Tickle us (hot) pink

A new year means new predictions for what colors and design styles will be trending in 2023. While we spent most of last year nursing our wounds and soothing our souls, 2023 finds us ready to break free from our homebody routines and live boldly.  

The Pantone Color Institute got the memo, and chose Viva Magenta as its Color of the Year. This rich, saturated red-pink is a brave color that is both joyous and powerful. Gone are last year’s earthy, back to nature greens that grounded us in comfort and peace. The directive now is to be audacious and have fun. Paint a feature wall in a bedroom with this expressive color and temper it with soft blues and beiges for a livable scheme.  

Benjamin Moore chose an equally vibrant color called Raspberry Blush. This red-orange hue is lively and happy, with coral undertones that work beautifully in rooms with full sun. Pair it with soft greens and creams for a vibrant color palette that nods to the tropics. 

Bold color isn’t just a trend in paint. Rich hues on upholstery and in accessories help express our unique personalities and styles. Homeowners are putting to bed the bland, neutral spaces of 2022 that lacked character. Now, sofas and chairs swathed in peacock blue, emerald green, and magenta are great choices for statement-making rooms.  

Shopping vintage stores for unique objects, lighting, and art isn’t just a sustainable choice; it’s a great way to add individuality back into our homes. In 2023, the most exciting spaces will be colorful, collected, and eclectic. 

Daring colors are popular in bathroom design as well. The all-white bathroom era is on its way out. In 2023, homeowners will use color and pattern with confidence, covering walls and floors with ceramic, cement, and Zellige tiles in shades of deep ocean blues and forest greens. Statement color injects joy and personality into our spaces and can transform bathroom design with incredible results. 

Design trends for this year are celebrating our optimism and joyousness, and encouraging us all to have fun in life–and in designing our homes, too.  

Jodi Morton is the founder of 2to5 Design, a Chicago-based, full service interior design studio.