It’s that time of year again when our future is predicted through a color…Pantone’s color of the year. It never ceases to create A LOT of opinions and this year was no different. But before we get into “Peach Fuzz”, yep, that’s the name of this year’s color, I thought we could take a tiny trip down memory color lane to see how we got here.
2021
In 2021, there was not one but two colors of the year. This was how this choice was described on the Pantone website: “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.”
So while the colors don’t necessarily make your eyes light up with wonder, the thought behind them was obviously thoughtful.
2022 & 2023
Then the next two years were saturated and vibrant. Dare I say hopeful?? Here was the meaning behind Very Peri in 2022: “Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.”
And here was the meaning of Viva Magenta in 2023: “This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement.”
And then came Peach Fuzz…
Here is a brief description of why this soft hue was chosen for our 2024 color of the year: “PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It’s a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.”
Even Pantone was like “Maybe this is a year we take a step back and work on ourselves and help others.” And while we all have our opinions, I think we can all agree that some self-reflection to better serve ourselves and those around us is exactly what we need. Ok, here are our reactions!
From Emily: My first reaction is this: I love the idea of peach, but unsure I could commit to a whole room without it going lighter (but would that look fleshy?). But ultimately I’m drawn to a little more brown in it (think a lighter Dead Salmon by Farrow and Ball). But I am typically a little behind these trends as I’m less of a color risk taker than others. So I’m excited to see how it plays out. I will say that once we get going on the other house on the property (the one we don’t actually live in) I want to take more risks. In FACT, my dream is to have every room be a different color so that I can tell all my friends and family to come over and experience the color in a room before you commit, because man, just a large swatch often doesn’t sell it (or does and then OOPS).
From Mallory: Peach Fuzz is certainly not the color of my year and I’m sorry to say it. To me, I am more of a neutral person, but if I’m going to add some color, I like something bright and poppy and quite honestly, something that looks a little less like my flesh. Sorry to be a hater, but this color is not for me. I could be convinced in the right room (I really do love Arlyn’s bedroom since it’s softer) but in my own life, I can’t see myself utilizing this color anytime soon.
From Arlyn: Honestly, I was a little surprised by the Pantone Color of the Year. Pantone normally goes very esoteric with their picks and Peach Fuzz feels pretty in line with what I’m seeing as a trend toward warmth in design. If you followed my three-year bedroom makeover journey, you’ll know I’ve been into peach since 2020. Wait…am I a trend setter? Did Pantone read my post about picking a peach paint color all those years ago? Obviously I’m kidding, but it’s a happy yet soft shade that I hope to see paired with deeper, richer jewel tones or grounded earthy neutrals.
From Jess: When I first saw the announcement, it just felt too soft for how heavy the world currently is. Then after reading the explanation, I guess that’s the whole point. Now, as a color, I think it’s a bit too saturated and is almost the exact color I painted my bathroom at 10 years old. It was A LOT. Of course, it could look awesome in that exact hue with the right decor, but I prefer the lighter peach tones that Arlyn and Caitlin chose for their spaces. Those tones felt happy instead of overwhelming. I’m curious to see if this more saturated version really takes off this year.
From Caitlin: Is this a safe space? Can we talk a little trash? My hot take: these color of the year predictions have been duds since 2016. (What happened in 2016, you may ask? Well, the folks at Pantone picked a little shade called ‘Rose Quartz,’ which you may also know as, MILLENNIAL PINK. That was a SPOT ON color of the year, you know?) And let’s be real – I love peach! I spent 5 months (from November to March!) trying to find the perfect peach paint for my living room! But this shade just misses the mark for me in a way that’s a little eye-twitch-inducing. It’s just pulling a little too yellow or orange – I feel like the fleshier, glowier, pinker hues are actually what’s trending right now. So I guess my review would be, uh, it’s half right? It has the right spirit? But like…WHY DID THEY PICK THAT EXACT SHADE?
From Gretchen: This color of the year is a doozy for me. The name, Peach Fuzz, gives me flashbacks to discovering my upper lip hair in middle school. Yikes. While the name certainly doesn’t fill me with those “warm” feelings Pantone attributes to it, the color itself…sort of does? It reminds me of an old-school, mid-century tiled room, fairly identical to the current vintage bathroom tile of one of our very own (hey, Caitlin!). Now, I love a vintage-inspired color palette, so I could absolutely see it working and feeling warm in the right environment, but it just feels a little dated to me and definitely doesn’t capture “contemporary” the way the Pantone Gods proclaim, IMO.
