Embrace “Dirty” Tones For Livable Color in 2023

Jan 9

The “colors of the year” have long been released and our feeds are being flooded with the latest trends and forecasts for 2023. It seems the COTY’s this year are a bit all over the place, with magentas and teals coming from one side, bright gold and tomato from another, with some relaxing deep browns, beiges, and off-whites thrown in. Its hard to wrap your head around, which if you think about it, is kind of the perfect representation of the era we are in. A little wild, a little somber, and a whole lot of confusing.

So, after thorough investigation, I conclude that some of the paint suppliers got it right, and some not so much. I doubt we will see many people running to grab a gallon of Raspberry Blush or Viva Magenta, but I do agree that we will be seeing plenty of color

in the form of “dirty” pastels and muted jewel tones that will allow us to live comfortably while still being expressive with our spaces and cocooned in color.

The key to a livable color palette this year will be to pair colors that have the same undertones. Or to put it more simply, look for the “dirty” value when creating a scheme that flows. Warm undertones that are a little dusty will help soften bold colors and will create a foundation of tones that will look beautiful with the dark, warm woods and natural stone finishes that will be the hallmarks of the year.