Although color is subjective, color trend forecasters have been predicting what colors are going to be big every year since   Color marketers base these colors on what’s being introduced in the areas of fashion, furniture, automobiles and other industries. Pantone started the color of the year in 1999 and every year since then it’s been the leader in predicting color trends in our global culture and how to express what people are looking for with color.

2024 is certainly going to be the year of the blues and I’m not talking about the B.B. King kind of blues. It means that out of the ten Colors of the Year that I’m listing, there are five blues but there are a lot of boutique brands that are introducing blue also. Color forecasters are predicting that there will be a switch from the more verdant “green” tones to more airy and watery tones. The focus on health and wellbeing has been at the forefront of our culture for the past few years and it’s ushering in these blue tones although blue has always been in fashion one way or another.

On the opposite side, the terracottas of last year are lightening up to more peachy and apricot tones. Dark and moody tones are still in fashion and serve as a counterpoint to the lighter tones.

Pantone – Apricot Blush

Is apricot the new terracotta? Pantone’s Apricot Blush is a warm soft orange, but it also has an earthiness to it so it can be used as a neutral. It’s a refreshing and restorative color that strikes a chord in a world looking for optimism. I even read that the color reminds people of apricots and oranges that are rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

Orange tones have always been associated with creativity so it’s perfect for rooms that need to spark the mind. This happy tone . means that people will be moving away from the moody and somber tones that were prevalent post-pandemic.

Apricot Blush can evoke a feeling of restoration and calm like in the picture below. The limestone walls and the cushioned bench give this room a Moroccan feel.

Paired with black, apricot blush becomes very sophisticated.

This room shows how this color can look very elegant at night with the lights dimmed.

Benjamin Moore – Blue Nova

Blue and violet combine to make Benjamin Moore’s 2024 Color of the Year, Blue Nova. They looked towards the night sky and picked this shade to give a sense of undiscovered adventures. The hints of red undertones in the violet makes this a warm color that is very cozy.

Benjamin Moore predicts that in 2024, people will be looking for timelessness and versatility. Getting back to colors that are faded, duty and vintage inspired.

This color looks wonderful in this desk nook and give it a cozy look.

It’s striking in a living room and the accessories in the bookcase really pop against this color.

Since orange is the complementary color to blue, this color scheme creates a wonderful synergy in this bedroom.

Behr – Cracked Pepper

Veering away from the lighter colors of 2024, Behr believes that a contrasting dark and moody color will be needed. Enter Cracked Pepper. I love a good black color and this one is a very versatile soft shade of black. Any lighter color color pops against this meditative color.

Darker colors are still on trend and realtors are saying that buyers are willing to pay more for houses with dark exteriors and interiors.

Cracked Pepper lends itself to the Organic Modern decor style with lighter wood tones and a warm and soothing feeling.

This dark color makes the walls recede which gives you a feeling of being given a warm hug.

I love how you can look through the archway of this lighter color into the dark living room. Very dramatic.

Sherwin Williams – Upward

Upward is a cool calming shade that would be perfect for a Coastal style of decor. Very serene and calming.

It’s perfect in this bathroom with the feeling of water.

This color gives this kitchen a very fresh look and is a great counterbalance to the white.

Light woods and white gives this room a sense of calmness.

Glidden / PPG – Limitless

All of Glidden’s press says it’s “anything but yellow”, so it sounds like they’re really offended if anybody calls it yellow. It’s a honey beige hue that is a great neutral.

Kitchen cabinets are elegant with these touches of gold. I love the marble and the round table in the dining room.

When you paint the color on the ceiling it really makes the carved molding pop. It’s the perfect backdrop to the jewel toned furniture.

Black always grounds a color so this dining area is made very elegant by the edition of the black chairs and bookcases.

Dunn-Edwards – Skipping Stones

Another blue was announced by Dunn-Edwards. Skipping Stones is a serene blue with hints of green and gray that gives it a feeling of the sea. Forecasters say that instead of creating a shelter from the world, which was the case in the pandemic years, people are now seeing their homes as a place to recharge before heading out into the world. This blue is very energizing and can give you that boost that will lift your spirits. It’s a perfect combination of warm and cool.

Blue is the #1 color for a bedroom and it has been for decades. When you paint the molding too, it gives it a very sophisticated look.

This bathroom is classic with its chandelier and steel windows.

You can also use this on the exterior of the house for a cottage look.

Dutch Boy – Ironside

This deep olive color is Dutch Boy’s Color of the Year for 2024. Like Behr, they decided to go dark and moody and this green is a departure from the charcoals and blacks of the last few years. People are still wanting to create spaces for wellness and greens will never really go out of style.

  DUNN-EDWARDS – IRONSIDE 422-7DB

Enveloping the whole room including the ceiling in this moody color gives it a very sophisticated look.

This kitchen is everything and also covers the ceiling with Ironside and touches of brass lift the color.

In this fabulous bathroom, the color is in perfect contrast to the marble vanity.

Valspar – Renew Blue

Renew Blue is a combination of blue and gray-green that evokes a sense of well-being. Do you sense a trend here? All of these blues for 2024 are different variations on the same theme.

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This kitchen is the epitome of a modern Coastal style. Feels so fresh and so clean, clean.

Bathrooms in this watery blue color feels like you’re on an island vacation.

Kids rooms should spark creativity and in this color it really does. I also love how they color blocked it with white.

Honorable Mentions:

Krylon has a blue that looks like it would fit in with any mid-century modern home and HGTV for Home is doing a riff on the apricot rage but in a peachier tone.

Krylon – Bluebird

HGTV for Home – Persimmon

As you can see there are a ton of blues and I just hope we don’t get tired of them. Even though these are the colors that are forecasted I always say, “do you boo”. Whatever makes you happy should be what you surround yourself with but it’s always interesting to see what is predicted and how it fits in with what’s going on in the world.

My favorite is Ironside and Cracked Pepper. I’m totally a dark and moody type of girl, but Limitless is also intriguing.

What’s your favorite color and what do you think about the predictions in general? Leave a comment and let me know.

See ya.