No wonder countless artists look to color first as the ultimate means of expression and inspiration. There is an incomparable power that comes from looking at a verdant row of trees, a glossy red apple, or the calming blue of the ocean — color is the ultimate vehicle for transformation. Designer Rebecca Atwood knows. In her book Live with Patterns: Color, Texture and Print at home, textile designer and artist has outlined the transforming force found in the colors all around us. “Color is one of the most powerful visual tools we have for influencing the mood of a space. Atwood writes. This transformative traction is also why we were curious to find out what major designers predict will be the biggest paint color trends for 2022.
The most fascinating thing about color is the way it pulls on our emotions in so many different ways and how we, in turn, crave different shades at different times in our lives. No group of artists understands this better than interior designers, who blend colors into our living spaces in a way that speaks to our individual desires and the collective outside world. Every year, a wave of popular interior colors comes out that speaks to zeitgeist opinions. And in 2022, color players are forecast to speak for what we aspire to: Easy. Appease. The warmth. Rested.
Interior designer Shelly Rosenberg, owner and lead designer of Shelly Rosenberg Studio and Acorn & Oak, said: “The past few years have been tough for us. “With everything around us in disarray, we instinctively start looking inward for comfort. Biophilia is our intrinsic urge to connect with nature, and just as little animals burrow creating a cocoon in the soil for them, I see us re-imagining a realistic refuge with cave-like color. “
Featured image by Todd H. Carlson, with support by Marissa Matiyasic.
The 7 most popular interior design colors in 2022 — Forecasted by Aesthetes
#1. Toned Gray Brown and Jade Tone
Farrow & Ball Jitney. Photo courtesy of Farrow & Ball.
There is a natural attraction to innate color that creates a well-founded stability right now. Rosenberg predicts that this respite will be sought in cozy gray-browns and messy jewelry tones. She explains: The gray-brown allows a room to “breathe gently, calming our nervous system like a nap in the soft sunlight. While the jade tones “quietly inspire, but envelop and add weight like a thick blanket.”
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It’s easy to assume that these colors are best suited for a family’s living room or bedroom, says Rosenberg, since they’re designed for our resting state. But she sees these in more unexpected spaces, such as entrance halls, breakfast rooms, and kitchens for the good they bring. This reassuring palette will confidently enter these rooms “to greet us with resilience and confidence for our future,” she notes.
#2. Creamy whites
Benjamin Moore Dove White. Megan Lorenz’s photo provided by Allison Dozier Interiors.
Liz Lipkin, owner and lead designer of Liz Lipkin Interiors, describes this color as neither true white, nor beige. “Think of them as historical or classic whites,” she commented. “These colors all have a soothing and comforting effect that light-skinned people don’t have.” Allison Dozier, owner and lead designer of Allison Dozier Interiors, is also looking to warm whites in 2022. “Warm white is timeless and versatile and goes well with any decor.” Dozier, who used Benjamin Moore’s White Dove in this grand opening, says the kitchen.
Likewise, Rosenberg predicts chalky whites will come into play, as they also provide a calming effect and complement the other background colors of the moment.
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Draw outside the lines when it comes to these whites. While these shades are suitable for a complete living room or bedroom, they are just as inspiring as in study or as a nicely accented wall shade.
#3. Terracotta
Photo by Heather Knierim of HBK photography, with assistance from Jennifer Rhode Design.
Think the beautiful rich clay that covers the Arizona desert or an abraded Italian ship hugging a leafy tree. According to Jennifer Rhode, owner and lead designer of Jennifer Rhode Design. “There’s something about that warmth and realism of that color that I think has a basis right now with all the crazy things going on in the world,” Rhode added. .
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This color is causing rooms to attract a lot of traffic, from kitchens to living rooms to libraries and dormitories. Rhode’s terracotta trend mostly consists of weaving it with accessories, like a potted plant or a stool, or larger pieces including a terracotta bench (like she did in the living room). this guest). If washing the walls in all of the terracotta is too bold a move, she suggests going this route, which goes well with the white walls.
#4. Soft natural gray color
Sherwin Williams Basil. Photo courtesy of Little Black Dresser Interiors.
No other color evokes images of nature and optimism like green, which is why so many designers are running with this color for 2022. “In my mind, it’s always been a neutral, but it pairs well with so many other colors,” says Marissa Matiyasic, lead designer at Reflective Interior Design. “There are so many shades of green that I think we’ll continue to see, ranging from a gentle bluish-gray undertone to a deep emerald.”
Emily Contrucci and Elizabeth Van Maanen, co-owners and co-lead designers of Little Black Dresser Interiors, say they also lean towards the natural green, but more “dusty”. If the word “dust” causes any confusion (ie does it mean dirty?), no fear. Contrucci and Van Maanen say that this adjective simply means that this version of the color is more subtle and muted. Contrucci states: “The dusty color brings in another element, keeping it cozy, subdued, moody but also light and airy.”
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The inherently complementary nature of this soft natural green goes well with “literally any room,” says Matiyasic, who used the Benjamin Moore Porch swing in this regal airy kitchen. said. Contrucci and Van Maanen recommend using low-dust plants for bathrooms, nurseries, and living rooms. They say the key is to think about accents and additions, as bush green creates an unexpected contrast as an accent wall, as well as an incredible layering when painted over cabinets and shelves.
#5: Purple
Purple Petals by Benjamin Moore. Photo courtesy of Susan Bednar Long of SB Long Interiors.
Let’s face it: Life has always been full of difficulties, but recent times have proven that it is especially difficult. Considering this, Susan Bednar Long, owner and lead designer of SB Long Interiors, says 2022 will call for interior colors that infuse our lives with vibration, fun and positivity. . Her top forecast is purple. “Purple shades have a regal origin and especially the softer purple tones and lilac tones have a calming effect and are reminiscent of happy things like candy, flowers and springtime,” she says. guess.
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As this color is meant to lift spirits and evoke smiles – there are no rules. Paint the walls of your bedroom, bathroom, even entryway in this cheerful color. Bednar Long chose it for the client’s breakfast area. As she says, “There are no dull mornings in this space!”
# 6 Seaglass
Benjamin Moore Seaglass. Sara Davis’s photo.
“Remember all the teal colors in the 1990s?” Ask designer and creator Sara Davis. “It’s back and ready to return in 2022 — but in a more complicated way.” Davis, who documents her design projects on her website. Sincerely Sara D., says polls show green and blue as favorites right now, with teal being the medium. “Teal combines the calm serenity of royal blue with the optimism and naturalness inherent in green,” she said.
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Because teal has a subtle elegance that helps encourage calm and reflective moods, she says it’s the perfect color for a bedroom or bathroom. “Blue is the color of tranquility and balance of mind and soul,” she outlines.
#7: Black
Black Behr. Cindi Yang’s photo.
It’s pretty intriguing: Even with all the gravity on earthy, background colors for 2022, one of the most dramatic colors will hold a winning card, and that’s bold black, the influencer on Designer and Creative Cindi Yang said. “There are people who are looking for a bit of change and drama after so many years of it,” says Yang, who believes that black adds “lovely drama” to a room while remaining neutral. established and useful. “I’m definitely starting to see black used a lot more often.”
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According to Yang, black makes the space much more cozy and intimate. She recommends choosing to paint a basement, creative space (like a music studio) or bathroom (seen in Yang’s home) with this deep color. “It’s a great color to help highlight other elements in the room, like playful fabrics or sophisticated metal,” she notes.
