1) The best green paint colors this year

Though I rarely give the paint company’s Color of the Year more than a glancing nod, this year I was struck by their uniformity and general good sense. Green was the hands down choice. As the most prevalent color in our surroundings (outside of the concrete jungles) green ushers in feelings of calmness, health, freshness and well-being. No wonder, after what we’ve been through it’s one of the hottest trends. I’ve been specifying greens for eons when clients are open to it. It’s an easy color to work with and enhances every style of interior design. Below find some of my favorite Benjamin Moore green paint colors right now.

Since green appears in nature alongside so many other colors, its versatility makes it a practical and useful color for both inside the home and exteriors as well.

Employed on this barn exterior, both dark and light greens are a hit right now, especially olive tones like this.

2) Dark houses – still here and going strong

Back in 2014, when barely a brave soul had dipped their toe into the inkwell of moody darks for home exteriors I forecasted dark exterior paint colors as one of the new trends. Here we are years later with charcoal, navy and even deep green colors for house exteriors everywhere. Dark house exteriors seem to be here for the foreseeable future. Note you will see some fading after a few years and your cooling bills may go up.

The addition of white trim gives a dark house a decidedly different vibe.

3) Board and Batten

Of yesteryear, this year and next year. This quintessential country house look is gracing homes of many styles these days. 

4) Patterned Seating

The “English look” filled with mixed patterns, rolled arms, layering and pleated patterned lamp shades seems to be omnipresent. Patterns on upholstered chairs and sofas are becoming a more popular trend in the States.

5) Checkered Floors

Checkerboard floors never disappear for too long. They are most definitely starting to appear again. From stenciled wood to marble and ceramic tiles you’ll see it in elegant formal foyers and country kitchens. While black and white check floors is classic, deep red and white and cocoa with white have been popping up as well.

6)  Box pleated or scalloped skirting

Skirted upholstered seating has a casual feel. This scalloped skirt adds a whimsical detail.

7)  Wild Marble trends

I suppose I could have used a different adjective but when I consider the heavily veined marble being used these days wild seems apt. The veining is not only extremely energetic but sometimes contains colors like purple which ups the ante even more. This is one of the more popular trends continuing on from the past 2 years or so.

8) Modular Sofas

2019 – 2021 saw a lot of curved back deco looking sofas but the 70’s modular sofas are on the scene now. Often very cushy and cloud-like I cant help think this is one of the more short lived trends.

10) Terracotta trends

Quietly, quietly growing steadily in popularity for the past 3-4 years.
Hard to beat for its varied warm tones and rugged appeal. It needs to be sealed to be used practically indoors.

11) Mixing patterns trend

I’ve been beating my drum about mixing upholstery patterns for years but this year’s nuance is mixing wallpaper patterns in the same room. While wallpaper “sets” were popular in Victorian times, today they’re not at all. Yet some adventurous souls are creating their own “sets” mixing wallpaper patterns to create an exciting space.

12) Ceramics

Someone told me ceramics are this year’s pilates. Do we even know what that means? Everyone is collecting I guess. For their tactile beauty, their hand-made provenance, the endless possibility of colors and styles and glazes I end the 2022 paint and interior design trends report here, with pottery. See you next year!