2023 Home Trends & Color Pallets

Is 2023 your year to change things up with a remodel or new build? Are you curious to see if your early 2020s design choices still feel current?

Whether a seller looking to freshen up a home to garner a higher purchase price, a homeowner wishing to increase rental income, or a recent purchaser, wanting to remodel a space or beginning a new build, knowing this year’s home trends and color pallets will ensure an elevated and timeless feel to your home.

“So, like, what’s the vibe?” My 17 year-old daughter would want to know. Overall, the vibe is warm and cozy, with earth tones like browns, replacing the more sterile grays of the recent past. According to renowned, Nantucket designer, Melanie Gowen, “I am working a lot with clients on mixing styles and incorporating meaningful objects. We are seeing more layering with textiles and building eclecticism in spaces. Especially when architecture gets articulated with new paint, the space feels freshly curated and comfortable.”

“I love mixing metals like this burnished silver leaf and gold statement flush mount light.” Melanie Gowen speaks about her designs at Pilgrim Compound.

As expected, kitchen remodels continue to be popular. These spaces have become family and guest go-to spots. Who sits in a living room anymore? Kitchen islands are great for multi-tasking while making meals, especially now that more people spend time and work from home. Still trendy in 2023 kitchens (and other spaces) are blue hues. Thank goodness since many Nantucket homeowners seem to gravitate towards this color aesthetic. As mentioned in a recent Woman & Home online magazine article about color trends, "Whether it be azure blue or cobalt blue, this hue is the color of freedom, intuition, and inspiration, and a great shade to put in rooms where you need to feel uplifted. Bedrooms, kitchens, and home offices, work well with this shade."

Melanie Gowen's Kitchen Design at Hussey St

What has gone by the wayside is “fast furniture.” During the pandemic, ordering custom furniture was not possible, so fast furniture it was, along with poor quality and useless pieces thrown out in months, thereby creating waste. With more emphasis globally on environmentally conscious choices, the trend is definitely towards buying items that are meant to last.

According to Elise Taylor, author of a January 13th piece about home design trends in Vogue, "It seems the modern farmhouse is no longer 'the' aesthetic, along with overly dressed beds, with far too many pillows and blanket throws." I am sure husbands everywhere will be thankful to hear that excessive pillows on beds is no longer a "thing" since getting into bed will be a whole lot easier, as well as having to make the bed, not knowing exactly where every type of pillow gets placed!

Colors Pallets & Wall Treatments – Rich and Vibrant Hues

If you haven’t heard already, Viva Magenta 18-1750 is Pantone’s color of the year. A bold pinkish red, "an unconventional shade for an unconventional time,“ notes Better Homes & Garden. According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, Viva Magenta "Is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes joy and optimism, writing a new narrative."

Bright and cheery, Benjamin Moore's pick is a vibrant red-orange called Raspberry Blush 2008-30. People are ready to bring color back into the home, taking a step outside their color comfort zones,” said Andrea Magno, Color Marketing and Development Director at Benjamin Moore. "This color palette empowers the use of statement colors that deliver delight and personality while transforming rooms for incredible results."

A blend of blush and beige, Redend Point SW 9081 by Sherwin-Williams features subtle pink undertones to warm up walls. Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams believes, "The grounding shade feels especially on trend as homeowners turn toward earth tones to bring comfort and joy to their interior spaces. People have been drawn to nature-inspired and earthy tones the past couple years, and this is something that will continue into 2023 and beyond."

According to Woman & Home, "Soft green reigns supreme. Think of shades of sage green and mint, relaxing hues of green that will help you chill out in your home." Dulux agrees, and their color for 2023 is Wild Wonder™ chosen because "It connects us with the cycles of life, by creating a sense of energy and positivity."

Designer Melanie Gowen pairs luxury elements, and a statement chandelier with the color green to give an understated, elegant and calming bedroom as seen in her New Hill design project.

Embracing oversized blooms is one of the biggest wallpaper trends for 2023. Melaine truly embraces the use of florals and believes,"Florals can be adapted to suit any space, whether it’s traditional or contemporary, even maximalist. When working with prints into your home, think about the scale of the flowers in the patterns. Large prints can make small rooms appear even smaller so stick to daintier designs to create an illusion of space."

This bedroom was created for an artistic young lady - it looks like her colored pencils jumped out of her desk drawer and painted the room. Wallpaper & matching chair fabric @jobskeramiktextil in Sweden. Custom chair fabricated by @stewartfurnituredesign via @americaneyewdc. @matouklinens duvet cover.

Mid-century mod infusion at this 1970s Nantucket beach house in Pocomo. @quadrillefabrics fabric Upholstered wall serves as a giant headboard with custom bedding to match.

Textured wallpapers are also playing a big role this year. With clients wanting to bring nature into their spaces, through paint choices, materials, and patterns, it makes sense that grasscloth made from natural fibers will be used to ensure a relaxed feel. On the flip side, retro wallpaper is back in a more modern way. "Walls covered in colorful and clashing geometric wallpaper were 70s staples. Perhaps due to a recent resurgence for nostalgia, we will see a retro resurgence, favoring groovy repeat patterns and abstract colorways." See Woman & Home article discussing trends in wallpapers.

Bathrooms from New Hill & Pocomo Compound home design projects.