2022 Color Trends

Spring has finally sprung and 2022 is in full swing. I don't know about you, but spring always brings about the craving for a new beginning for me. And can you think of a better fresh start than a new coat of paint?

I know - choosing a paint color can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, the industry’s experts color choices for 2022 gives you all the inspiration (and guidance) that you need.

This year’s design landscape consists of colors that ignite the feeling of good health, peace and inspiration. These blues, greens and earth tones awaken interiors and exteriors. The colors selected signal a sense of optimism and hope for the future, as well as a move towards incorporating elements of wellbeing, such as nature, into the home.

Sherwin-Williams’ Evergreen Fog

Sherwin-Williams chose Evergreen Fog as their 2022 color of the year. Evergreen Fog is a gray-green hue that invites tranquility and rejuvenation into a space. “From a color psychology standpoint, green is the color of nature, revitalization and growth. It is naturally emblematic of newness. Evergreen Fog signals growth, emergence and new beginnings,” explains Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

“Evergreen Fog is timeless because it’s not overly verdant, it’s a little softer and delicate,” Sue says. “It’s a usable mid-tone that allows you to put a personal stamp on your home without having to jump into [a] really bold or bright color.” This sophisticated color pairs perfectly with a wide array of design and decor. This gray-green inspires us to start fresh and is a stellar choice for both the interior and exterior of a home.

“For interiors, it’s a really fresh take on cabinet storage in a mudroom, soothing for a space where you want to relax, like a living room or bedroom, and makes a subtle statement in a bathroom. I love it painted on trim paired with white walls,” Sue continues. Moreover, it’s also a brilliant choice for exteriors: “I absolutely love it for a front door, or just shutters and trim,” Sue adds. “Because of the gray tones, it would be a soft pop of color to introduce people into your home and give them a soothing welcome before they’ve even walked through the door. I also like how Evergreen Fog would look great in all regions of the country. From the Pacific Northeast to Florida, the color for exteriors is super versatile.”

Home Snappers Hot Take: This color is everything. It brings a fresh breathe of air into a room while not overwhelming the space. Evergreen Fog pays homage to Mother Nature, and creates the ambiance of peace and renewal. Furthermore, Evergreen Fog can be used as a base or an accent, inside or outside...versatility is key. Lastly, a neutral green seems as if it's here to stay; as you'll see in the colors below, this hue was quite the color this year.

PPG's Olive Sprig

PPG’s 2022 Color of the Year is Olive Sprig, a versatile green-gray. PPG’s Associate Marketing Manager, Kim Perry, states, “People continue to see green as a way to bring the outside in, especially while many of us were sheltered indoors during the pandemic. Incorporating greens like Olive Sprig allows for a feeling of hope, healing and balance. This feeling and yearning is here to stay even as we look toward 2022.”

This soothing and natural color can be easily used throughout the home - both inside and outside. From a serene bedroom to a calming kitchen - even as an accent color - when you combine this color with natural materials, you create a natural look in your home. “The muted green is soft enough to act as a neutral when paired with bold accent colors and elements,” Kim explains.

Home Snappers Hot Take: Once again, I love everything about this color! Furthermore, when you hear the name, it's exactly as you imagine it: Olive Sprig. This hue is sophisticated, yet calming. Olive Sprig is versatile in the sense that it can be a base or accent as well as it can be use both in- and out-side of the house. I love this color as it brings Mother Nature to any space.

Benjamin Moore's October Mist

Benjamin Moore chose October Mist, a soft sage, as their 2022 color of the year. October Mist is a calming muted green that serves as a perfect base. “For 2022...we invite people to look at their walls as a canvas for self-expression and an opportunity to be creative with color,” explains Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore’s Director of Color Marketing and Development.

“Due to its calming nature, this gently shaded sage works particularly well in a bedroom or study, and we also love the soothing mood it creates in a bathroom,” Andrea continues. “October Mist is also a great color for cabinetry and millwork since it is neutral enough to work with many other colors and materials while providing an alternative to off-whites or grays."

Home Snappers Hot Take: October Mist is the perfect name for this color - it looks exactly as it sounds. The color is versatile, calming and refreshing. Furthermore, it's not just for the fall - it's a great base for any room. October Mist can be used as an accent color or a base.

