Paint Colors Falling Out of Favor in 2023
Before I go down the rabbit hole of what colors aren’t as popular as they once were, let me share that you should always make choices based on what you love, the look you want, and the activities you will be doing in that room. I have a great post to help you choose the perfect color palette by asking yourself five simple questions.
In my opinion, the only reason to choose colors for others and not yourself is if you’re painting to put your house up for sale or have a rental property to rent. In those cases, you would want to choose colors with wide appeal.
Disclaimer complete. Now, just for fun, let’s take a little look-see at what the paint manufacturers are noting as colors that the masses once made popular but now…not so much.
Five Paint Colors That Have Lost Their Mass Appeal
Gray: Just a few short years ago, it was all about gray. It was the “new neutral.” People were over tan and beige and looking for an alternative for those neutrals that felt more current. Gray seemed to fit the ticket. Now it seems that greige (a combo of gray and beige) is becoming the sweetheart of the neutral world. I like both. Gray can look very sharp and clean, especially when paired with white trim. In fact, I have a lot of gray in my house. I love how it takes on a lot various looks depending on its undertones. More green or blue. Warmer of cooler. Gray is versatile indeed.
Pinks: Pink had a moment, and it’s possible that moment may get prolonged due to the success of the Barbie movie (a big hit as of this writing). We definitely have seen a resurgence of pink lately, from 80s mauve to deep pinks. However—not completely discounting the potential Barbie X factor—that seems to be waning, and we are moving toward deep reds and wine colors again.
White: While white never goes out of style, the all-white interiors that were so popular a few years ago have been replaced with non-white colors instead. I’m not sad to see this trend end because I always feel that all white lacks personality and can make nearly any space feel clinical. Plus, the usability of an all-white space is low for anyone who has kids or pets. I like a home where I feel I can live a little and having all-white everything can make that very difficult.
Navy Blue: For good reason certain shades of blue are always popular. Recently the beautiful mid-tone blues have been among the most popular choices in our homes. Navy can be considered a staple color and as such will always have a certain amount of popularity, but for the last few years it seemed to be everywhere. Navy in stores, in magazines, on all the design shows. We went navy overboard (pun intended). So it seems navy is giving up ground to those mid-tone blues.
Deep Green: Much like navy blue, deep greens were getting a lot of favor in homes. That trend seems to be fading as the mass of people who follow and set the color trends are choosing lighter, muted greens. I do love the light, fresh feel delivered by lovely shades of less dense greens.
A Final Color Caveat
If you look online to find out which colors are “hot or not” these days, you will find many articles with many different opinions. Most people in the design world base their choices on what their clients are choosing and what paint manufacturers and the design industry are pushing. This is why I always tell my clients to choose colors they love, that make them feel good in their home, and that are well-suited to their needs. While it can be fun to see what’s popular, the only opinion that matters ultimately is yours.
Now, what will you do next to love where you live?
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