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Bathrooms and Kitchens Holding Strong as Renovation Darlings

Sherwin-Williams surveyed over 300 Sherwin-Williams pro contractors and more than 700 homeowners about residential spaces they plan to renovate in 2023. Here’s an inside look at the types of projects pros are preparing in the next six to eight months as well as the spaces in which homeowners will be renovating and spending the most time. For more information about these results, images or commentary, contact Sherwin-Williams@clynch.com.

Pros are Busy Updating These Residential Spaces…

Contractors continue to be busy with residential projects into 2023, with most professional painters planning to help residential clients renovate a bathroom (68%), kitchen (63%) or bedroom (62%) over the next six months.

While homeowner insights show that they are exploring some new interior palettes in the year ahead, painter insights indicate that grays and whites will continue to dominate their upcoming residential exterior projects, followed by beiges and warm neutrals.

In order to be on trend in 2023, Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, recommends leaning toward grays with warm undertones, such as Mineral Gray SW 2740.

For whites, Wadden says that Pure White SW 7005 is a top seller for a good reason: “It’s one of our most popular colors because it’s a neutral white that doesn’t lean too cool or creamy. Pure White SW 7005 has little to no undertones, meaning it can work well on a wall and trim and next to any color.”

Pure White SW 7005
Pure White SW 7005

…And Homeowners are Focusing on Spaces to Unwind

More than three-quarters of homeowners surveyed said they plan to renovate a space in the next 12 months. Of those homeowners, more than half are going to focus on their living or family rooms and almost half plan to focus on a bathroom or bedroom. Those with renovations in mind are hoping their homes feel clean (58%), inviting (53%) and peaceful (50%).

Urbane Bronze SW 7048
Urbane Bronze SW 7048

Color Psychology: Bring Hues from the Outdoors Inside

The survey revealed that many homeowners also want to spend more time in an outdoor living area. To help design with the outdoors in mind no matter the season, Wadden suggests using colors drawn from nature throughout the home, from a warm sage green to a deep blue reminiscent of the seas and skies.

“Greens and blues have staying power as popular color families because people want to add life to their spaces and create the feeling of having nature inside,” Wadden says. “We went from seeing bolder, jewel-toned colors trending the past couple of years, to seeing warmer, nature-inspired hues trending in 2021 and in 2022. From a color psychology standpoint, green is the color of nature, revitalization and growth and it’s no wonder we are seeing more and more use of the hue in interiors.”

Wadden recommends the following ways to bring colors drawn from nature indoors:

  • “Bathrooms are a great space to experiment with verdant green hues because they are smaller than most rooms and the color breaks up what is often a neutral space. I love a sage green like Evergreen Fog SW 9130 for a bathroom because it creates a feeling of an at-home spa.”
  • “Urbane Bronze SW 7048 is a rich, deep bronze with earthy undertones. Rooted in nature, the color conveys a sense of comfort, calm and stability, and it is ideal for creating a sanctuary space, like a bedroom.”
  • “Navy is a timeless classic and Naval SW 6244 is a rich navy and the perfect balance between bold color and the calming and awe-inspiring power of nature—from the infinite night sky to the deep sea. I recommend it for kitchen cabinets against neutral stone and metallic finishes to create a communal space that feels both luxurious and relaxing at the same time as making a statement.”