The late great decorator, who passed away in 2018, would be pleased to see the spectrum of shades and tints that are poised to dominate our homes in the year ahead, according to Mario Buatta, with characteristic wit. We’ve come a long way since straight-laced, all-white rooms; experts predict a rainbow-bright renaissance as we emerge from 3 (have we got that right?) years of uncertainty.
Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at the trend forecasting agency WGSN, tells us: “The colors [consumers] choose reflect their moods—and they are much more open to how, when, and where they use them.” In 2023, colors will reflect well-being, discovery, acceptance, transformation, comfort, simplicity, and (why not) pleasure.
There are some of these observations that might sound like sound bites from your last therapy session, but the It hues we’ve seen emerge over the past few years show a collective desire for coziness and closeness to nature (read: green-everything) as well as more expressive materials (see bold marble, one of the year’s biggest trends). As Sherwin-Williams’ Sue Wadden says, warmth is one of the most important themes of 2023. Colors that evoke kindness, serenity, and empathy are replacing the cool grays of the past decade.
The color experts we spoke to also said that there had emerged a genre of colors that are literally out-of-this-world: “Near-neons and hyper-brights are also making a comeback, driven by the metaverse, with colors making an impact both digitally and physically,” Ribaldi says. In order to achieve this, Gen Zers must use vibrant, bold colors—especially when decorating their first homes.
For those who aren’t quite ready to paint their bedrooms acid green, here are seven color trends that will be hot in 2023.
The color green
Fabrizio Casaraghi’s chic Parisian pad illustrates how sage is giving way to deeper emerald green.
Draime & Cerruti
The color green doesn’t seem to fade anytime soon, and whether you choose a soothing sage or a pale pistachio, it’s a surefire bet that it will be in fashion for years to come. In 2022, Backdrop’s chief executive officer Natalie Ebel says, “We’ve noticed an increase in interest in greens this year, with that shade representing three of our top six colorways. Ebel and many of the other experts we spoke with predicted an increase in punchier, truer greens over dusty greens last year (for instance, Benjamin Moore’s 2022 Color of the Year, October Mist). Troop Beverly Hills, Backdrop’s newly released hue, is a vibrant emerald that is sure to catch your eye.
Green is a natural neutral, according to Leatrice Eiseman, international color expert and executive director of Pantone’s Color Institute. “I lecture my students about how it is a neutral color over and over and over again.” In the new year, watch for this hue in everything from marble to tile to furnishings. “Mother Nature uses it ubiquitously in plants and foliage.”
A COOL LAVENDER AND A LILAC
This cheery New York studio apartment showcases the popularity of lavender and lilac hues among Gen Zers.
Swinehart, Kirk Davis
The rise of soft, dusty shades of lavender and lilac demonstrates the power of newly initiated Gen-Z consumers in terms of color trends. According to 1stDibs, a digital antiques marketplace, lavender popularity spiked in 2022, up 14 percent from 6 percent the year before. The shade has been spotted everywhere from Jil Sanders collections to Mercedes-Benz concept cars to Andrés Reisinger virtual furniture, according to WGSN forecasters.
Riberti, along with WGSN’s color strategist Clare Smith, predicts the color will dominate tabletop and soft furnishings, as well as our walls. “It’s a sensory shade that connects to holistic well-being and digital optimism,” they explain. In times of budget crunch, this shade is imaginative and creative while also conveying hope and balance, which is much-needed cautious optimism and escapism.
1stDibs also noticed a correlation between soft powdery pastels and a rise in interest in the ’80s: Smith and Riberti have noticed it paired with chrome, glass, and other reflective surfaces.
The color orange
The walls of Pierre Yovanovitch’s Paris furniture showroom are suffused with flame orange.
Theodore Vaillancourt
Despite the fact that orange has been at the bottom of the totem pole for years, Eiseman’s research indicates the hue will be “definitely on board next year.” It’s a trend also echoed in WGSN’s reporting: “Saturated tones will return in solid color statements, enabling new forms of self-expression,” Riberti explains, such as fiery orange. It is not uncommon for designers to use saturated versions of the shade on walls, but most will use it to accent furnishings (we featured an Argentinian home with tangerine accents in our Winter issue of 2022). Eiseman says the key is in putting colors together that stretch your imagination.
A recent 1stDibs trend research report found that burnt orange was the third most popular color behind (you guessed it) emerald and sage green.
BROWN LIGHT
At Paolo Castellarin and Didier Bonnin’s Milan home, milk chocolate has never looked so good.
Theodore Dolfo
In the color forecasting tea leaves of 2023, brown is the new neutral. In fact, all shades of this cozy shade are showing up. Sherwin-Williams’ Wadden says that “light browns, dark browns, and beiges are making a comeback because of their earthiness, meaning they ground us and connect us to nature’s beauty and restorative properties.”
Take a moment to think about today’s beige before you start thinking of generic ’90s tract home dens: “With the neutrals, we’re seeing more and more nuanced neutrals that seem to have a real pop out,” says Pantone’s Eiseman. From lustrous taupe lacquer to textured limewash, ELLE DECOR editors are spotting all kinds of finishes with these trending colors, from kitchens to bedrooms.
The mustard plant
Give your walls a mustard makeover like designer Simone Haag did in this Melbourne, Australia, house.
Kaye, Timothy
Whether you like honey mustard or dijon mustard? Yellow mustard or whole grain mustard, it’s a go in 2023. Aside from Raspberry Blush, Benjamin Moore also predicted Savannah Green, a khaki color. According to the hue’s description, it’s almost like gold leaf for your walls with its balanced undertones of green and yellow. Our team has seen mustard-colored items everywhere from walls to textured boucles on Chairish, the online vintage furniture marketplace.
The rose
In Mara Brock Akil’s “rosé room,” designed by Tiffany Howell, a soft rose tint covers the walls.
Marshall, Kelly
Among next year’s color trends are bright fuchsias to delicate, neutral-leaning pinks, according to color forecasters. The Sherwin-Williams 2023 Color of the Year is a serene gray-pink known as Redend Point. “This gorgeous hue tells a story about warmth, exploration, and the importance of self-care, and is the perfect example of the warm, versatile, and unexpected neutrals we expect to become increasingly popular in 2023,” Wadden says.
While Pantone’s color forecast for 2023 is Viva Magenta!, Eiseman tells us that the color feels akin to the digital-first zeitgeist and the need for more energy, vibrancy, and vigor. Another indication that the ’80s vibes will continue is the increase in interest for mauve, according to 1stDibs; it saw a 4 percent increase in interest for the color in 2022. Additionally, Benjamin Moore dubbed Raspberry Blush 2008-30 as its color of the year 2023. “We love seeing Raspberry Blush on all four walls to make a bold color statement,” Arianna Cesa, associate manager of color marketing and development, says. For anyone who wants to dip their toes into bold color, it’s perfect for an accent wall, ceiling, painted furniture, or trim. We particularly love it in a dining room as a modern, blushed update on the classic deep red dining room.
BLUE POWDER
The walls, furniture, and fabrics of Elizabeth Mollen’s Chicagoland Tudor are pale blue.
Halleck, Dustin
In our homes, softness has been a major trend, ranging from fuzzy finishes to amorphous shapes. It is also being seen in pale, powdery blues. Experts say it exemplifies a collective desire for calm in a crazy world: “Luminous powdery sky blues and barely-there pastels will speak to the need for softness and balance, and help support physical and mental health,” Riberti predicts. According to Chairish, “French blue,” a pretty cornflower color, will be appearing in furniture and accessories increasingly.
