTH TONES

"Brown is an earth tone, meaning it makes us feel grounded and more connected to nature," says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. "People are looking to bring warmth into the home but they also are looking to bring energy into their spaces, and browns can help a space feel both warm and lively."

If the 2023 Sherwin Williams Color of the Year is any indication, warm earthy tones are here to stay. Compared to the earthy colors that were popular in the 1990s, these shades are more boho and mid-century modern feeling. Popular choices for wall paint, furniture, and home decor will be muted shades of terracotta, green, yellow, and plum.

Sherwin Williams' color of the year is Redend Point. This is a warm blush beige that works well as a warm accent color when combined with cooler tones. The importance of color choices has even prompted Sherwin Williams to recently partner with Etsy to release a home decor collection that coordinates with their 2023 color of the year.

WARM NEUTRALS

Gray has had its day! Now, warm neutrals will dominate in 2023. We're moving away from cooler gray tones, which have been used for the last decade. Now we want our spaces to feel kinder and warmer.  Stark whites and grays will take a back seat to warmer whites and beiges.

Further proof of this is Behr’s 2023 Color of the Year, which is Blank Canvas. Their selection is a versatile white that will make your room emit positive energy, providing unlimited possibilities in your home. The color really delivers on its name - it’s the perfect backdrop to any design style, and can easily be paired with any other colors, patterns, and materials. This is a white that you can layer with other whites, creamy ivories, or other neutrals. Blank Canvas pairs well with black, or nature-inspired shades like greens and blues. Warm neutrals embrace comfort and wellness.

GREEN STILL REIGNS SUPREME

Green, which has been gaining popularity in recent years, still remains a go-to shade. With the overlying theme of warming up spaces with color choices, shades of green are the perfect choice to bring the outside in.

Expect to see green used as a neutral. Green has always had a strong association with nature, freshness and relaxation. Over the last few years, designers have started to use it as a more neutral color alongside black, white and other shades of grey. Green works well with so many other colors - from bright oranges to muted blues and yellows - making it perfectly suited for creating beautiful, balanced rooms.

PAIRING WARM AND COOL TONES

With cool grays on their way out, homeowners are mixing warm and cool hues in the same space. This is a great way to slowly update your space. An example of this is mixing cool jewel tones with pops of warm yellows, reds and pinks. This is something we at Ulah Interiors + Design have been doing for awhile. If you decide to mix warm and cool tones within the same space, just make sure to have an overarching vision based on one or the other. A room should never be so mixed in warms and cools that you can’t tell which is more dominant. Make sure one temperature is more prevalent than the other.

As we look at home paint color trends for 2023, we’re seeing trends focusing on vibrant, earthy tones that will make your home feel warm and cozy. In general, the consensus is that we can expect to see lots of red hues, earthy tones, warm neutrals, and pairing warm and cool colors. With so many color trends on the horizon in 2023, there's something to suit everyone's taste! If you're feeling blue about the colors in your home, reach out to us and we'll have you tickled pink! (Okay...yeah, we know that was cheesy. We couldn't help ourselves!)