11 Best-Selling Paint Colors of 2022

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Best Selling Paint Colors 2022, Peach pink paint color on wall with cane chair, artwork, and palm fan in glass vase — Photo:
Backdrophome.com

If there’s one word to describe how most people want their homes to feel, it’s this: comfortable. Barely anyone wants the stress of the outside world to follow them into their private sanctuaries, and at the same time, almost everyone wants to feel connected to the nature right outside their walls. And when it comes to the paints that were especially popular this year, that’s how Ashley Banbury, color marketing manager for HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, would describe it, too.

“Comfort was a key sentiment to bring into the home for 2022, and continuing into 2023, people want paints to create a calm, soothing environment inside the home that are also versatile in many spaces.”

Hues that reference natural elements—from trees and streams to skies and seas—were the most requested paint colors of the year, aiding in what paint professionals think was a desire to create a personal haven in the midst of rather public upheaval.

Fortunately, these shades are also pretty versatile, so they can be used as foundations for either louder colors or more subtle accents. Real Simple reached out to reps from HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, Behr, Benjamin Moore, Lick, and Backdrop to get insights on what hues landed for customers this year, and why these 11 shades would still be safe bets as we head into 2023.

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Darkroom

This is HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’s Color of the Year for 2023, and Banbury describes it as a “beautiful black with a plum undertone that creates dimension.” She recommends using it in an office or living room to evoke an “academia space,” but thinks it’s also retro enough for those who want a more historical feel.

02 of 11

Supermoon

Natalie Ebel, the cofounder of Backdrop, has seen how this pure white has really connected with customers this year. “I think Supermoon has resonated so strongly because it doesn’t skew too warm or too cool in its undertones, but does have an interesting depth,” she says. “It allows surrounding details in any exterior to shine.”

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Blank Canvas

Erika Woelfel, the vice president of color and creative service at Behr, says that this color is “expected to be one of our most popular colors in our six-year history of releasing a Color of the Year.” As the company’s 2022 pick, “Blank Canvas” is a creamy white that can read richer and warmer than its peers. “It is extremely versatile and addresses our desire for clean, refreshing spaces,” she says. “It can be used in any room in the home, especially in places where you want to create an open and expansive feeling.”

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36 Hours in Marrakesh

The “pink but earthy color” of this shade has been a longstanding bestseller for Backdrop, Ebel says, and has continued its popularity this year. “I attribute that to the name, which fed our need for escapism during the pandemic,” she notes. “It is also very livable and grounding.”

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First Light

This blush shade was the Benjamin Moore Color of the Year for 2020, and according to Arianna Cesa, the associate manager of color marketing and development at Benjamin Moore, it is “a refreshing, revitalizing blushed hue” that proves blush doesn’t have to be childish. “It has become a color that people continually reach for when looking for soft, rosy hues and alternatives to warm neutrals,” she says. “Personally, I love it for a living room where it feels a little more unexpected but still inviting to guests.”

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Back to Nature

While this was Behr’s Color of the Year for 2019, it continues to be a mainstay for those seeking a warm sage-green shade. Woelfel says that it works in every room of a home, so feel free to take it everywhere. “It’s a terrific color for living rooms and office spaces, or bedrooms and bathrooms, and pairs well with whites and light warm neutrals,” she notes.

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Sea Salt

And speaking of greens, Banbury recommends fan-favorite Sea Salt by HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams. “This is a popular shade in the bathroom, embracing self-care,” Banbury says.

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Accessible Beige

For those looking to back away from all-white this past year, Banbury says that this color was often what they found. “Accessible Beige is a soft neutral with a cool undertone, which makes for a perfect foundational color when you have cool accents and want to add a subtle warmth,” she notes.

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Beige 03 Matt

For a beige that has a similar earthy feel, Tash Bradley, the director of interior design at Lick, liked that this shade has been a go-to for customers. “It’s a really lovely neutral,” she says. “It’s warm, but it’s got a heavy black pigment that makes it feel very grounded, too. It makes you feel stable in your home, and looks lovely with green plants and black accents.”

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Gravity

Sue Kim, Valspar’s director of color marketing, noticed that gray was still a desirable shade for customers in 2022, but they were looking for a specific one that didn’t feel too heavy. “Gravity has a light, powdery feel,” she says. “While the gray color trend swings between cool and warm undertones, this true gray anchors the space and helps layer on your personal style.” Kim advises painters to try it on kitchen cabinets or a bathroom vanity.

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Blue Arrow

And for those who are seeking to refresh their exterior with bolder colors, Kim saw Blue Arrow come to the rescue. “This balanced blue works well with various exterior finishes and gives a strong connection to the sky and water,” she says. “Blue Arrow is also one of our 2023 Colors of the Year, so while the color was trending this year, we anticipate it will continue to be a popular pick for consumers next year.”

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