2019 may be a few months away, but some of the major paint companies already have named their choices for next year’s signature color. Now, what exactly does it mean to be the “color of the year?” Color prognosticators analyze the mood of the country, along with interior design trends, to come up with a specific color that they think will encapsulate the upcoming year. It’s all very subjective. And obviously, it’s not a precise science when the resultant picks are so different.
Nevertheless, I eagerly await the paint companies’ announcements like royal watchers hunger for baby news. I’m always inspired by the choices, even if I don’t like the particular colors. I’m guess I’m just so happy to see a color — any color — besides Swiss Coffee.
The question always does come up about what home decorators should do, armed with this knowledge. The fact is you don’t have to do a thing. If you like the colors in your home, keep them. But if you’re looking for a change, let these colors be a starting point. At least until Pantone announces its color of the year in December — that’s the Oscars of color.
Sherwin-Williams – Cavern Clay
Cavern Clay is a rich, warm hue that brings to mind the color of terra cotta pots. According to the company’s press release, it is “a nod to midcentury modern style, but with the soul of the American Southwest, which together create the desert modern aesthetic.” I’m not sure what that even means, but I do know that Cavern Clay is an earthy color that is cozy and welcoming. In fact, I’ve used colors similar to it in a number of interior design projects including a psychotherapist’s office and a master bedroom. “Cavern Clay is an easy way to bring the warmth of the outdoors in,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing, Sherwin-Williams. “Envision beaches, canyons and deserts, and sun-washed late summer afternoons — all of this embodied in one color. ” Yes, I can picture it.
Benjamin Moore – Metropolitan
While Sherwin-Williams went with warmth, Benjamin Moore is cool as a cucumber this year with Metropolitan. The pale gray color may be on the icy side, but I do find it can be as comforting as a warm brown, but in a different way: It’s calming, and a quiet respite from all the turmoil going around outside your front door. As Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore’s Director of Strategic Design Intelligence, wrote in the press release, “Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan exudes beauty and balance. It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design. Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous gray creates a soothing, impactful common ground.” Metropolitan also would be perfect for people who currently have white walls but won’t paint them because they are afraid of color. It’s subtle, yet still makes a statement.
Behr – Blueprint
If Goldilocks had found Cavern Clay “too hot” and Metropolitan “too cold,” she might have found Blueprint “just right.” This deep, teal blue embodies warmth, but with a quiet sophistication. Behr’s press release describes it as “warmer than denim and softer than navy, “ adding that “this refined blue signifies authenticity, confidence and timelessness.” I find Blueprint to have a New England patrician quality about it, and the color is very much like one I used in a hallway I designed at the Beverly Hills Greystone Mansion a few years back.
Interestingly, if you look at all three of these colors next to one another — Cavern Clay, Metropolitan and Blueprint — they work remarkably well as a cohesive palette. The brown complements the blue, with the gray grounding them as a neutral. Together, then, they really could be the perfect “2019 Color of the Year.”
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.
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