Sherwin-Williams released their long anticipated color of the year for 2024, declaring it to be UPWARD SW 6239. The color is a “breezy, blissful blue" and is meant to be the “color found when we slow down, take a breath, and allow the mind to clear,” according to the paint company’s website.
Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, explained the significance of the company’s 14-year annual tradition. According to Wadden, the goal for the Color of the Year is two-fold. Firstly, the color represents directional trends in interior design, but it’s also about help and inspiration.
“Many homeowners find that selecting colors for their spaces is an overwhelming process, and it certainly is,” Wadden said. “Our goal behind our color forecasting, including Color of the Year, is to help people narrow down their choices and make the color selection process easier. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we want everyone to paint their rooms in our selected Color of the Year, but it can serve as an inspiration and guide to finding what they want.”
In order to pick the Color of the Year, Wadden leads the process along with the Sherwin-Williams global color and design team. The group starts by researching and identifying key trends that influence the way we interact with color. From those findings, the team turns emerging trends into the annual Colormix Forecast, which features trending palettes for the year to come. The Color of the Year is then chosen from that forecast.
“It's important for us to respond to trends when selecting our Color of the Year, so understanding where the color world is standing is very important,” Wadden said. “It’s all about translating what a trend is and finding the right way to embody that in architecture.”
Previous Colors of the Year include 2023’s Redend Point SW 9081, a warm neutral terracotta. 2022’s Evergreen Fog SW 9130, a green-meets-gray shade with just a bit of blue. 2021’s Urbane Bronze SW 7048, a brownish gray hue, and 2020’s Naval SW 6244, a rich navy blue.
There is a message behind every Color of the Year. Upward SW 6239 is meant to represent a sense of steady optimism and easy tranquility.
“One of the reasons why we chose it is because we wanted to bring forward the best energy possible into this upcoming year, knowing 2024 is going to be a charged year, and blue is a color that people always connect with positivity,” Wadden said. “The lightness of this particular shade brings forward a sense of peace, which makes you want to pause and reconnect with the space around you.”
In regards to what types of rooms or settings this color is meant for, Wadden said Sherwin Williams usually likes to select a versatile color that works well in multiple spaces, and Upward SW 6239 does the job.
“One of my favorite applications is on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities – especially paired with white countertops. Upward SW 6239 is also a great choice for respite rooms like master bedrooms, since it evokes tranquility when applied to a space,” Wadden says. “The shade has calm gray undertones and a touch of periwinkle – making it a great choice for nurseries as well.
Find more details at sherwin-williams.com.
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