Do you want to freshen up a wall, room, or your whole home? Consider the newest popular paint colors and trends to turn any dull or outdated space into a stunning new locale.

Why Color Matters

The paint color in your home sets the tone for each space, from muted, subdued colors to lighter, more refreshing hues. Bold colors and rich shades often create energy and excitement in a space, while softer, gentler tones can be relaxing and calming, creating a sanctuary-like atmosphere. Colors can also be chosen to meet specific needs, such as hiding dirt in well-worn or busy spaces, pulling together eclectic furniture or décor choices, or becoming the base of an overall decorative theme. But which colors are best?

Newest Color Trends

With a new year and a new decade comes new trends for the most modern, fashionable choices in colors. There is no single trend that defines every color style, but there are several options that are proving most popular among interior designers, home do-it-yourselfers, and anyone with a flair for decorative design.

• Dark Tones: Richer, darker tones were once seen as faux pas for paint, but today they’re considered modern neutrals and help create more comforting, cozy spaces, particularly in larger rooms or where minimalist designs are desired. Black, deep gray, navy blue, and hunter green are some of the favorite dark shades in use today.
• Pale Shades: Pale, touch-of-color shades are modern updates to basic neutrals, and add a bit of subtle personality and sophistication to any space. Any hint of color can be ideal, but pale options such as ice blue, blush pink, or light straw are popular choices to liven up an otherwise pale palette.
• Green Goodness: With more emphasis on nature and reconnecting with the outdoors, shades of green are growing even more popular. While classic, primary green is not a favorite, more unique shades of green such as sage, mint, moss, and sea green add a natural touch to any space without becoming green with envy.
• The Best of Blue: Blue hues are also another natural, expressive color option with relaxing qualities to create a restful, peaceful space. All manner of blues from pale ice shades to delicate sky hues to dark, rich blues with violet, green, or other warm undertones are a great way to chase away the blues.
• Classic Neutrals: Familiar neutral tones such as whites, creams, vanillas, and beiges continue to be perennial favorites, particularly for older generations or anyone who may be considering a change or move. These colors appeal best to potential buyers and are most suitable for rental properties, and are easiest to coordinate with decorative accents.

Where Color Will Pop

When adding a new color to your home’s palette, avoid repainting an entire room. Smaller options create the most impact and can be stunning changes to a familiar space, giving the area a whole new look with less effort and expense than a complete repainting. Accent walls continue to be popular, particularly walls of unusual shapes such as around stairs, under steep ceilings, or framing large windows or artwork. Other places where color will add the biggest bang to a room include…

• Doors: Create a welcoming and eye-catching entrance to your home or an individual room by repainting a door with an creative or unusual color.
• Cabinetry: Paint can be an instant makeover for outdated or worn stains and varnishes when you touch up cabinetry and cupboards with a new color.
• Shelving: Painting bookshelves a new shade is a great way to provide a dramatic backdrop for favorite decorative pieces.
• Furniture: Instead of repainting the room, consider a new color coat on chairs, tables, or other furniture focal points to draw the eye.
• Frames: Coordinate a gallery wall and bring different photos and artwork together by painting each frame in the same stunning color.

Choosing Your Best Home Color Trend

Ultimately, you need to choose colors and paint themes that best appeal to you, regardless of popular trends or designers’ choices. The very best colors for your home are the colors you like, those that make you happy to be in your space and proud of the home you’ve created. When you enjoy your colors, you know you’ve made the right choices for your own best color trend!