Color palette for 2018 – note the mustardy-gold on the right paired with the cool, bright red door. Hello 1960’s crossed with the late 20-teens?! (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore)
Do you like trends? Most of my clients are wary of that word even though, usually, they are full-on embracing some type of trend themselves. I don’t find the word “trendy” derogatory and neither should you. The human condition allows us to be aware of time passing. Change is constant and we are living through very specific periods of time – culturally and historically (no different than our grandparents and those before them) – why wouldn’t fashion and style change and why wouldn’t we want to change a little bit with that?
One easy way to update your home with trends is to add a few pops of color to a fairly neutral room. Painting your front door a fun color every 5 years or so might cheer you up when you walk through it in the evening and it probably needs it anyway.
Every year there will be a new color trend palette. If you see something you like a lot in one of these years – embrace it! Experiment with it! Then, you can take another look at the trend palette 5-7 years from now when you feel like you need an update. They will be waiting for you – and you might find some new colors that speak to you about how you want your home to feel in the year 2025. Let’s take a look at some of the color trends forecasted by good old Benjamin Moore, one of my favorite paint brands.
I wrote a color trend blog on this earlier in the month (See it here). This is Golden Retriever 2165-30. (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)Here’s a creamy neutral to balance out the brighter, retro pops of color. Peau de Soie AF-60 (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)A dark warm brown accented with orange and white – so retro! Saddle Soap 2110-30 (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)I’ve used this soft blue-green paint color before in a baby’s room – it’s really pretty and does look good warmed up with accents of red and natural wood. In reality, it’s not quite this strong of a color. Silver Marlin 2139-40 (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)I’ve used this as an accent color on the exterior of a home – it’s a beautiful, strong gray. Wolf Gray 2127-40 (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)What do you think of Pleasant Pink? Any chance I can get to rhyme – I take it. Paint number: 2094-60 (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)This is Caliente Red – the color of the year for 2018 for Benjamin Moore. I think this color is a bit divisive – most of my clients either love or hate red. There’s usually not an “It’s okay” response to this color. What do you think? (Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Moore)
Just for fun – take a look at this color palette from Kohler for the 1960’s:
The 60’s were tumultuous and filled with change – I wonder if there’s a parallel or if it is simply just colors? (Photo courtesy of Kohler)
And now, let me circle back to time passing – doesn’t everyone think about this when color trends are announced for the next year?
“When I was fifteen, all I wanted was to go off to some other world, a place beyond anybody’s reach. A place beyond the flow of time.”
– But there’s no place like that in this world.
– Exactly. Which is why I’m living here, in this world where things are continually damaged, where the heart is fickle, where time flows past without a break.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Laura is a Denver Interior Designer who runs an Interior Design Studio based in sunny Colorado with a strong commitment to livable and interesting interiors. She also runs The Colorado Nest, a Denver blog about Design, Art and Life in the Mountain West and co-hosts the book podcast "The Inside Flap" on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.
View all posts by Laura Medicus Interiors
2 thoughts on “Pops of Color: Color Trends for 2018”
Some pretty paint colors. And I do pay close attention to trends! Though I love some of the deeper jewel like colors that are showing up, I still tend toward more pastels and neutrals for my home. Pastels because the house is rather dark and not situated to take great advantage of the sun, and neutrals because I want the color to stand the test of time and decorating choices. Great article!
I feel so-so about these colors – they’re a little too retro for my taste. My house is all white, so….I do love pastels – they’re in right now too and I’m glad of it!!
The Colorado Nest 
Some pretty paint colors. And I do pay close attention to trends! Though I love some of the deeper jewel like colors that are showing up, I still tend toward more pastels and neutrals for my home. Pastels because the house is rather dark and not situated to take great advantage of the sun, and neutrals because I want the color to stand the test of time and decorating choices. Great article!
I feel so-so about these colors – they’re a little too retro for my taste. My house is all white, so….I do love pastels – they’re in right now too and I’m glad of it!!