2020 Color Trends

When it comes to art, there is no single element more impactful than color. The colors you incorporate into your design can completely change the look, feel and perception. Choosing colors is very personal for any artist, but staying on-trend can have an effect on sales.

What does "on-trend" mean for 2020? Four of the world's largest paint companies Pantone, Behr, Sherwin Williams, and PPG recently released their 2020 color palettes, and there's a clear theme across the board - colors inspired by the great outdoors (mainly greens and blues) that act to evoke a sense of peace, calm, and tranquility. Yet the design world is not ready to give up the power of pink - the 2020 Benjamin Moore color is First Light - a wash of pink that is a big departure from the 2019 choice - a cool gray named Metropolitan.

More importantly these color choices represent a movement to counterbalance the cacophony of stresses that are an increasing factor of contemporary life. The trend towards color that draws its inspiration from nature, with rich yet subtle shades reminiscent of sea, sand, forest, and sky are all about bringing those organic elements into the home to create a sense of balance.

There is science and economic impact in these color selections. Pantone popularized color forecasting by declaring a Color of the Year since the 2000s, and it’s exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry since. Nowadays color forecasting impacts every industry, from fashion trends to smartphone design. As artists, we have the advantage of understanding not only how colors interact with each other, but how they can influence moods and purchasing decisions.

While I don’t personally make my art based on the color/design decisions of what’s trending, I do love to see the new color combinations and get inspired with design possibilities.