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From soft sage hues to green-blue tones, greens dominated the list of 2022 Colors of the Year, with five major paint manufacturers choosing a shade of green as its Color of the Year. Representatives from two of those manufacturers shared insights with Hardware Retailing on why green is so prominent on the color charts in 2022 and the painting projects homeowners will take on in the new year. Ashley McCollum is the associate marketing manager at PPG and Arianna Cesa serves as associate manager of color marketing and development for Benjamin Moore.
For a roundup of all the 2022 Colors of the Year, click here.
Hardware Retailing (HR): Several paint manufacturers chose a soft green-gray color as their Color of the Year. Why is that color popular for 2022?
Ashley McCollum (AM): When deciding what the Color of the Year was going to be during PPG’s annual Global Color Forecasting Workshop, our global color stylists agreed early on that green would be prevalent in 2022 because it symbolizes growth and rejuvenation—something we are all craving as we live through the ongoing pandemic. PPG’s 2022 Color of the Year, Olive Sprig, an elegant yet grounded muted green, was chosen because it emulates a feeling of hope, healing, balance and growth.
During difficult inflection points throughout history, we often see consumers gravitating toward more colorful selections, as previously seen during the Roaring ‘20s or after the Great Depression. As part of this cyclical history, PPG is seeing post-pandemic optimism start to infiltrate residential design to create a sense of escapism. In 2022, we anticipate we will see homeowners, designers, facility managers and architects opt for more colorful palettes, shifting away from the neutral, minimalist palettes of the last few years.
Arianna Cesa (AC): The green color family was prominent in the many colors brought to the table by the Benjamin Moore team while researching color trends for 2022. While the exact shade was something the team deliberated on for a while, it was clear a color within the green family was the right direction. Green exudes balance and stability, but it also pairs perfectly with a variety of other colors, enabling personalization. As we worked with October Mist, it quickly became clear it is a paint color that creates a canvas for experimentation. It has connective qualities and can act as a bridge to bringing playful and bolder colors into your home. Ultimately, October Mist had that right combination of presence and subtlety to form the cornerstone of the palette. We are seeing consumers gravitate towards bringing more color into their homes. October Mist can provide a beautiful backdrop for a space by itself or create a foundation for more playful design choices.
HR: Many homeowners painted and renovated offices and learning spaces over the last two years. What spaces do you think homeowners will focus on in 2022?
AM: We certainly see homeowners continuing to transform their spaces as working from home will likely continue on some scale in 2022. One trend we noticed as a result of increased work from home and remote learning was a shift away from open-concept living spaces to more individualized rooms creating a sense of privacy and separation between working life and personal life. To achieve this feeling, homeowners should explore painting a wall or nook a different color from the rest of the room as a simple, cost-efficient project that can instantly transform a space and create the boundaries that many consumers are seeking.
AC: A focus for our 2022 palette was on the spaces in the home that offer an escape or personal retreat away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Perhaps it is a bedroom, a bathroom, a study, or maybe it’s a window seat in a dormer that is the perfect nook to curl up with a book. It is about carving out a space that reflects what you need from your home. Because our Color Trends 2022 palette is about making design your own, these smaller spaces are the perfect opportunity to experiment and discover your personal design style.
