Nature’s Neutrals

“Cool colors like sage green are often used in the kitchen to offset the warm tones of the cabinets,” offers Ed Waller, co-founder, CertaPro Painters, in Oaks, PA.

“Green has become a classic, but it’s a range of green,” adds Ebnesajjad. Last year it was citrus greens, but now the trend DuPont identifies as Jungle encompasses other greens, as well as complementary jungle brights.

Walch adds that environmental greens for the interior are a notable story, and cites jadeite green as a practical, interesting story for both the kitchen and the bath.

Benjamin Moore’s Natural Terrain includes greens that are basic to nature – “organic, a little bit more rich and vibrant, and more earthen based,” comments Horn.

More Than Basic Blues

The environment is also the inspiration behind the popularity of blues. The blues that are most desired are “the blues of nature – the color of sky and the color of water,” notes the CMG. “True blues from nature will be everywhere [in the coming year].”

Watery blues, such as aqua-toned shades, “are very calming and fresh,” remarks Wood, “and they work beautifully with the browns [currently popular in the home]. They are very reflective and luminous, which gives them an extra dimension that provides a beautiful counterbalance to the deep, dark rich browns.”

Walch agrees that there is an interest in aqua and opaline blues, as well as glassy, cobalt and porcelain blue.

Wood also cites the growing popularity of deep teal blue in the home. “It’s a jewel tone with a lot of green influence in it,” she remarks. The color is reminiscent of the waters of the Aegean Sea, or of peacock plumes, Wood adds. “It’s a teal tone that is, again, luminous and reflective.”

Not-So-Red Reds

The reds of the earth are influencing the red tones in the home, note color experts. Chinese reds and burgundies are giving way to terracotta shades and brick red shades taken from nature.

“Terracotta is replacing red as the dining room color of choice,” comments Waller.

“Pinks and reds will be very strong,” adds Walch, “and we’re going to see some of those stronger reds and terracottas in the kitchen.”

“In the interior of the home right now, orange is still very important,” stresses Wood. “It continues to replace red in almost every instance. Whether it’s the juicy oranges of fruit or high gloss copper tones, we’re seeing them as authentic and real. And, they work beautifully with the browns and neutral tones that are starting to come in from the outdoors.”

“With the U.S. consumer demanding more color, we have noted fresh oranges [being introduced],” offers Christine Abbate, spokesperson for Ceramic Tiles of Italy.

Ebnesajjad notes the trend DuPont coined as Desert, which features warm, dry colors. “One of the very key accent colors that we see is copper,” she observes. She notes that DuPont is introducing eight colors this year, and two of them are copper related.

Wood also believes oranges will get spicier, mixing with pinks. “This makes them very complex and beautiful – not sweet, but earthy,” she reports. “The pink and orange combination will be a beautiful spiced complement to browns.”

Classic Whites...and Blacks

An interest in nature-based neutrals and richer tones has sparked a renewed interest in various shades of white as well as more classic black and white combinations, according to industry experts. “There is an off-white story – kind of a creamy white, bone white, linen white. These colors work very well in either the kitchen or bathroom,” comments Walch.

“The off-whites are a great story, and we’ll see them playing out differently with a lot of colors,” she continues. “For instance, in the Southwest, I think we’ll see them with more of the terracottas and the coral tones. In New England, we’ll see them more with the cooler blues and some of the greens. In New York, I think we’ll even have a black and white story.”

Ebnesajjad views the use of white as an extension of the growing concern for health and well-being, similar to a spa's palette.
“It’s not a sharp white, but rather an off-white that’s soft and translucent,” she notes.