Understanding color lies at the root of all interior design decisions, and exploring the latest color trends, along with consulting the color wheel, basic color theory and recent paint trends, will ensure that you choose the perfect palette for your space. 2023 color trends are both daring and calm, impactful yet soothing, and celebrate both beautiful brights and comforting neutrals, so there really is something for everyone, no matter your style.

‘Color is incredibly emotive and we have deeply rooted associations with certain colors and tones of color. Layered onto this is a joyfulness when you see color and pattern mixed together in a skillful way that makes your heart sing a little. It’s experiencing something refreshing and just a little bit different or unexpected that gives us all mental lift,’ says Jo Littlefair, co-founder and director of Goddard Littlefair (opens in new tab). Working in harmony with the latest interior design trends, read on to find out the favored color trends for this year.

1. Empowering pinks 

With Viva Magenta (opens in new tab) revealed as Pantone’s Color of the Year 2023, expect to see rich, deep pinks with elegant red and purple undertones used across the interior design world. Described by Pantone as ‘a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family, Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.’ Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at the Pantone Color Institute says, ‘Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, it galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.’ With Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2023 (opens in new tab) also announced as Raspberry Blush, these empowering pinky-red shades embody a truly adventurous character and mark just how bold color trends and interior design choices are set to be in 2023. We know decorating with pink is not for everyone, but maybe this will be the year you’ll experiment with the color in your home.

2. Heritage inspired hues 

Ed O’Donnell, the co-founder of Angel O’Donnell (opens in new tab), says that 2023 will be the year of ’ re-imagined heritage colors’, he goes on to say, ‘richly pigmented hues will create warm, soothing and inviting spaces. Deep blues, putty pinks, and rich reds with mercurial magenta undertones are some of the reimagined heritage colors we’ll be seeing a lot of.’ The return of these classic, heritage colors is not only limited to more traditional, period properties, they will be integrated into beautiful modern settings also, establishing an eclectic mix of the old and the new. A beautiful example of this is Farrow & Ball (opens in new tab)’s recent launch of their 11 new colors. Joa Studholme, color curator for the brand describes the collection, ’these 11 new shades, which take their lead from our existing palette, have an instantly recognizable elegance. They range from easy-to-use lights to dramatic and atmospheric darks, all of which make our palette even more relevant for celebrating and sharing our homes.’ From Bamboozle, the bright red shown above, to Whirlybird, a calming pale green, and Wine Dark, an elegant midnight gray, the refreshing, rich palette establishes a delicate interplay between the traditional and the contemporary, with the colors effortlessly able to integrate into homes of all styles. For further inspiration on how to use these colors in your home, explore our 8 new tricks for transforming rooms with paint, by Farrow & Ball’s color expert.

3. Go for a glorious green

The influence nature has on interior design will always be timeless, and green, a color synonymous with nature and the beauty of the natural world, remains one of the most popular colors to use in interior design in 2023. Strong yet soothing, green room ideas can give a space an enveloping feel, but they can also sit quietly and calmly, allowing for other materials and bright accent colors to take center stage. Of all the cool colors, green is perhaps one of the most versatile. Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin (opens in new tab) says, ‘green is the new gray. The austerity of the gray, taupe age is over. It’s the age of all things emerald, lime, forest, pistachio, jade, and sage in everything from wall colors, fabrics, cushions, headboards, rugs, and curtains.’ When using green in your home, Judy Smith of Crown Paints (opens in new tab) advises, ‘it’s all about what you pair it with. Greens with a blue base are impactful, so introducing soft tones of clay white and chalky grey in furniture and accessories, while keeping the flooring light, brights balance, and a calming feel to a scheme.’ 

4. Opt for grounding, earthy neutrals

There’s plenty of debate as to how to define ‘neutral’ colors. We tend to think of them as tones such as white, beige, grey, ivory and khaki that don’t appear on the color wheel. In general, neutral room ideas are calming and easy to use – they work with almost every other color, but it’s important to consider how pigments are affected by light.    ‘The light in a room is a key to deciding whether to choose warm or cool tones,’ says Ruth Mottershead of Little Greene (opens in new tab). There is a difference between warm neutrals (with a green or yellow undertone), which work well in north-facing rooms as they bounce light around, and cool ones (with a bit pink, violet or blue).’ When decorating with neutrals, texture and layering are essential. Mix warm metallics such as brass or bronze and natural wood with linen, velvet, sheepskin and chunky knits, or choose a bright accent color to create an elegant contrast.

5. Establish a cozy and cocooning space with warm browns

The return of the seventies has been influencing interior trends for 2022 and into 2023; with a palette of warm taupes, browns and caramel tones becoming immensely popular across everything from paint to upholstery. Nick Cryer from Berkeley Place says, ‘we are seeing clients move on from gray, towards darker, more dramatic shades, such as dark blues and greens and charcoal and brown, with these warm, earth-based colors reinforcing a connection to nature.’  The nuances of decorating with brown are often underplayed but one look at Little Greene’s ‘Chimney Brick’ shows how complex and interesting the shade can be.  Part chocolate, part woodland and with a dash of purple grape, there is an unexpected richness that reveals itself in different ways. In North facing rooms it will create a cocooning field and in brighter spaces, it allows the opportunity to layer other shades of brown for more impact.

