It’s All About Empowerment

2020 is all about empowerment, and now there’s a color to match: Naval, a calming, deep navy hue that creates balance. It’s Sherwin Williams’ Color of the Year pick, and can be used on walls, ceilings, trims or as an accent in any room of your house.

“Our research showed that 2020 will be an empowering year of change that will focus on bringing your best self into the new decade. Paint and design are becoming more about what makes you feel good,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. She leads the team that chooses the Color of the Year.
 

 
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  • Color in general, is heading in a deeper, moodier direction. Specifically, bold blues and greens are becoming more and more popular.

    Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams

“My team of color experts and I examine insights from global design forecasts and spend months researching rising trends across numerous design disciplines. From there, we develop the Colormix Color Forecast and then choose the Color of the Year from that color palette,” says Wadden.  

Wadden says they selected the versatile Naval, which is being called the new neutral, because it’s “rooted in nature, which brings us closer to wellness within our own homes. It’s tied to the seas and the skies, making it an incredibly grounding color.”

Naval is definitely a darker pick compared to years past, which Wadden says reflects a broader trend. “Color, in general, is heading in a deeper, moodier direction. Specifically, bold blues and greens are becoming more and more popular for several reasons,” says Wadden. “We’ve spent the past 10 years living with a lot of gray and white, and the 2020s are moving in the opposite direction. They are colors that come from nature, so they feel familiar and help anchor us as life pulls us in so many directions.”

Sherwin-Williams Color Pairings

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You can also balance Naval with warm metallic accents and golden paint colors like Tarnished Trumpet or Midday, or incorporate green hues like Kale Green, Acacia Haze, or Ripe Olive to help play up the “nature” presence, Wadden says. It also pairs well with Sherwin-Williams Snowbound, a shade of white, as well as the beige Touch of Sand.

Picking the right paint color for your house can be overwhelming as there are seemingly endless options. Wadden says Sherwin-Williams hopes that selecting a Color of the Year helps take the guesswork out of the process and provide inspiration for both homeowners and designers.

 

Creating a Natural Sanctuary within Your Home

Whether you use the 2020 Color of the Year on your walls, ceilings, trims, or as an accent, Sherwin-Williams says it will bring a natural presence into your home, creating a balance in everyday lives. Test it out in your own space with the Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap® Visualizer.