Paint Color Trends to Say Goodbye to in 2024

As you refresh your home in 2024, consider the latest paint color trends as you curate your space. As with interior decorating in general, we’ve moved to a point of view that calls to mind all of the details—not just the most bold or face-value elements. As such, undertones will be taking a starring role in the year ahead as they become a way to create balance and celebrate consumers’ individuality.

“Paint colors that evoke joy and calmness will take priority, especially in respite rooms, and colors that are too dramatic or bold might not be as popular,” says Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams' director of color marketing. While we will continue to find ways to bring a sense of peace and tranquility to our homes, 2024 will also see an increase in our own self-expression and how paint color can play a part in that aim.

Whether expressing individuality means more subtle plays that give undertones their own moment to shine, or a bold color play that draws to mind a special trip or memory, the paint color trends of 2024 are all about drawing out your unique design aesthetic and personality. To help you with your next home refresh, designers and paint experts are sharing the paint color trends we’re saying goodbye to in 2024, and what we can expect to see instead.

1. Swap Plain Neutrals for Strong Undertones

“Gray, neutral and white paint colors will forever be color palette staples, but people are no longer defaulting to them,” says Arianna Barone, color marketing manager at Benjamin Moore. The saturated hues we use to save for our accent colors are now taking centerstage on all four walls, but opting for high-impact shades isn’t the singular way to play with this color trend. “Opting for more colorful hues doesn’t mean only using bold and bright colors; it could mean a more subtle approach like an off-white that features a strong pink undertone, like Pristine OC-75, or a soft, but playful blue like Polar Sky 1674,” Barone says. "This comes from a willingness to explore color and express personality in the home."

2. Trade Whites and Grays for Global Influences

“Over recent years we have seen a move away from cold tones like pale gray and stark whites, embracing life's rich rainbow in response to a variety of global influences,” says Joa Studholme, color curator for Farrow & Ball. Barone has also noticed a shift toward cozier, warmer colors known for their soothing and welcoming qualities as we aim to create inviting homes. As with any trend, but particularly when it comes to making a splash with color, sticking with shades that you gravitate toward—rather than aimlessly following trend forecasts—will ensure you continue to impart timeless charm into your space.

3. Skip Bold Shades and Reach for Mid-tone Hues

While there’s no denying that consumers will be reaching for more saturated shades in 2024, that doesn’t mean it has to be all bold all the time. Mid-tones are a great way to get in on the more expressive trend in a subtle way. “Mid-tones are happy medium colors that aren’t too light or too dark,” Barone says. She recommends finding colors like Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year, Blue Nova, that’s appeal lies in its color-bending nuance, in this case, an intriguing blend of violet and blue.

4. Don't Stick to Just One Sheen

There’s nothing boring about paint color trends in 2024—and that extends to how we’ll be using finishes in the year ahead. But what might feel like a risky move can in fact deliver a look that feels just right. “The embrace of mixed sheens and finishes in a space, such as Dead Flat on walls and Full Gloss on cabinetry, will offer unexpected, balanced contrast,” Studholme says. Consider how you can play with this subtle paint color trend on the various surfaces in your space. And don’t forget the ceiling. A lacquered ceiling in a living room or more formal space can add instant glamour.

5. Move from Greens to Coastal-Inspired Blues

Green has been a dominant color over the past few years, as our color schemes took a nature-inspired route. But, while we’ll continue to strive to bring the outdoors in, our primary source of inspiration seems to be taking a more nautical direction as we “shift from greens being the go-to nature-inspired colors to blues starting to take over,” Wadden says. The paint color expert says this shift will likely see the coastal aesthetic take the throne as reigning design trend in the year ahead. “Nothing screams coastal-chic more than the combination of whites and blues,” Wadden says.

6. Trade All-White Trim for Darker Colors

Now is the time to embrace your favorite color plays, and that extends to the trim too. “The use of white on trim will definitely wain as people continue to experiment with color combination, and delight in how these unexpected combinations make them feel,” Studholme says. “Darker tones on trim will become the norm to create larger, lighter looking spaces, giving rooms an uplift.”