Behr's Breezeway

Behr’s 2022 Color of the Year is Breezeway, a silvery green inspired by sea glass found on a beach's shore. Just like the name itself, the color highlights the transition from one space to the next. This cool, yet bright color represents a desire to move on, and the drive to discover new passions. “A new year brings the opportunity to embrace a sense of renewal and pursue untapped passions. Whether it’s lacing up our hiking boots, or breaking out the gardening tools, Breezeway inspires us to fully embrace the hobbies or adventures, both near and far, that excite us. We look forward to a color that welcomes a hopeful sense of renewal, restoration and healing,” explains Erika Woelfel, Behr’s Vice President of Color and Creative Services.

Moreover, Breezeway embraces versatility. “Breezeway’s hue serves as the foundation for a variety of design styles, moving easily from casual to coastal and modern to vintage styling perfect for home offices and living rooms,” Erika states. “Given the amount of time we spend in our living rooms and offices, it’s important to pick a refreshing hue such as Breezeway to brighten these spaces…Designers and DIYers alike can leverage Breezeway’s versatility with decor made from textiles found in nature like creamy white, taupe, softened black, brown, nuanced pink and terra-cotta red,” Erika continues. “Balancing the color with decor made from textiles found in nature like light-washed wood, stone, cotton and others is also important as the hue brings the outdoors inside without overpowering the space…The great thing about Breezeway is that it’s not too saturated or too shaded and can truly open up any space.”

Home Snappers Hot Take: I absolutely love this color. It is calm, yet bright and can add so much to a space. Furthermore, I love the inspiration of this hue: sea glass found on a beach's shore. The color immediately transports you to a beautiful day on the beach. I don't know about you, but I definitely want to go to the beach right now - and Breezeway can get you there (kinda).

Graham & Brown's Breathe

Graham & Brown’s color experts choose a soothing mid-blue as their 2022 color of the year, Breathe. “Our Color of the Year 2022 is inspired by one of our trend predictions for the year ahead – Reclaim,” explains MaryAnne Cartwright, Design Manager at Graham & Brown. “This trend is all about nature reclaiming the man-made and putting the planet before ourselves. The calming tones of Breathe reflect this trend. The shade is tranquil and natural, bringing the outdoors in, which is especially important as the past couple of years have had us spending more time inside our homes.”

This color is the hue for you if you're wanting to Breathe life into a space, specifically a monochromatic space. “Since this color is so subtle and calming, it is the perfect choice for color drenching where one paint color is applied to all elements of the wall including the woodwork,” MaryAnne states. “Letting the one shade take over the wall allows you to enjoy the depth of Breathe and the blue tones resemble a clear summer sky which truly brings the outdoors into your home.” Furthermore, Breathe also pairs well with one to two other tones. “[W]e love pairing Breathe with deeper blues such as Majestic” — a deep-sea teal — “or creating a fun contrast with a mustard yellow like Burnt Saffron,” MaryAnne continues. “Using these different colors can also allow you to create different zones in one room which can be helpful as our homes become more multifunctional.”

Home Snappers Hot Take: This darker hue is everything. This color brings a literal Breathe of fresh air into a space - hence, the name. This is a dark, soothing blue that reminds me of the ocean. Breathe can either compliment or engulf a space - both are stunning.

Pantone’s Very Peri

Pantone’s 2022 Color of the Year is making history! For the first time ever, Pantone created an entirely new hue for their Color of the Year: Very Peri 17-3938. Very Peri is a brand-new blue shade made up of vivid violet with rich red undertones. The color boasts confidence and curiosity, bringing one’s creative spirit to life. As we're starting to emerge from isolation, Very Peri signifies this new world of possibilities.

Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, explains that “creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place. The complexity of this new red-violet-infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lie before us.”

Very Peri pairs well with neutrals, such as cream or deeper shades like navy. When it comes to decorating with Very Peri, try it as an accent pillow(s), wallpaper or art.

Home Snappers Hot Take: I absolutely love everything about Pantone's color of the year! Everything about this color screams, "new start!" and I love that. Furthermore, I love how the color is still an earth tone, but much brighter than any other company's color of the year.

What do you think of the 2022 color trends? Are you inspired to start painting? I love this sense of a new beginning. I think we need that, don’t we?