Interior Paint Trends for Fall and Winter 2020

Home…never has this word held such a diversity of meanings as it has had in 2020. After all, for many of us, home has also meant a work, school, and entertainment space. Even now, many people remain in a quarantine state and have been forced to spend the majority of their time at home. While it has been challenging, this period has also been inspiring, and millions have started to pour a lot of attention into their interior and exterior living spaces.

Naturally, this means spending a bit on improvements, and if your budget is limited, but you need to do something to liven up the interiors, paint is the perfect solution. A fresh coat of paint can bring a whole new atmosphere to a home, and especially if you can do the painting yourself!

This brings us to another major point – what colors should you consider when looking to update your living space? There are a lot of traditional choices (though eggshell and plain white are no longer among them), and also some hot and trending hues.

Making Your Choice in Interior Paint Colors

Of course, you may not be someone interested in choosing between traditional or trending paint colors. You may be more of an interior designer who focuses entirely on personal preferences or tastes. That’s just fine! You can take a moment to jot down the colors or hues that you might lean more towards choosing and compare them against the trending colors. You may find that your preference is also something that appears on the list below!

Don’t Overlook the Importance of a Trend

If you are like many others, you might hear something like “trending colors” and decide to ignore the rest of the details. Understandably, you might want to avoid creating a space that has a generic or typical look, a look that says, “I’m doing what everyone else is doing.”

But, there is plenty of logic behind following the trends where paint colors are concerned. Firstly, if you are planning to sell your home, refinance a mortgage, or find someone to rent the space, by following paint trends, you can boost your chances by choosing colors that attract new buyers because of their freshness and trendiness.

Secondly, as Consumer Reports explains, “major paint manufacturers’ color experts create palettes to help you choose. They spot trends and look to many industries, including fashion and automotive, for inspiration when selecting colors that they predict will be popular with consumers.”

They then create palettes that can offer insight and inspiration into the different options that might relate to your chosen color.

Must you always follow their lead? Is it best if you follow the trends?

No, you can always go your own way where design and décor are concerned, but if you want the top trending colors for the fall and winter of 2020, they are detailed below. While many were identified before the novel coronavirus pandemic, they still feature warm and soothing hues ideal for living spaces.

An expert from the Benjamin Moore paint company explained that, if we “look back through the decades and track which colors were most popular during a given time, we find that in times of uncertainty, people gravitate toward colors that are warmer and more grounded as they are relatable and bring comfort to the home.”

What sorts of colors are being recommended or identified as trending? They are (in no particular order):

Blush

One hue that many find a surprise is the soft and blush hue of many paints. Rather than being specifically pink or beach, they are a flexible collection of shades that add warmth in a similar way that deeper reds or salmon hues bring, but instead achieve this as a wash of color.

Ideal for the living room or dining room, it is most popular in a matte or flat finish when applied to walls and in a semigloss or satin finish when used on moldings and trim.

The experts at Elle Décor agree with this particular hue’s popularity, but add that pastels, in general, are “hugely popular,” and that those with “added warmth and earthy undertones,” are the best.

Green

Green is easily one of the most soothing hues for its close associations to the outdoors and nature, clean living, and growth. The greens that seem to dominate the fall and autumn trends of 2020 are more of a sage to earthy green, which many are referring to as a new neutral.

While olive greens were trending in the earliest part of the year, the “moodier” hues are taking over. This is particularly true with green, and richer, deeper, and moodier shades are dominating the fall and winter 2020 trends.

Deep avocado green is also another hot color, and particularly if it is a more velvety and dark variety. Saturated hues are among the most popular, and especially with greens and blues, as they add drama without disrupting the cocoon-like comfort of home.

Don’t forget that green makes a great accent for a trim, a single wall, or a brighter companion color. It works well with off-white and grey, as well. It can be great in a living room, dining area, or even the kitchen and particularly when there is an abundance of natural light so that the hue doesn’t shrink the perception of space.

Pale Blue/Grey

Lilac grey was the hottest of hot trends for several years, and particularly the warmer hues with an undertone of bluish-purple. Almost any grey is going to hit the sweet spot between traditional and trendy, but the pale grey to the blue hue of stonewashed denim is growing in popularity.

Elle Décor also pointed out that more saturated blues and greys tend to alter in appearance based on the light in the room and even the time of day, creating a unique space that varies at all times.

Bluish grey is an ideal hue as a single color throughout a bedroom, but it also works as well in a formal dining room as it does in the den.

Apricot to Clay

Another color on the blush to pink spectrum, this is a more saturated hue that looks especially nice when paired with deep teal or other jewel tones. In general, earth tones are trending for autumn and winter 2020 and are taking over the cooler tones that have been popular over the past few years. The apricot to clay hues that veer towards orange also work very well with brown, olive, wine, ocher, and green to create warm and balanced spaces.

These hues work well with ecru trim or can be used for the entire room. The apricot to clay colors make a great accent wall and will liven up a smaller space. This particular range of colors can work in almost any room, from the bedroom to the bath, living room, dining area, and kitchen.

Jewel Blues

Cobalt and sapphire, navy and peacock blue are some of the most appealing and frequently chosen colors for any room in the home. As Consumer Reports noted, these more vibrant blues are “a nice transition away from the gray hues that have been popular over the past decade or so.”

These hues work well in sunny spaces as well as low-light settings like a bedroom or a bath, and they are ideal when paired with crisp whites for trim or ceilings and accent pieces.

Magenta and Ochre

In line with the trend in jewel tones like avocado green and rich blue, the popularity of paint hues inspired by the darkest colors is surprising. When you want to create a room full of drama, or add some flair to a more neutral space, the deep and rich hues of magenta purple with hints of bold yellow ochre do the trick. As an example, if you have a space decorated with the greys that have been so popular over the past few years, an accent wall of magenta and some pieces in ochre will bring a lot of energy.

These are not colors for the bedroom or bath but make for amazing effects in a living room or even a kitchen where grey cabinetry can be brought back to life by bursts of color in the trim or backsplash areas.

Dusty Teal

A color that can pair well with many other hues in the future is a great choice for those with a limited budget. Dusty teal is a neutral hue that can be made to have different colors or color profiles based on the colors nearby. Pair it with bold rust hues, deep navy blue, warmer peach, or soothing greens, and it will reflect those hues back.

Color Blocking

Although this is not a ‘color trend”, it is a trend in painting. Thus far, in 2020, we have seen a return to retro, and part of that comes in “matching” clashing colors to create an interesting focal point. From bold colors to wall graphics and even fabric prints, creating a contrasting space is in high demand among interior design trends for the upcoming year.

Who Identifies the Top Colors for Fall and Winter 2020?

What determined the popularity of these shades and hues? The information is cumulative and garnered from paint makers like Sherwin Williams and color experts like Pantone. Market data is also used to identify the hues or specific colors selling the most or what is generating the most interest. Experts are also a good source, and designers are a great resource for identifying color trends.

Of course, since there are so many different opinions, there are going to be a variety of different lists out there advising you on the best trends for the upcoming year when it comes to interior painting. If you take a little time to review them, you’ll probably also notice that they are mostly the same, save for a few exceptions here and there. Feel free to go with any color you like, even if it’s one that didn’t make our list because when it comes to painting your home, you have to like what you choose. All trends aside, that’s what really matters when you’re painting your home.

The Selection Process

When sitting down to plot out any sort of paint selection, you have to ask yourself a few key questions:

No matter what you choose, each of the color groupings discussed here are among the trendiest and most popular. Don’t be afraid of color, and take time to make sure you are helping to create the ideal home for your needs now.