The industry-leading authority on color, Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing, broke down the latest color trends shaping home design for 2027. The presentation counted toward CEUs.
Sue Wadden, The Sherwin-Williams Company
Where exactly do color forecasts come from?
That’s a frequent question heard by Sue Wadden and her team at The Sherwin-Williams Company. The answer: forecasters watch for drivers and signals.
Wood is on the rise, a signal coming out of the rise of biophilia. And then there are the drivers, such as nostalgia.
We’re seeing the elevation of craftsmanship in the age of AI. With everything so homogenized because it’s coming out of the LLMs, personalization is on the rise.
Al has also sparked a reverence for the past, including a return to timeless color. We’re looking back in order to look forward. We want to emphasize the human side of what we do, and that connection is truly important. So we’re seeing a sort of anti-AI heritage revival. Think heirloom patterns and colors, and designs that show the hands of the maker–such as riveting. All those little details you lose in the perfection of AI.
Lifespan is driving a ton of product development. We all want to live longer and live better. It’s only natural that wellness and longevity have become a focus of design. Fitness is now everywhere, so we’re leaning into it as an identity for color.
At the same time, we’re experiencing a spiritual renaissance. Religion and spirituality are both on the rise as people find ways to cope with modern life.
“There’s a color trends world, and there are colors on a continuum,” says Wadden. “This is what drives color forecasting.”
On the rise: color blocking, color-drenching moments–with a little 80s inspiration.
Wadden, a sports enthusiast, is delighted by the trend toward colors that celebrate sports teams. “It’s a meritocracy. Young people doing what they’re best at.”
Watch also for creamy whites and silver tones coming out of Europe, which will impact product development of hardware and surfaces. Wadden says we haven’t seen this since grey shifted out, so this is something to keep an eye on.
Red and berry tones will continue but shift into more terracotta expression. We’re also moving from blues to mossy greens. “The color of the year this year is celery, and that’s just a signal of what’s to come.”
