Color forecasters have released their picks for the new year. Pantone went with Emerald, but it is also touting Tender Shoots (a bright leafy green), Grayed Jade (a soft tonal green), Dusk Blue (a sea blue) and Monaco Blue (a deep, darker blue). Benjamin Moore has put softer, more neutral hues on the table, such as the watery colors Tranquility, Van Courtland Blue and Stratton Blue. Sherwin-Williams is promoting a mix of deep tonal hues, such as Pool House and Mountain Stream, and some very vibrant colors, like Eye Catching, Electric Lime and Calypso.
In the mood to try something new? Consider some ways to incorporate these and similar colors into your home this year.
Jennifer Ott Design
Here is a sampling of cool colors forecast to be big in 2013:
1. A vibrant greenish yellow, Eye Catching, from Sherwin-Williams
2. The springtime-fresh Tender Shoots, from Pantone
3. A watery greenish blue, Stratton Blue, from Benjamin Moore
4. A saturated royal blue, Frank Blue, from Sherwin-Williams
1. Greenish Yellow
This can be an intense hue on your walls, but if you use different shades of it with white or another light neutral thrown in, the impact is tempered.
Texas Construction Company
Consider putting this unexpected color on your floor. If you opt for a vibrant floor color, try to keep everything else in the room neutral.
LKID
Ceilings and wall niches are also good places for injecting color.
Rich Mathers Construction, Inc.
If the greenish yellows featured so far are too intense for you, try a softer shade of it, such as the color of this beautiful backsplash tile.
Jennifer Ott Design
Suggested Greenish Yellow Paint Picks
I like the contrast of these colors against a cool, dark walnut wood floor.
From left to right: Citron, from Behr; New Willow, from Valspar; Citrus Spice, from Pittsburgh Paints and Sunswept, from Mythic Paint.
2. Spring Green
This color will help get you through winter's darkest and dreariest days. These happy green tiles add just the right splash of color to an otherwise minimalist white and light gray bathroom.
HMH Architecture + Interiors
A softer leafy green tile adorns the wall in this lovely bathroom.
Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.
Don't be afraid to mix various shades of fresh green. They look fantastic paired with basic white.
Spring-green walls offer a terrific backdrop to the coral-pink-accented textiles in this pretty bedroom.
Another smart use of color on the ceiling. This green is softer and therefore works as a neutral.
Jennifer Ott Design
Suggested Spring Green Paint Picks
Nothing says "spring" like fresh green hues. These would look fantastic against a medium- to dark-toned wood or bamboo floor.
From left to right: Burst of Lime, from Kelly-Moore; Chesapeake, from Pratt & Lambert; Electric Lime, from Sherwin-Williams and Spring Green, from Glidden.
Polhemus Savery DaSilva
3. Watery Blue-Green
Give your bathroom a spa-like makeover by pairing this tropical hue with white.
Remick Associates Architects + Master Builders
The combination of turquoise, light gray and white are soft and soothing in another tranquil, spa-like bathroom.
LEANARCH Inc.
A small dash of bold aqua creates a fun retro vibe. If you lean toward bold, intense colors and have decent painting skills, you can change this swath out whenever another color catches your fancy.
Digs Design Company
Fun color need not be limited to modern and contemporary spaces. Various watery blues and greens give this more traditional room a fresh and updated look.
Enclosures Architects
Be creative when it comes to injecting color into your home. Many people overlook the stringer or risers or other parts of a staircase, but it is a great place for a splash of your favorite bold hue. You'll catch glimpses of it often but are unlikely to get overwhelmed by the color, since you don't spend long periods of time in that particular space.
For those who favor softer, more pastel-like colors, light blue-greens are an elegant choice and work well with light wood tones, such as in this soothing bedroom.
Jennifer Ott Design
Suggested Watery Blue-Green Paint Picks
Blue-greens have been popular for a while now. Whether you prefer your shades bluer, greener, lighter or darker, you can't go wrong with this color family for 2013. I like how they work against a backdrop of dark gray tile or concrete.
From left to right: Calypso, from Sherwin Williams; Waterfall, from Benjamin Moore; Aged Jade, from Kelly-Moore and Simply Seafoam, from Valspar.
Ethos Interiors
4. True Blue
I would argue that this pure blue never really goes out of style. And, as with a pair of classic denim jeans, you can successfully pair it with any other color. But I am seeing this hue used more and more in unexpected ways in and on homes — for example, as an accent color on this exterior wall.
Treoma Design
Here is another beautiful blue-clad stairway. If you go with a large swath of color, try breaking it up by using one lighter and one darker shade of it, as shown in this example.
Polhemus Savery DaSilva
I love how blue is used unexpectedly in this space — on the window and door rails and stiles — and how it is picked up elsewhere in the room via the furniture.
This blue couch is eye catching on its own, but it also works as a nice contrast to the gorgeous brick wall beyond.
The Wiseman Group Interior Design, Inc
Another unexpected use of blue, this time an intense royal blue. What a cool space for entertaining a crowd in a hot climate.
Jennifer Ott Design
Suggested True Blue Paint Picks
You can go with a pure blue or dial it down with shades that have more white or gray. I like pairing true blues with light gray concrete or tile.
From left to right: Castle Moat, from Behr; ; Ship's Harbor, from Pittsburgh Paints and Lazy Sunday, from Benjamin Moore.
Kristy Kropat Design GmbH
Pulling It All Together
This children's room incorporates many of 2013's hip hues nicely. This is a great way to work with bold color— the hues are all on the cool end of the color spectrum, so they play well together, and if you get tired of the look down the road, you can do it over with a fresh coat of paint and new bed linens.
Tell us: What cool colors have you used in your home? Share a photo below.
