Colours for 2022

Have you ever asked yourself “What’s hot.. what’s not?”

No? Not really? But you may have got a bit stuck thinking how might I decide what colour my kitchen should be? Will it complement what I already have, I don't want to have to re-do everything? Can I get away with that yellow against my favourite puce sofa?

There’s no need to over think it. Rules here tend to be a bit of a thing of the past but some guidance can certainly help. Consider these points:

1 - If you like it then that is all that matters.

2 - The concepts of complementary and contrasting colours, monochromatic schemes etc can be explained using a colour wheel. This deserves it's own post which I will do next time but YouTube is also your friend here.

3 - A colour wheel doesn’t hold all the answers. Mainly because of point number 1 but also because art exists wherever you find it. Nature is a great inspiration for colour and mood. Write a list of what you like or create a collection of images.

4 - Don’t overdo the white and grey!!

So what do we know about trends for this year?

We are living in a period of relative stability when it comes to colour. But also one of huge, huge choice. That stability is driven by us the consumer. It can be a reaction to the speed of modern life. We don’t like the obsolescence that comes with technological advance but we accept it for say, a better camera on a faster phone. We don’t tend to like fashion that ages badly and often reject it until enough time passes for it to become nostalgic. In the 70s and 80s you could almost identify the year of installation by the colour of the bathroom suite. When I talk about not overdoing the white and grey, I'm not criticising it, it has been one of the strongest, consistent palettes over the last 10 years. It is an effective way to create a blank canvas but maybe it's time to look beyond that simplicity of decision.

If a trend could be identified then it would be balancing strong heritage colours (be it low olive tones, regency greens or a deep french navy) with classic warm parchment-like blank canvas colours. Setting off the bold choice with a timeless, rich accent. This is a simple clean contrast that continues to deliver.

Brace yourself! Beige tones are coming through again. This is an earthy response to that recent use of grey and shows that consumers are moving away from the clinical look for a clean but warmer vibe. Don’t imagine it as a return to magnolia and off whites. These are soft caramels, a creamy richness sitting alongside a crisp chalk white.

At the other end we have bold - let’s talk staircases, banisters and spindles. They continue in the style seen over the last year or two where we are choosing to accent halls and landings with dark painted finishes, sometimes in full gloss. Ebony, french greys, navy, dark olives. Again, strong heritage tones. This takes us towards the concept of colour drenching which is also currently popular. It is a move away from white woodwork and where the trim finish matches the wall colour. This works really well with schemes in older properties especially where the skirting or architrave has a bit of profile to it.

Wallpaper is back in a big way too. If you haven’t seen a little job we did this month. It has it all going on. Bold jungle paper in a small space, utterly transformative.

Like I said, the choice is yours but if this year you fancy a change, keep your eye out for soft and earthy pinks, nature resembling calm greens in combination with each other and bold, deep blues against soft accent colours.

Most decorators are happy to be involved at an early stage with colour choice, offering examples of what has worked well in similar spaces. Reach out, ask them.

Good luck!