And the 2023 Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year is….

The most anticipated news from Sherwin-Williams each year is the annual Colormix® Forecast and the top-secret Color of the Year. While the Color of the Year is still under wraps, Sherwin-Williams recently announced TERRA, the 2023 Colormix Forecast. To celebrate, Sue Wadden, director of color marketing, and Emily Kantz, color marketing manager, sat down to discuss the art of forecasting and how orange, red, purple and warm neutrals will take over interiors next year.

And while you’ll still have to wait to hear the Color of the Year, Sue is teasing what to expect for 2023. Read below for more on the colorful forecast and, for more information, images or commentary, please reach out to Sherwin-Williams@clynch.com.

How Colormix Comes Together

Colormix forecasts the dozens of hues that will paint residential and commercial spaces the following year, from which comes the Color of the Year.

To make it all come together, Sue and the Sherwin-Williams Global Forecast team of color professionals at Sherwin-Williams spent the past year researching color, design and pop culture trends from across the globe, all culminating in a collaborative workshop to build the forecast and set the stage for the conversation around color in the year to come. Conversations flowed from topics of humanity to nature and all things in between to lead to TERRA, which features rich earth tones, natural clays, sunbaked sands, restful neutrals and powdery pastels across four residential palettes and six commercial segment palettes. For details, visit swcolorforecast.com. 

“We reviewed all of our materials — from macro trends and print patterns, to resins, wood species and carpeting materials — and selected colors that complemented those applications. One debate among the team was about where the nature trend is going. Is it bright and vibrant or is it a new take on 2022 Color of the Year Evergreen Fog SW 9130? These shifts are the nuance of what we’re trying to do: talk about the evolution of color year after year,” Sue said.

Once the palettes for residential and commercial spaces are set, the goal is to inspire designers working across market segments to see what’s new and current and to keep in mind when designing their spaces.

“Colormix is a beautiful starting place to help them get out of their comfort zone. For example, maybe designers didn’t know that orange was starting to trend, but seeing it used in this way will show them how they can apply the sunny hue to a variety of spaces,” Emily said.

Fabulous Grape SW 6293

Orange, Deep Red and Purple Will Have Their Moment

Sue and Emily agree that across residential and commercial spaces, some of the biggest colors of the year will be beautiful blue-green Homburg Gray SW 7622 and rich red Carnelian SW 7580.

“There’s an interest in these deeper, richer tones. They are somber, strong and stable colors in a time that is uncertain,” Sue says.

The color pros expect orange hues to pop up everywhere, including Peppery SW 6615 in residential spaces and Serape SW 6656 in hospitality spaces, as will vibrant purple, like Fabulous Grape SW 6293, in corporate commercial spaces.

“The hospitality industry is generally more daring and orange is fresh right now. It’s offering a different vibe and is seen as a more gender-neutral color taking over apparel, accessories and interiors. Corporate Commercial is a nice core of neutrals with some pops of color to provide unexpected moments,” Emily said.

Warm Neutrals Are Gaining Momentum

While bolder color choices may have their moment, warm neutrals will become more popular in residential spaces. Beiges are warming up and pink beiges and mauves are gaining momentum as designers continue to veer away from gray.

The Nexxus residential palette is Sue’s favorite from the 2023 Colormix Forecast and she’s got her eye on one color in particular: “I’m crushing on Cool Beige SW 9086. I love the conversation we’re having around beiges and color warming up.”

Finally, about the 2023 Color of the Year

While Sherwin-Williams isn’t announcing it yet, Sue hints at the hue and its connection to TERRA: “A key direction for 2023 is that neutrals are warming up and tied to the earth. Our Color of the Year will give off good vibes and positivity and be a celebration of warmth, coziness, optimism and hope.”

Cool Beige SW 9086 and Foothills SW 7514