Spring is the quintessential time for cleaning and sprucing up your space. For many homeowners, that ritual includes refreshing tired walls with new paint.
But choosing a paint colour you won’t regret can be tricky. You might be torn between two (or five!) shades. Or maybe you’re just looking for something a bit out of the norm.
The following paint colours are certainly bold, but we promise this: Stepping away from ho-hum white and gray hues is guaranteed to enliven your living space. If you’re planning to remake your walls this spring, these are the au courant colours to consider, accorging to what experts are seeing right now.
Rich reds
Red will make a big statement this spring. It’s a bold colour that adds drama and sophistication to any space.
Several design companies, such as Pantone and Benjamin Moore, chose red-tinged hues for their 2023 colours of the year. For example, Benjamin Moore’s pick — Raspberry Blush — is a vibrant, red-orange colour.
“People are ready to bring colour back into the home, taking a step outside their colour comfort zones,” said Andrea Magno, colour marketing and development director at Benjamin Moore, in a press release. “Raspberry Blush [delivers] delight and personality while transforming rooms for incredible results.”
However, if you’re not ready to paint a whole room this colour, Kendal Cavalieri, MBA, AKBD, founder and principal designer at Kendal Cavalieri Design in Buffalo, NY, recommends starting small.
“Consider using it as an accent in furniture, pillows, draperies and wallpaper,” she suggests.
Teal
Devin Shaffer, lead interior designer at Decorilla, shares that teal is a rich, versatile colour that plays nicely with many design styles.
“It has a classic quality that makes it a timeless choice,” he says. “It can also add a pop of modern flair when paired with the right colours and textures.”
However, it’s essential to remember that the appearance of teal may vary depending on the lighting.
“Teal can look more blue in natural light and more green in artificial light,” Shaffer says. Because of this, he recommends testing the colour on a small area before painting a whole room.
One of our top teal picks is Vardo from Farrow & Ball — a sumptuous, lively colour that works particularly well with reds or dark greys.
Vining Ivy, a blue-green jewel tone, was selected by Glidden Paint by PPG as their 2023 colour of the year.
Muted blues
Soft, muted blues will be a go-to for those looking to create a relaxing atmosphere, says Graham Gordon, senior designer marketplace manager at Block Renovation.
“This calming colour is a nod to the sky and water,” he says.
Give new life to your slab-front kitchen cabinets by painting them Smoky Azurite by Sherwin-Williams, a cool denim hue with yellow-gray undertones.
If you’re looking for the perfect shade of light blue, Philippa Radon, a colour and design specialist from C2 Paint, recommends C2’s Thermal.
“This cool and sophisticated hue of blue delivers an airy, soothing veil of colour that delights the eye,” Radon says.
This versatile shade works well with light-bleached woods and deeper, mid-tone blues.
Jewel tones
You can also expect to see Art Deco-inspired paint palettes pop up.
“Art Deco colour schemes often center on moody, saturated tones,” says Diana Viera, managing partner at ITALKRAFT in Miami.
She recommends opting for jewel tones, such as cobalt blue, emerald and pure purple — rich shades that are proven to lend a sophisticated look.
“When you contrast these colours with dark gray or black paint, it establishes a striking, elegant atmosphere,” explains Viera.
Sherwin-Williams’ Shamrock is a classic, emerald paint choice. And Purple Mist by Valspar is a cool, light purple that celebrates the beauty of an amethyst stone.
Unexpected colour pairings
Not only will we see unexpected paint colours this spring — but also unexpected colour pairings, says Gena Kirk, vice president of Corporate Design Studio at KB Home.
“As we continue to personalize our spaces to make them a reflection of our personal styles, some old rules go out the window,” she says.
Surprising pairings may include browns with warmer blue tones or mushroom-inspired grays placed alongside magentas.
Eli Pasternak, a real estate professional and founder of Liberty House Buying Group, echoes this sentiment and says he’s observed increasingly frequent mashups of warm and cool tones in a single space.
“For example, homeowners might use a deep green to cool a warm brown or a vibrant pop of purple against a tan,” Pasternak notes.
However, he cautions that you should be mindful when mixing colours.
“Never let the colour tone in a room be so muddled that you can’t tell if it’s warm or cool,” Pasternak says. “Remember, one temperature ought to predominate over the other.”
Try incorporating some of these choices into your home to add a pop of spring freshness indoors while you’re waiting for the snow to melt.
— Realtor.com