Paint color palettes for 2022 seem to lean toward soothing neutrals or bright, cheerful tones. Gone are the dark, moody colors of the past few years, as people cope with COVID and its variants, rising inflation, and political uncertainty. The trend this year is blended colors that offer serenity and good cheer in one perfect shade.

The most-watched Color of the Year is Pantone, the leader in digital, industrial and graphic design color mixtures. Instead of choosing a hue from its vast library, Pantone created a new color called Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri – a blend of soothing blue and exciting red that stimulates individuality and creativity and is a welcome antidote to neutrality.

Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2022 is October Mist 1495, a grayed green that’s the central hue composed of vibrant neutrals inspired by nature in the brand’s 2022 Color Trends. Sherwin-Williams’ Color for 2022 is called Evergreen Fog SW 9130, a deeper gray-green statement shade the company calls a “chameleon color” that’s both versatile and calming. Better Homes and Gardens introduced Laurel Leaf as the company’s first entry for Color of the Year. Laurel Leaf “mimics the soothing hues found in nature such as dusty green eucalyptus.

As consumers try to strike the right decorative note as they spend more time at home, these colors for 2022 are serene, natural and easy to pair with cozy neutrals or they can be popped with cheerful accents like oranges and golds.