The color trends for 2024 signal a departure from the era of all-white rooms, reflecting a collective desire for warmth, well-being, and self-expression. As we emerge from a period of uncertainty, colors are becoming a vehicle for expressing mood, freedom, and creativity in both personal style and home decor. Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at trend forecasting agency WGSN, emphasizes that the color choices for 2024 are aligned with feelings of well-being, discovery, acceptance, transformation, comfort, simplicity, and pleasure.
One significant theme for the year is warmth, as people move away from the cool grays that dominated the past decade. Sue Wadden from Sherwin-Williams notes that the color palette is shifting towards hues that evoke kindness, serenity, and empathy. The desire for coziness and a connection to nature is evident in the popularity of green tones and expressive materials like bold marble.
Unexpectedly, there’s a resurgence of near-neons and hyper-brights, driven by the influence of the metaverse. These vivid and bold colors are making an impact in both digital and physical realms, especially as the younger generation, Gen Z, begins decorating their first homes.
For those not ready to embrace extreme colors, the following seven color trends are expected to dominate in 2024, offering a diverse range of options for self-expression and interior design.
GREEN
The enduring popularity of green in home decor continues to thrive, with various shades of green being a safe and stylish choice for interior spaces. Natalie Ebel, copresident of direct-to-consumer paint brand Backdrop, notes a heightened interest in greens, with vibrant and true greens gaining traction in 2024. Backdrop’s newly released hue, Troop Beverly Hills, exemplifies this trend with its vivid emerald shade.
Green’s timeless appeal is attributed to its versatility and its status as a neutral color, as emphasized by Leatrice Eiseman, an international color expert and executive director at Pantone’s Color Institute. She highlights the widespread use of green by Mother Nature in plants and foliage, making it a natural and harmonious choice for various elements in home design. In the coming year, expect to see green not only in paint but also in materials such as marble, tile, and furnishings, contributing to its evergreen status in interior aesthetics.
COOL LAVENDERS AND LILACS
A burgeoning color trend influenced by the preferences of the newly influential Gen-Z consumers is the ascent of soft, dusty shades of lavender and lilac. In 2022, 1stDibs, the digital antiques marketplace, witnessed a notable surge in interest in lavender, reaching 14 percent compared to the previous year’s 6 percent approval rate. This trend, referred to as “Digital Lavender” by WGSN forecasters, has been observed in diverse realms, from fashion with Jil Sander collections to automotive design with Mercedes-Benz concept vehicles and even virtual furniture by Andrés Reisinger.
Gemma Riberti and Clare Smith, color strategist at WGSN, anticipate that this color will not only dominate wall colors but also extend its influence to tabletop items and soft furnishings. Described as a sensorial shade that fosters holistic well-being and digital optimism, lavender embodies a sense of cautious optimism and escapism sought by individuals post-pandemic. In times of budget constraints, it is viewed as imaginative, creative, and symbolizes hope and balance.
Moreover, the resurgence of lavender also evokes a sense of nostalgia, particularly for the ’80s era. Smith and Riberti have noted its pairing with chrome, glass, and other reflective surfaces, signaling the official comeback of the 1980s. The correlation between soft powdery pastels and increased interest in ’80s aesthetics has been recognized by 1stDibs as well.
