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While some home decor trends last for years (yes, we’re talking about you, modern farmhouse style), paint trends tend to change more quickly, because painting is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to renovate a room. Of course, you don’t need to change the paint with the seasons, but if your home could use an update, why not choose one of these trendy colors? We asked design professionals to look at their crystal globes and predict the hottest paint trends for summer 2022. From baby blues to hand-painted murals, here are all the paint trends experts see for our future.
Related: The Best Paint Colors Ever, According to Real Simple Home Designers
cool sweatshirt
“I feel like cool blues are going to be really big this summer—like water and light blue. They’re fun, bright, and summery,” says Jessica Davis, the interior designer behind Nest Studio. Think beyond the walls, suggests Davis, and consider painting cabinets, furniture, and other decor details.
Interior designer Lisa Gilmore also predicts that summer 2022 will be all about “the blues off the beaten path,” as we get more creative than the classic blue and white combo. “Using a blue that pulls off a purple base is refreshing, exciting, and unexpected. For me, Watertown 818 by Benjamin Moore does just that!”
painted floors
If you follow any design blogs or magazines, chances are you have seen some elegant homes with painted floors in recent months. Davis expects this trend to continue. “I think painted floors will continue to be great, but I especially see chessboards and stripes really enjoying the renaissance,” she says. Remember: Painter’s tape is your best friend if you are making your own patterned floor.
Warm and earthy colors
“Take fun seriously in 2022. Color is everywhere,” said Annie Sloan, creator of Chalk Paint. “Summer” 22 is led by warm, earthy spice tones. Rich yellows like ocher-influenced Carnaby yellow, and relaxing and sexy spice hues like Riad Terracotta, and Italian terracotta-like plaster of Piranesi Pink. This fits in with the post-lockdown trend for more personalized and private living spaces, while reflecting our desire for travel, the excitement, and the spices of life! “
painted architectural interest
“The trend towards experimentation continues, and we are getting further and further away from anyone
Colorful homes,” says Sloan. If you want to introduce color into your space without painting all the walls, try this trick: “A great way to add color is to use a picture rail and add a new color above,” Bridgerton-esque adds for details. The architecture is ingenious and will add character, charm and height to your home when done right. Remember: the color over the photo rail will draw the eye! Drizzle the same color across the ceiling for an extreme look. “If you already have any architectural details in your home (think, shingle, or clap and board), consider painting them a contrasting color.
soft watermelon shades
“We see a lot of our clients still yearning for the peace and comfort of their own home,” says Los Angeles-based interior designer Jane Feldman. Feldman explains that this desire for comfort leads to more nature-inspired hues, such as pale ivory, green, and reddish pink. “I began to call it the summer of colored watermelons!”
Matte finish
“We gravitate toward flat, satin and lime finishes, which look clean, fresh, and bright throughout the home,” says Feldman. “Adding that extra layer of texture at the end can create a great space-enveloping feel,” she adds. When choosing paints, consider some historical alternatives to traditional paints, such as lemon wash or milk paint.
Murals make a comeback
“I honestly feel that artists are finally getting their moments with murals,” Gilmore says. “For a long time, people would hear the word ‘wall mural’ and think of an old waterfall scene painted on your grandmother’s basement wall, next to wood wall panels. However, now people are freer and more expressive of colors, shapes, textures and the like.”
Paint doesn’t have to stay indoors either. “Also, colorful pools! Give me more painted pools,” Gilmore says.
