I am constantly looking at new color trends and color forecasts to help make decisions about what I will put out into the marketplace. I thought it might be an interesting topic for a post. What are the colors trending for 2023? But also, what they say about us as a culture, and why they are important to you.
In doing so I am reminded of the famous Cerulean sweater speech from The Devil Wears Prada. The scene begins with a meeting of top design magazine staff discussing what to offer in the upcoming issue.
Andrea is fresh out of college and ready to do some serious writing but without any fashion experience or appreciation of it. She is the new assistant of the editor Miranda. She giggles about a discussion of designers over belt choices that she thinks look exactly the same.
“Something Funny?” asks Miranda.
Reacting somewhat smugly Andrea replies: No, No, no. Nothing’….You know, it’s just that both of those belts look exactly the same to me. You know, I’m still learning about this stuff and uh…
“This stuff?” and so Miranda takes her through a “schooling” of every decision by every designer behind the scenes in the world of fashion that led to the blue sweater in her closet that she thinks she selected. The last line…
“That blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff.”
So it is no accident that a lot of thought goes into selecting the colors and how they find their way into the products we find available each year in fashion, interior design, and home decor. The color forecasts made by industry professionals give us insight into what to expect for the coming year. Practically every paint company puts out their own color forecast but here are a few selected forecasts showing the upcoming trends.
Sherwin Williams ColorMix 2023
We are just coming off of the Sherwin Williams Color Mix Forecast of 2023 where 40 new colors in 4 collections connecting mind, body, and spirit were introduced under the name Terra. Sherwin Williams defines this collection: “The colors of Terra represent our connection to the earth beneath our feet, the enduring beauty of ancient practices, the warmth of true compassion, and the daily joys that make our world so wonderful.” Redend Point, a warm blush neutral is the Color of the Year.
Here is a PDF of the Sherwin Williams 2023 lookbook showcasing the new colors
Panetone Color Institute 2023
The Panetone Color Institute unveiled their 2023 colors for Spring and Summer at New York Fashion Week The collection introduces a range of colors both bold and muted from Beetroot Purple a fuschia representing the ” fruits of nature” to Summer Song, a soft blue “expressing relaxation and tranquility”. This collection of colors is described in their trend report as ” embracing a fearless approach ranging from quiet to chaos” that allows for individual expression like never before.
Benjamin Moore 2023 Color Trends
Benjamin Moore has selected Raspberry Blush as their color of the year, a red orange that cannot be ignored. I personally love it. In their press release Benjamin Moore states “Color Trends 2023 palette empower the use of statement colors that deliver delight and personality, while transforming rooms for incredible results.”
Other colors in the trend range from the moody teal of North Sea Green to Savannah Green, a yellow green mix that they describe as a rich ochre almost like gold leaf. Here are links to the collection:
- Raspberry Blush 2008-30
- Conch Shell 052
- Wenge AF-180
- Cinnamon 2174-20
- New Age 1444
- Starry Night Blue 2067-20
- North Sea Green 2053-30
- Savannah Green 2150-30
Themes for 2023 in Color
Bold and warm are the two key themes dominating the color forecasts for 2023. Unexpected vibrant color is something that has slowly been building but this year it is front and center in the spotlight. Some designers have always used their skill to use unexpected pairings with fabulous results. This year makes that much easier to do .
Elle Decor recently featured a great article showcasing a client’s love of pairing orchid and cantaloupe. In the article, designer Jamie Drake is quoted as saying he “never met a shade of purple he couldn’t deploy with panache.” This color palette continued into the design of the garden viewable from a newly opened window overlooking the garden. He uses related flowers planted to continue his vision beyond the wall of the house.
In these areas, Parker emphasized plants with lush, vibrant foliage and flowers, including Agastache, lavender, and phlox in shades of purple, naturally.
Unexpected Color Combinations Rule the Roost in This Elegant, Art-Filled Estate
Leave it to Drake/Anderson to bring on the panache!
By Stephen WallisPublished: Sep 19, 2022
I have done quite a bit of work with clients outfitting their outdoor rooms. Most people are shy to use vibrant color. I have always encouraged them to go bolder. In the open outdoors bold color is very much at home. This year’s themes will produce some wonderful products in home decor that can infuse that connection to nature in our outdoor room but also our interiors if we are so inclined.
Why Should You Care?
Why is this important?
Haven’t you ever gone looking for a pillow that works with the rest of your existing color scheme only to find that what is out in the market is slightly off of the mark? It is not so frustrating when you know that you are working with a color that is no longer current. If you are redesigning a room or looking to coordinate your new apparel purchase though you want to be able to find fabric, wallcoverings, paint, and accessories that will all come together. We have come to trust and depend upon the fact that we will be able to find products that work as we complete our projects.
Color Forecasting benefits both industries manufacturing the products and the consumer. Creators use the forecasts to put products out on the market. This is turn benefits the consumer as they can then buy products that are all in the same palette.
What can we expect to draw from these predictions?
Color forecasts are a snapshot of what is happening in our culture and our world at any given time.
“Color forecasters take their cues from the larger culture and focus on areas such as travel, art, technology, fashion, sports and entertainment” as noted by a Fox Weather Lifestyle article.
All of this information is distilled into the color forecasts that designers use to create the products that come into the marketplace. You as a consumer are the recipient of that work so that buyers are given the products they want that reflects the mood of the times.
So when you shop next year for the perfect sweater color, search for that rug that pulls the room together, or go to the paint store to select just the right shade of blue keep this in mind. If the color forecasters have done their job well you will find exactly the thing you are looking for that makes your heart flip a little. That is great design.