Ok, so that’s what we think! What do you think?? Let’s chat in the comments.
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Styling by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 3 Years In The Making Then An Unexpected Move: Arlyn’s Bedroom Reveal Is A Lesson In The Beauty Of “Unfinished” Design
I think this is picking up on the limewash colours that are still sticking around. But overall I see this colour coming through in fashion and home accessories rather than full room paint colours. Especially for summer months.
I was there through all of Arlyn’s deliberations on THE EXACT SHADE OF PINK for her bedroom, back in the days of “Arlyn Says” and her FOAS followers (we’re still here, lurking and FOAS is still a thing!).
I lurve how it turned out, but it’s not a colour I could comfortably live with.
My v8be is pale tones – my house is a buttery yellow called Tusk-Ivory, by Dulux, discontinued, but they can still make it up for you. My colour comes from bright artworks and my very briggt dining cgairs in pink, blue and green- 2 of each. My nedroom is coloured by my quilt cover, curtains and boho artwork – deep, moody blues n greens…think Sara’s vibe, but with neutral walls and white detailed ceiling rose and cornices.
I like walls to be paler, and bring the COLOUR in through moveable and easily changeable things like furniture, curtains and art.
Not a color anyone could live with, even as an accessory. The last few years have all been headscratchers. The yellow and grey is the color scheme of parking garages. This peach I wouldn’t have even liked when I was 8. Your staff nailed versions of it in their spaces. Soft warm and glowy. This ain’t it.
agree!
Just last night, I pinned some beautiful homes that used colors very close to this. I’m not usually drawn to peach, so I was shocked. One was a gorgeous house in San Antonio described as a cross between Donald Judd and Jayne Mansfield (I don’t see either one, but found the pairing fun). The other was a loft in NYC. Loved them both.
I’d love links to the homes you mentioned.
Sorry! I wasn’t sure if it’s okay to link. Someone else did, so I guess it’s all right.
I linked the San Antonio house but couldn’t find the NYC loft. Funny warning: googling “peach” and “nyc loft” brings up quite a lot of porn links!
Honestly, I’m surprised by all the negativity surrounding Peach Fuzz. I always look forward to the color of the year…very rarely is it because I’d swathe every inch of a room with it or consider it within my realm of favorite colors. More often, I take inspiration from it in “real life”. In this case, it’s the color of perfectly cooked salmon, the sun faded orange in an antique rug, & the color of my Peaches & Cream Barbie’s dress when I was a kid. I even noticed it in the detail of the hand painted Rust candles recommended in yesterday’s post.
Just to show it CAN be done in a room, & done well, Hendricks Churchill have a similar shade in their home, Ellsworth.
I’m with you and AKW! I think it’s a lovely color, and honestly along with similar shades, it’s among my favorites. And yes! Being in this kind of room in the evening with its glowy Cinderella pumpkin lantern-ness is so pretty and warming.
my favorite sheets have this color with a darker coral, light blue and sage green, and they’re just the prettiest.
This image above changed my mind! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Two of you said “vintage bathroom” and I would go you one further and say, “vintage gas station bathroom.”
ah, I know this color! I painted my dining room in this shade after noticing that as the sun set, the walls glowed this perfect peach for minutes every evening. I wanted to be surrounded by it all day. Love this color!!
Ew, yuck. I had an entire house in this color palette in 1990 and spent a fortune changing it to something else. I’m happy to invoke the old saying “If you wore it the first time, your turn’s over” with this color trend! I know, “Wow, old AND grumpy”! Yep, that’s what this color does to me. (Well, not the old part…)
1985 all over again.
Wow you just evoked images my freshman dorm room! Peach and teal green combos. Esprit & Benetton catalogs. Lingering smell of Aquanet.
Ha! In the 80’s I painted my bedroom walls peach (probably age 12) and put up a peach and teal wallpaper border.
Back in 1983, my college roommate and I drunkenly painted our bathroom this color one night. Well, it might have tended a tiny little bit closer to canteloupe, but it was a long time ago. The literal only upside was that you could look at yourself in the bathroom mirror on your very worst day (which might have been that next day when we were deeply hungover) and still look lit from within. Not real, mind you, but very, very glowy. It was a terrible color to look AT but a wonderful one to look IN…if that makes sense. #peachfuzz puts me squarely on memory lane.
