To get a glimpse into the latest paint and color trends, Fixr.com asked 62 interior design experts to give their opinions on what will be popular in the coming year. The annual report not only highlights things like colors of the year, but also what industry experts are seeing and experiencing in their work each day.
“The paint choices for 2023 are colors that will make you feel calm and cheerful at the same time,” says Tamra Toney Pfeifer of Set the Stage Interiors. “After several years of unsettledness and isolation, people are looking for a sense of hope and comfort in their lives. Color is a powerful, mood-evoking tool, and your home is your sanctuary, so you want it to create those feelings for you the minute you wake up or walk through the door!”
See below for top palettes, individual color choices, wallpaper trends, how people will be incorporating new colors into their homes, and what colors will be best for resale.
1. Neutrals with pops of bold colors is the most popular palette, according to 58% of experts. This palette ranked third last year, just behind warm neutrals and earthy tones, which have dropped slightly in popularity.
Anna Gibson of AKG Design Studio points out “one of the most popular trends we will see is colors! We are moving away from gray and white in the wide world of colors.”
2. Terracotta is the most popular color for 2023, chosen by 50% of surveyed experts. The rich, red-brown color is reminiscent of Southwestern designs and iron-rich clay.
Tied for second place is clay, creamy white, and deep pewter green, all of which received 40% of experts’ votes. The remaining color that makes up the top five is indigo with 37%.
3. Paint brands’ colors of the year are more diverse for 2023. While last year shades of green dominated the industry, this year the colors are much more diverse, as well as richer and more vibrant, says the report. (Click here to see BUILDER coverage on each of the 2023 color of the year announcements.)
4. Warm neutrals are the top interior color choices for selling, says 82% of the surveyed designers. Following warm neutrals, white is the next most recommended color by 61% of experts.
“While deep colors are beginning to trend this year, only 2% of experts feel you should use them if you plan on selling soon,” says the report. “This could change as dark or rich colors grow in popularity, but for now it’s best to use them only in homes you plan on staying in yourself.”
5. White remains most popular exterior color for selling. When asked which exterior colors they most recommend, 74% of top experts agree that white is the color to choose. Natural wood stains and tan have both increased in popularity, with 42% and 39% of experts recommending them, respectively.
6. Painting a whole room is the most popular way to incorporate a new color, reports 57% of respondents. Following right behind is using new colors in textiles, of which 44% of experts said would be most popular, and wallpapering the entire room rounds out the top three choices with 36%.
7. Overwhelming majority of experts say that wallpaper is here to stay. Whether they think it will simply maintain its popularity or grow in demand, 96% of experts feel that wallpaper will continue to be a big trend in 2023. Of these, 63% also believe that it’s going to be even more popular than before.
Of all wallpaper patterns, botanical prints are the top choice of experts, with more than 50% of them believing this will be the most popular next year. Following botanical, murals were selected by 42% and floral by 40%.
