It's Decided — Designers Say These 15 Paint Colors Will be the Biggest Decorating Trends of 2024

Interior designers and color experts pick the paint colors that are going to define 2024

A kitchen with green and pink paint tones on walls
(Image credit: Taran Wilkhu. Studio credit PL Studio)

Zeroing in on a paint color to redecorate with is one of the toughest decisions to make, especially when there are so many to choose from. With a little guidance on the trends and which colors designers and experts are using, it makes it so much easier to narrow down your options .

We asked the experts: which paint colors do you think we'll see more of in 2024? These were the color trends they picked out, that are set to define homes in the next year.

1. Natural, earthy green

A bedroom with an earthy green wall paint

(Image credit: frenchCALIFORNIA)

Colors that represent nature will never go out of style. These connect us with the outdoors, give the home a grounded appeal, and have an inherent calmness to them.

'I think the natural shades of green, mirroring the eco-conscious trend in interior design will be big in 2024,' says Guillaume Coutheillas, founder of frenchCALIFORNIA. 'These often with earthy undertones, are gaining popularity in paints and furniture finishes. These greens are essential in creating retro, countryside-inspired decor evoking the charm of country houses.'

Plus, several colors go with green making it a lovely, versatile hue to play with in interiors.

2. Cobalt

An all blue staircase area

(Image credit: Kingston Lafferty Design)

A deep, dark blue can give a space depth, and character and in smaller rooms, create the feeling of being cocooned. Such is the power of this nature's hue.

'The color cobalt is daring, bold and can unexpectedly feature in day-to-day interiors,' says Roisin Lafferty, founder of Kingston Lafferty Design. 'We designed a slick new residential townhouse based on this color and the power it creates. A cobalt cube was interjected within the central core of this residence which explodes and saturates its four levels informing the design direction in each space it is offset from.'

'Cobalt was applied to walls, floor coverings, bathrooms using a single material — micro cement — allowing the finish to blend as one where walls appear to melt to floors and steps wrap into seats,' says Roisin. 'This dominating, intense block of color diffuses the space entirely blurring the lines between what is wall, floor, joinery, art & sculpture.'

If you do dare to use this shade in the new year and want to give spaces more grounded appeal and tone down the effect of blue, consider mixing it up with brown, white, or green — all colors that go with blue, to create pleasing, complementary schemes.

3. Purple

Purple living room with blue chairs and modern art

(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth)

Get ready for purple living rooms, bedrooms or baths, drenched in this single tone, dialing up your home's style quotient.

'We saw this emerge slowly, but a new color family has now taken the town by storm — purple, but not the purple that pops to mind,' says Joshua Smith, principal and founder of Joshua Smith Inc. 'Think deeper shades like plum and amethyst, even deep magenta. They are here to stay. We’ve already used this in numerous projects, expanding the palette with teal and navy for analogous color families. I even painted the front door of my new Vermont studio Farrow and Ball’s Pelt this October. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, from a psychological perspective purple promotes harmony of the mind and the emotions. It contributes to mental balance and stability, calming the mind and nerves. We’ve even seen companies shift to purple marble now instead of the typical carrara or calacatta.'

4. Warm white

A living room with cream walls

(Image credit: Jacob Snavely. Studio credit Rauch Architecture)

When it comes to choosing the best white paints for interior walls, the days of pure, brilliant white are over. Experts no longer recommend the clinical, cold white, but instead advise on the milder, creamier, and softer white with yellow undertones.

'I think 2024 will be about soft neutrals,' says Shelagh Conway, principal and founder of Triple Heart Design. 'Think of the morning warm white light at sunrise. Nature will continue to play a large role in home design from sustainability to creating the zen that can be achieved in the outdoors.'

5. Emerald green

A corner in a nursery in emerald green paint

(Image credit: Shure Design Studio)

And finally, as greens take over 2024, experts also suggest decorating with jewel tones...specifically emerald green.

'I’m really hoping we continue to see more people experimenting with richer and darker colors in 2024,' says Candace Shure, founder of Shure Design Studio. 'I’ve been noticing a trend with our clients gravitating towards emeralds in the spaces they find inspiring, and one color that stands out to me is Rosemary by Sherwin Williams. It’s a sophisticated shade of green that has a lot of depth and looks fantastic on walls, trim, and cabinetry alike. We recently used it to paint a custom scalloped detail in a nursery we designed and loved how the color made it feel both refined and fresh at the same time.'

Aditi Sharma
Design Editor

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari started her career at The Address (The Times of India), a tabloid on interiors and art. She wrote profiles of Indian artists, designers, and architects, and covered inspiring houses and commercial properties. After four years, she moved to ELLE DECOR as a senior features writer, where she contributed to the magazine and website, and also worked alongside the events team on India Design ID — the brand’s 10-day, annual design show. She wrote across topics: from designer interviews, and house tours, to new product launches, shopping pages, and reviews. After three years, she was hired as the senior editor at Houzz. The website content focused on practical advice on decorating the home and making design feel more approachable. She created fresh series on budget buys, design hacks, and DIYs, all backed with expert advice. Equipped with sizable knowledge of the industry and with a good network, she moved to Architectural Digest (Conde Nast) as the digital editor. The publication's focus was on high-end design, and her content highlighted A-listers, starchitects, and high-concept products, all customized for an audience that loves and invests in luxury. After a two year stint, she moved to the UK, and was hired at Livingetc. Currently, as the design editor, her focus is on kitchens and bathrooms and she covers exciting before/after projects, writes expert pieces on decor, color, and occasionally reviews exciting travel destinations.