Wake Up, Walls! 6 Paint Colors Experts Agree Will Be Everywhere This Spring

Spring is the quintessential time for cleaning and sprucing up your space. For many homeowners, that ritual includes refreshing tired walls with new paint.

But choosing a paint color you won’t regret can be tricky. You might be torn between two (or five!) shades. Or maybe you’re just looking for something a bit out of the norm.

The following paint colors are certainly bold, but we promise this: Stepping away from ho-hum white and gray hues is guaranteed to enliven your living space.

If you’re planning to remake your walls this spring, these are the au courant colors to consider. Our experts were happy to weigh in on the paint trends they’re seeing right now.

Rich reds

Red will make a big statement this spring.

“Red is a bold color that adds drama and sophistication to any space,” says Matt Teifke, founder and CEO of Teifke Real Estate in Austin, TX.

Several design companies, such as Pantone and Benjamin Moore, chose red-tinged hues for their 2023 colors of the year. For example, Benjamin Moore’s pick—Raspberry Blush—is a vibrant, red-orange color.

“People are ready to bring color back into the home, taking a step outside their color comfort zones,” said Andrea Magno, color marketing and development director at Benjamin Moore, in a press release. “Raspberry Blush [delivers] delight and personality while transforming rooms for incredible results.”

However, if you’re not ready to paint a whole room this color, Kendal Cavalieri, MBA, AKBD, founder and principal designer at Kendal Cavalieri Design in Buffalo, NY, recommends starting small.

“Consider using it as an accent in furniture, pillows, draperies, and wallpaper,” she suggests.

Teal

Devin Shaffer, lead interior designer at Decorilla, shares that teal is a rich, versatile color that plays nicely with many design styles.

“It has a classic quality that makes it a timeless choice,” he says. “It can also add a pop of modern flair when paired with the right colors and textures.”

However, it’s essential to remember that the appearance of teal may vary depending on the lighting.

“Teal can look more blue in natural light and more green in artificial light,” Shaffer says.

Because of this, he recommends testing the color on a small area before painting a whole room.

One of our top teal picks is Vardo from Farrow & Ball—a sumptuous, lively color that works particularly well with reds or dark greys.

Vining Ivy, a blue-green jewel tone, was selected by Glidden Paint by PPG as their 2023 color of the year.

Muted blues

Soft, muted blues will be a go-to for those looking to create a relaxing atmosphere, says Graham Gordon, senior designer marketplace manager at Block Renovation.

“This calming color is a nod to the sky and water,” he says.

Give new life to your slab-front kitchen cabinets by painting them Smoky Azurite by Sherwin-Williams, a cool denim hue with yellow-gray undertones.

If you’re looking for the perfect shade of light blue, Philippa Radon, a color and design specialist from C2 Paint, recommends C2’s Thermal.

“This cool and sophisticated hue of blue delivers an airy, soothing veil of color that delights the eye,” Radon says.

This versatile shade works well with light-bleached woods and deeper, mid-tone blues.

Jewel tones

You can also expect to see Art Deco-inspired paint palettes pop up.

“Art Deco color schemes often center on moody, saturated tones,” says Diana Viera, managing partner at ITALKRAFT in Miami.

She recommends opting for jewel tones, such as cobalt blue, emerald, and pure purple—rich shades that are proven to lend a sophisticated look.

“When you contrast these colors with dark gray or black paint, it establishes a striking, elegant atmosphere,” explains Viera.

Sherwin-Williams’ Shamrock is a classic, emerald paint choice. And Purple Mist by Valspar is a cool, light purple that celebrates the beauty of an amethyst stone.

Unexpected color pairings

Not only will we see unexpected paint colors this spring—but also unexpected color pairings, says Gena Kirk, vice president of Corporate Design Studio at KB Home.

“As we continue to personalize our spaces to make them a reflection of our personal styles, some old rules go out the window,” she says.

Surprising pairings may include browns with warmer blue tones or mushroom-inspired grays placed alongside magentas.

Eli Pasternak, a real estate professional and founder of Liberty House Buying Group, echoes this sentiment and says he’s observed increasingly frequent mashups of warm and cool tones in a single space.

“For example, homeowners might use a deep green to cool a warm brown or a vibrant pop of purple against a tan,” Pasternak notes.

However, he cautions that you should be mindful when mixing colors.

“Never let the color tone in a room be so muddled that you can’t tell if it’s warm or cool,” Pasternak says. “Remember, one temperature ought to predominate over the other.”

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