The brilliant joy expert and author Ingrid Fetell Lee believes that we can cultivate more joy in our lives through color. Bold, bright, and vibrant color. The concept piqued my wellness-inclined interest and design-lovin’ eye—and there’s no better way to put it into practice than with the best summer paint trends 2022 has to offer.
Fetell Lee’s findings make sense. When you see a wall doused in Moroccan blue or a cashmere sweater in sunset gold, don’t you feel your eyes widen? I swear, I hold my breath every time I experience hot pink. I’m setting out to apply these mood-boosting findings immediately, so I sought the expertise of top interior designers and polled them for their favorite, on-trend picks. Because our homes have such an impact on our wellbeing. (Then I’ll be swapping my black summer tanks for ones in shades of coral.) Happy homes and summer days await.
Featured image by Michelle Nash
Image by Teal Thomsen.
The Top Summer Paint Trends 2022 Has in Store
The forecast is bright: Buttery yellow. Sky blue. Moody mauve. And to keep it all grounded, there’s a continued lean to classic, crisp white. Here’s what the interior designers predict.
Paint Trend #1: Butter-Yellow
“I love how this hue can create a neutral foundation,” says Avery Cox, founder and principal of Avery Cox Design. She believes butter-yellow pairs well with more saturated hues like magenta, cobalt, and forest greens (particularly when these bright colors are used in textiles and accessories). This color provides warmth, exudes happiness, and is an easy alternative to white.
Cox’s Butter-Yellow Paint Picks:
Image by Belathée Photography
Summer Paint Trend #2: Nature-inspired Blues and Greens
We’re still feeling the effects of lockdown—and we may be for some time. Because of this, Antoinette Arrington, founder of Haume, believes there’s a continued craving to bring the outside into our homes “through colors that mimic bright moments in nature.” Arrington says this includes beautiful blues “that remind us of a bright summer sky” and muted, natural greens “inspired by the ocean.”
Arrington’s Nature-Inspired Paint Picks:
*Honorable blue mention: Aleutian by Sherwin Williams, a favorite of designer Amy Youngblood. “It’s a bright blue which is perfect for summer but still muted enough where it’s not overwhelming,” says Youngblood.
Summer Paint Trend #3: Muted Purple
Why doesn’t purple get the design attention it deserves? Anastasia Casey, founder of IDCO Studio and Design Camp, believes this color, which is reminiscent of violets and grapes, is gaining a place in the summer design spotlight. “Once a design faux pas, purple has gotten an elevated makeover thanks to fearless designers who aren’t afraid to take a risk,” says Casey. “We’ve seen muted purple used everywhere, from kitchens to bathrooms and even main living spaces.”
Casey’s Muted Purple Paint Picks:
Summer Paint Trend #4: Bronze Ochre
Think of the color that results when the late July sun sets on a meadow. That’s the gorgeous bronze Jennifer Walter, owner and principal designer of Folding Chair Design Co., predicts will be huge this season. She’s recently used it in a mudroom with an “English country overtone to it.” The perfect bronze, which Walter describes as “a cousin of deep sunflower,” is ideal because it isn’t overwhelming. “It envelopes the room, and takes in all the sunlight in the right places.”
Walter’s Bronze-y Yellow Paint Pick:
Summer Paint Trend #5: Bright White
Sometimes you need the absence of color to appreciate the hues. Case in point: A fresh, bright white is always in style. Karen Wolf, creative principal of Karen B Wolf Interiors, believes this, as her clients are always asking for it. “We use our perennial favorite, Chantilly Lace, because it’s a bright, crisp, and warm white with no undertones.”
Wolf’s White Paint Pick: