Every year we track and profile the various Color of the Year selections made by major paint brands. Usually, there’s little consensus on what the hip hue for the new year will be. But every so often there’s a bit of agreement. And this is one of those times.

Clearly, blue is about to have a big year in 2024. Six out of the 10 companies featured in this article chose a shade of blue for their 2024 Color of the Year selections. The remaining colors run the gamut from dark and moody to warm and welcoming.

2024 Color of the Year

Let’s take a closer look at the paint colors you’re about to see a lot more of.

1. Upward by Sherwin-Williams

Taking inspiration from the sky above, Sherwin-Williams has selected this breezy, tranquil light blue as its selection for 2024 Color of the Year. Upward has a touch of gray in it, which makes it a sophisticated alternative to a more pastel baby blue.

This is an excellent blue paint if you’re looking to add color but want to keep your space light and bright. For instance, while dark navy blues have been popular recently for kitchen cabinets, this lighter shade might be a better option if your kitchen is on the smaller side or lacks abundant natural light. I can also see this color working well as a blue option for a porch ceiling.
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2. Thermal by C2

Here’s another pretty, soft blue, this one a touch darker than the previous pick. As you can see, it works really well on kitchen cabinetry. It infuses color into the space but remains soft and tranquil.

I could also see this working well in a bathroom, whether on the walls or for cabinetry. Or consider using it as an accent color on just the ceiling. It’s a trick that can visually enlarge and open up a room, especially if it has low ceilings, as the color mimics the sky on a clear, sunny day.

3.  Renew Blue by Valspar

Valspar’s selection is one of my favorites here. Watery blues are my go-to hues when I want to inject vibrant color into a home. It has a tropical “on vacation” vibe that plays well with warm or cool neutrals.

This brings up an important point: While you might enjoy checking out all of the Color of the Year announcements, you shouldn’t feel as though it’s a call to redecorate using these colors. Rather, if you see something here that you like, you can look forward to that color being featured more prominently in decorative materials and housewares in the coming year, should you want to add the hue to your home.

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4.  Bay Blue by Minwax

Here’s a darker watery blue option that’s actually a wood stain. And the great thing about a wood stain, versus paint, is that it allows the beautiful grain and texture of the wood to show through while adding a fun, vibrant color.

5. Skipping Stones by Dunn-Edwards

This medium blue shade reminds me of summer afternoons spent at the pool. It’s a cool blue, so it’s a great color choice for those residing in hotter climates. It can bring a soothing, cooling vibe to a bathroom, bedroom, or sunroom.

Dunn-Edwards’ Skipping Stones would also make a terrific front door color for those residing in any climate. As shown here, it injects a lovely dash of color into this otherwise all-white exterior.

I recently specified a similar hue for a homeowner’s interior doors and it really dressed up the indoor spaces nicely.

6. Blue Nova by Benjamin Moore

The chilliest of the blue selections, Blue Nova is a medium-dark shade with purple undertones. Similar to Skipping Stones, I think this color works best if you need to visually cool off a space.

I’d use this color a bit more sparingly since it’s rather dark. But it would be lovely for a front door or as an accent in a bedroom or bathroom.

7. Limitless by PPG and Glidden

For those looking to infuse their homes with warmer hues, PPG and Glidden’s selection of Limitless might be more to your liking. This soft champagne hue works well as a backdrop to darker wood tones, as well as warm metallics.

Sunny shades such as Limitless can be called upon to help lighten and brighten a space, so if you have a dark, cramped room in the house that needs an infusion of luminous warmth, this could be the hue for you.

8.  Persimmon by HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams

While warmer shades might be in the minority here, this one really stands out to me for its soft yet spicy quality. Persimmon is a lightened shade of earthy terra cotta, shown here on a kitchen island.

It’s an appetizing hue that lends itself well for use in a kitchen, dining room, or other spaces in your home where you regularly gather for meals and conversation with family and friends.

9. Cracked Pepper by Behr

I’m a longtime fan of Cracked Pepper. It’s a neutral dark gray that sits on the color spectrum just a tiny hair from black. In fact, I like to use it in place of pure black, as the latter can often appear too harsh or intense in and on a home.

Cracked Pepper is a true neutral in that it has neither warm nor cool undertones, so it can work well as an accent or trim color along with any other color or colors.

10.  Ironside by Dutch Boy

Dutch Boy also went for a deep and moody hue, this one a dark olive green with ashy brown undertones. This is a shade I’m seeing more and more of lately, typically used on cabinetry and millwork. It gives a cozy, intimate vibe to a space, making it a great choice for bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms.

Your turn: What do you think of the 2024 Color of the Year selections? Which would you pick?

Houzz Article by Jennifer Ott:   San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer’s work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently published book, “1000 Ideas for Color Schemes,” is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.

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