6. Dusky pinks and purples

Contrasting to the impactful notes of Viva Magenta, 2023 will also see the rise of a collection of romantic, dusky pinks and purples. Trend forecasters WGSN + Coloro named ‘Digital Lavender (opens in new tab)’ as their color of the year 2023, a soft and calming pastel purple that ‘will connect to this focus on wellbeing, offering a sense of stability and balance.’ With Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year 2023 announced as Redend Point, a beautiful blush beige, shown above, the color perfectly embodies how more muted pinks and purples are becoming versatile and popular ’new neutrals’ to use in the home. TrendBible (opens in new tab) support this, and have also listed ‘Maple Sugar’ as their key color of 2023, a light and sugary pink that feels welcoming and fun, they say, ’neutral colors promote a minimalist scheme whilst accents of color in uplifting hues can be used to inject personality. A soft and warming pastel is the perfect grounding for accents of color to stand out and add clarity and individualism.’

7. Inspire optimism with bold color choices

Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene says, ’the past few years have dramatically changed people’s approach to their interiors and we are seeing consumers really finding their own sense of color confidence in their homes.’ Andy Greenall, creative director at Paint & Paper Library (opens in new tab) also supports this and says, ‘both consumers and designers are turning to color combinations that add drama and intrigue to a space, with many more dramatic color pairings.’ Whether it is an impactful accent wall, a stand-out sofa, or ceiling paint ideas, for many of us, embracing bolder, more impactful color choices will only serve to make our homes feel more unique, fun, and reflective of our personalities.

8. Pair pink with orange for a harmonious scheme

‘Scale really drives how diverse you can be with color pairings: larger homes can take a looser palette; in smaller homes, it’s best to keep the colors more concise – find three colors that harmonize and use them as a common thread for continuity,’ says Charu Gandhi, founder and director, Elicyon (opens in new tab).  ‘I enjoy using ivory, egg-yolk yellows with hints of navy, mixed with copper and metal accents. Old rose pink, nude and orangey tones is also a nice palette – the combination of dull shades creates a calm but sumptuous aesthetic. We’re also using pastel lilac with thistle green and soft amber, which gives a pleasing visual sense.’ 

9. Rethink traditional color combinations

With 2023 seeing us taking bigger and bolder risks with color, expect to see more daring color combinations and unique color pairings across interior and color trends. ‘In this suite at the Crosby Street Hotel (above), against the orange fabric-covered walls, I used my Friendly Folk design in Melon Orange for the curtains and cushions and in Basil Green on the chairs,’ says Kit Kemp, founder, Firmdale Hotels (opens in new tab).  ‘Combined with Lewis & Wood’s Tribal in Limpopo on the sofas, this playful reverse color combination adds freshness to the warm room. A solid orange trim on the curtains and cushions helps to frame the fabric, creating a sense of harmony.’ 

10. Introduce vintage yellows

Tying into the resurgence of more classic heritage colors, a vintage yellow can work wonderfully in spaces both old and new, and can create a striking and luxurious atmosphere. The right shade can have surprising longevity and add a wonderful richness to a range of schemes. Yellow is also the shade of happiness, with many of us exploring how we can decorate with yellow to uplift our homes with a refreshing and joyful look. Much research has been done into how colors affect our mood, and yellow room ideas are renowned to inspire optimism and can create a playful, summery feel – for a more modern look, team it with charcoal and black.  ‘Tigers Eye’ by Zoffany (opens in new tab) shown above, is a great example of an enduring, muddy yellow, it injects an infusion of sunshine while remaining on the right side of sophistication.

11. Create calm with beautiful blues

Jane Rockett of Rockett St George (opens in new tab) says, ‘color on the cool spectrum – green hues from bright to blue, through to sea blue and cobalt on to purple and lavender – bring serenity to a space, so are ideal for your living room paint ideas and bedroom color schemes.’ Blue has the quality of being both soothing and invigorating and offers plenty of design versatility. Used with crisp white, it creates a calming coastal feel, while as one block of color, it can be an enveloping breath of fresh air, as shown above.   Of course, its natural home is with other pastels, such as barely-there lemon and delicate pink, but for a more contemporary edge, earthy shades like rust and terracotta will make this color sing. From Benjamin Moore’s Starry Night Blue, a powerful, electric blue with references to the sea and the sky, to Farrow & Ball’s clean, cool blue, Kittiwake, blue room ideas continue to be both invigorating and calming.

What will be the color of 2023?

As we have explored in this piece, there are collections of new colors revealed by paint brands, and favored colors celebrated by industry experts and designers that will be popular in 2023.  Viva Magenta is currently reigning strong as one of the most talked-about colors of the year, marking a celebration of the use of impactful and strong colors in interior design for 2023. With a move away from classic neutrals such as gray and beige, 2023 will also see a resurgence of re-imagined neutral shades, with enduring classics inspired by nature such as green, brown and blue remaining ever-popular.