Here’s one photo from a house in San Antonio.
Here’s that house: https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/house-interiors/a45252635/lake-flato-san-antonio-house/
Thanks!
Not really a fan and it also reminds me of eating a Push Up in my youth. LOL But not every color is for every person or home.
I think the random Instagram comment on the Pantone website said it best with – “Fast fashion is not going to be kind to pale white folks in 2024”. Which I thought was hilarious, and made me realize that’s why I don’t like this color. It’s like my own skin tone, and who wants to see that on their walls? Maybe if it was more pinky-orange like a sapphire? Something that could compliment Taylor’s Versace Lover Era bodysuit! 🙂
Peaches are my favorite fruit! But they are not this color. I’m with Mallory— hard no for me.
I like it. I feel like there is a lot of this colour around already, particularly in tiles. The worst thing about this colour in the 80s was pairing it with black! That I hated, at least the way it was done back then. I might just have seen a lot of poor executions though!!
I can definitely see this colour working with the right colour bedfellows. I totally loved Caitlin and Arlene’s rooms, which were versions of, IMHO.
Yuck! Not a fan of the peach color
That happens to be close to the color of my living room (close, b/c it was custom mixed by me) One was too orange, one too brown, one looked like calamine lotion…you get the picture. Still, I love it after dark, and less so in noontime light. The room has both south and north windows. Looks great with dark green and teal blue/green. I’ve never been a fan of white walls. Oh well, it’s a work in progress.
I love these discussions and varying points of view. I happen to love shades of peach, coral, apricot and pink but have yet to use them in home decor. And, like Rusty, most often favor pale walls and using color in other furnishings so am personally not likely to consider this shade for an entire room, or house. Some have mentioned locale of a room catching the sunset and I can see how that would works. In a previous life, I lived in Houston Texas and was completely smitten with a two story stucco house that was painted a deep terra cotta color with deep green shutters. With the landscaping and setting, it was beautifully appropriate. All to say, used in a certain room with certain accouterment’s (just love that word), it would probably be seen as jaw dropping gorgeous to some people!
The Pantone color of the year is not just for wall paint and tiles! I don’t think anyone was trying to say we should paint walls in Very Peri or Viva Magenta…
I could see doing various tones of this with bedding and accessories, fashion, costume jewelry, heck even blush or lip gloss! My guess is that come springtime we’ll see peachy clothes.
its just not a very pretty color! I can imagine using bits of it with a nice rusty ochre, like an original Frank Lloyd Wright interior palette, but it would only ever be an accent at best. It’s too harsh yellow, needs a be more blush pink for me. I haven’t really used any colors of the year since I stopped working on retail product designs.
Adorable Peach was the color we painted all the walls in the Methodist church where I worked in San Antonio in the 2000’s. There was vibrant red carpet and it was a great backdrop for liturgical seasons decor, which were also vibrant. All classrooms, halls, restrooms, and offices were painted the same. You might guess I’m peached out, but the first thing I thought was it needs red in whatever room its painted and pops of fiesta colors.
I noticed that the term ‘fleshy’ was used a few times. I get that if you have light pinkish skin. However, it might be a great complementary color to other skin tones. Maybe fleshy is no longer an effective word to use in this context? It might make some of us feel a bit left out of the conversation.
Thank you. That is a valid point. Pantone even tried to address that: “The Pantone SkinTone Guide was created by scientifically measuring thousands of actual skin tones across the full spectrum of human skin types. Specially formulated to be the closest physical representations of skin colors, the library is a comprehensive visual reference of human skin tones for use in any market where skin colors are relevant.”https://www.pantone.com/products/fashion-home-interiors/skintone-guide-limited-edition
OHMYGOSH! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. My I state that again, please? Huh-uh. And only because I have a difficult time with wishy-wahshy, washed-out pastels. This has an undertone of yellowing, day-old oatmeal. Yummy. Yeah, no. Or, no thank you, thank you for playing, next!
Unpopular opinion: I like this color. My roommate and I painted our dark hallway in this peachy orange color in 2007. There was no natural light, but many white doors so it was broken up a little bit. It looked warm, welcoming and cosy. I think this color would look best in rooms with very little natural light. It should be combined with warm toned bulbs and wood floors.