I’m an interiors expert – here’s the paint colours to avoid this autumn for the most on-trend rooms
AN interior design expert has revealed the paint colours to avoid for the most on-trend rooms.
With autumn officially underway, homeowners may be looking to embrace the seasonal change with a fresh coat of paint.
But while some popular shades have stood the test of time, others have quickly fallen out of vogue.
Interior design expert Anne Haimes, design director and founder of Anne Haimes Interiors, shares the colours that have lost their magic and what to replace them with.
Navy blue
Navy blue is one of those classic shades that will never fully disappear but its popularity has subsided – for now.
It hit its peak in 2020 when people began working from home and wanted to redesign their offices.
A shade called ‘Classic Blue’ was even announced as the colour of the year during this time.
But Anne says while it exudes sophistication it can lack warmth and homeliness and suggests trying a dark olive green instead.
She advises you pick one with a grey-toned base to balance the warm and cool tones while keeping the sense of sophistication the navy blue brings.
Bland grey
Grey is very similar to navy blue, it may never go fully out of style and it is a staple for any interior designer.
While it was once celebrated for the timeless and versatile appeal it oozed, trends have now evolved to more complex and intriguing colours.
Warmer tones and more natural variations are more favourable than pale, cold tones of grey.
Anna suggests looking toward beiges as an alternative or picking a grey with a warmer base such as green, pink or brown-toned slate colours.
But if you are a charcoal grey staple you can still make it work with the right styling.
Anne suggests taking inspiration from the Japandi trend and balancing a grey room with plenty of natural materials and warm furnishings.
Garish red
According to Vogue, red is making a comeback on the fashion runways this autumn.
And the colour is expected to filter into interiors for the new season too.
But the bold primary red might be too harsh for interiors and a softer shade can look very modern.
Anne suggests looking into more earthier, brown-toned reds like rust although you can dull the boldness of a red with muted clay undertones.
Or to mix it up you can go for darker shades with hints of purple, such as eggplant or plum, to give the room a cosier and enclosed feel.
Barbie pink
While Barbie pink was the hottest shade of the summer thanks to Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s hit movie, the heat has since died down.
The trend was perfect for adding a feminine punch to interiors and even led to a worldwide shortage of pink paint.
But bright pink interiors are hard to live amongst and certainly are not for everyone.
But if you want to maintain the bright, electrifying tones you can try an electric coral instead.
It is the perfect shade for bright, fun tastes while tying in this season’s red trend but still giving the boldness of Barbiecore.
Typical teal
While teal tones were all the rage especially when combined with blue and green hues they have become somewhat overused and predictable.
Anne says homeowners are now leaning towards fresh and innovative colour palettes to revitalise their home spaces.
She recommends using earthy tones like terracotta and olive green, which are gaining prominence, to infuse warmth and a connection to nature.
But if you want to replicate teal’s seen, cool atmosphere without the bold punch, Anne recommends soothing colours like pale sage and muted lavender.