Interior Design Color Trends for 2022
Every year paint color houses deem a new Color of the Year. I personally find this fascinating not just as an interior design aspect but also as a social science reflection. What do the colors of 2022 say about us and where can we expect to see them?
GREEN. It’s everywhere. According to some of the top color houses, green is the color you're going to see a lot of this year when it comes to interior design. As a sustainable interior designer, green is naturally an inspiring color for many clients; however, using the color wisely is more an art than a science.
Though we might see a handful of shades of green this year, there are other colors that Benjamin Moore has included in their annual palette forecast. Plus, these colors come in GreenGuard Certified, Low-VOC or No-VOC non-toxic paint options.
Let’s take a look at why we are seeing this trend and a few places at home where these colors can successfully be applied..
Behind The Forecasting
I love checking out new trends and not because I am someone who adheres to them. For me it’s new inspiration, and learning about the process of forecasting is fascinating.
Benjamin Moore’s forecasters often develop a color palette with a dozen or so different colors. What do they look at to create this palette? According to Benjamin Moore’s website “Our annual celebration of color is the result of a yearlong exploration into design, art, fashion, cultural and environmental influences around the globe.”
Through their research they find common threads across the mentioned diverse disciplines and take inspiration from there. From the design influences they look at furniture, lighting, fabrics, accessories, plus others, “and consider the relationship that paint has to each of them”.
Benjamin Moore’s Nature Inspired Design Color Palette
For 2022 Benjamin Moore has developed a broad color palette of 14 different colors. All of them have strong ties to nature and six of those are different shades of green. Their official color of the year, October Mist, is a soothing muted green. This botanical hue is a flexible and natural design color that can be used for entire rooms as part of the design theme.
Also on their list are my personal favorites: Natural Linen, Gloucester Sage, and Venetian Portico. I’m looking forward to seeing these colors in one of my sustainable interior design projects soon!
Another color combination from Benjamin Moore’s 2022 palette that would be stunning is a room with the walls painted in Morning Dew, a light creamy grey color with a touch of green, paired with Mysterious, a super dark blue that almost reads black as the trim.
More Green Design Colors of the Year
Obviously Benjamin Moore isn’t the only paint company around and it’s interesting that many paint companies chose green as well. Take Sherwin Williams, their color of the year is Evergreen Fog. Sherwin Williams describes Evergreen Fog as a “soothing, subtle, and perfect shade to freshen up any space”.
Their color experts painted it with an organic color palette including Shoji White, Urbane Bronze, and Woven Wicker. I also love their description of the palette they curated: “this nature-inspired palette of coordinating hues creates a modern, organic feel when paired with Evergreen Fog”.
Evergreen Fog Color Palette Ideas
Behr’s Pastel Green
Although this green paint color stands out from Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams. Behr’s 2022 color choice is named Breezeway which is described as “a relaxed and uplifting sea glass green expressing peace and tranquility for forward movement.”
The Meaning of Green
Color meanings can differ from one culture or country to the next. Some color meanings are well established in our conscious and subconscious because it’s all around us. Green is one of those colors. According to 99 Designs the color green represents “nature, groth and harmony - but also wealth and stability”.
These feelings are ones that I believe we all aspire for. I’m glad we’re collectively bringing in these green color attributes into our homes and world. It goes without saying that so many of us are seeking calm and nature all while growth is happening around us.
Another thought about why green is so popular in the home industry now is the booming trend of incorporating house plants in your living space as well as eco-friendly and natural decor in our homes. Even interior staging to sell a home, green is the go-to color pallet and one we’ve used multiple times when we staged our homes and homes for clients.
The last interior design trend I’ll mention is the rise of “sustainable style”and the green design movement, which have been growing steadily over the years. More and more organizations are popping up and companies are taking actions to help the Earth and us thrive. Green falls in line perfectly with this organic interior design trend and bio-design in general.
Trending Thoughts
At the beginning of the pandemic (approximately 1,000? years ago) I read a great article in Dwell Magazine that discussed predictions relative to design and lifestyle. This article featured Li Edelkoort, a globally respected and sought after Dutch trend forecaster.
Well before the pandemic she discussed sustainability issues and the blending of cities with nature. The green home and sustainable interior design trend that we are seeing now is right in line with her forecast two+ years ago.
I mentioned this in my blog post about trends shaped by Covid-19 and find it interesting that it’s still representative of where we are now.
Green Design Ideas
Above are some lovely green hues from Farrow & Ball and Clare Paint. Thesee color houses don’t do a color of the year per se although their sites have plenty of design inspiration.
We’ve talked a lot about green in relation to interior paint but there is plenty of green interior design inspiration to get excited about for wallpaper, furniture, tile, rugs, and more. Further, these examples below not only come in gorgeous green colors, they are green on the inside too—from recycled fabrics to healthy materials, forest certified wood, and low-toxic finishes.
Sediment Wallpaper by Emma Hayes
I love this nature inspired wallpaper. A watercolor style mural is customized to fit the wall it’s ordered for. This is made from paper vs. vinyl which is unhealthy for your home and the environment.
Green Outline Sofa
From Design Within Reach, this Scandinavian designed sofa comes in a large selection of colors including multiple greens.
Hunter Green is shown here, it is also available in Velvet by Crypton in Moss. Most (if not all) of the upholstery options are made with healthy materials and low toxic finishes.
Green Dot Dash Backsplash Tiles
Sustainable kitchen design made easy and beautiful with the help of Fireclay Tile. The handpainted green and white tile was made in partnership with Block Shop Textiles. I love that Fireclay Tile is made with recycled materials in California.
Tangent Lounge Chair in Evergreen
Contemporary design by Blu Dot comes with the benefit of Marharam upholstery on some of their furniture. This Messenger fabric is made from 78% post-industrial recycled Polyester and is GreenGuard certified.
Wrapping up
Thanks for making it to the end of my blog! I love the color green and green design so it was pretty easy for me to dork out on this post. If you’re looking for some soothing paint color inspiration look no further than Sherwin-Williams’ Evergreen Fog or Benjamin Moore’s October Mist. Also be sure to check out the green design bathroom examples in my portfolio.
But don’t rule out the many other greens that are out there including Farrow & Ball’s Duck Green or Clare’s “Headspace”.
Which green featured here do you prefer? Is there one I missed? Let us know in the comments!
Designing and facilitating a sustainable home and lifestyle for our clients is at the core of what we do at Dorothy Parker Design. Dorothy Parker is a certified Green AP through the Sustainable Furnishings Council and brings this unique knowledge to create a naturally beautiful home for your family.
Although Dorothy Parker is a Durango, Colorado native, she cultivated her design prose in San Francisco for more than two decades. For ten years, Dorothy worked with renowned designer Ken Fulk, who is now an influential tastemaker with international projects and offices in San Francisco and New York. While working (and wearing many hats) on some of Fulk’s most notorious projects, Dorothy perfected her craft and learned the art of installation as a critical component of the success of a design.
