What Color Consultants Know (That Trends Forgot): Why Rich, Traditional Color Is Back
Photo by Frank Hill
During a recent conversation between the owner of Stanwich Painting and a seasoned color consultant from Rings End, one observation stood out:
"Traditional colors are coming back. Gray is out."
The comment may have been offhand, but it reflects a broader shift that many in the industry are beginning to notice. Designers, painters, and homeowners alike are rethinking color—and something is definitely changing.
The cool, clean, ever-neutral grays that dominated a decade of design are beginning to feel flat, forgettable, and emotionally distant. What’s replacing them? Color. Real color. But not the trendy, saturated kind. Instead, we’re seeing a return to rooted, traditional hues: colors with heritage, depth, and a sense of architectural belonging.
The End of Gray's Reign
Millennial gray served a purpose. It paired beautifully with marble, subway tile, brushed metal, and the minimalist aesthetic of the 2010s. It made spaces feel larger, cleaner, more modern. It looked great in real estate photos. But its emotional range was limited.
Now, after a pandemic that brought people back into their homes—and into deeper awareness of how color makes them feel—gray has begun to feel like a non-choice. Cool undertones, once synonymous with modernity, now register as cold. What once looked crisp now feels sterile.
Designers and homeowners alike are asking for spaces with more warmth, character, and sense of place. This doesn't mean loud color or wild combinations. It means complex, historical, rooted color that feels permanent, not performative.
What Designers Are Choosing Instead
In real conversations across the industry—with consultants, interior designers, and experienced painters—the consensus is clear: color is back, but it’s different this time. It’s not about chasing the next trendy green or coral. It’s about rediscovering colors that always had a place but were pushed aside by a decade of minimalist marketing.
At Stanwich Painting, we’re seeing more requests for:
Rich taupes and browns that anchor a space without making it feel heavy
Historic blues and sage greens that read as both calming and composed
Creamy whites that feel sun-warmed, not stark
Clay, ochre, and brick tones that reference traditional materials and timeless style
These colors don’t shout. They settle in.
Benjamin Moore & Farrow & Ball: Classic Doesn’t Mean Boring
Some of the most requested tones lately come from the historical palettes of Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball—brands known for crafting nuanced, time-tested colors.
Benjamin Moore Favorites:
Hale Navy – A deep, dramatic blue with enduring appeal
Pewter – A warm, stony neutral that works across styles
Hampshire Taupe – Rich and grounded, with earthy undertones
Georgian Brick – A confident, architectural red-brown
Farrow & Ball Staples:
Stiffkey Blue – Coastal yet classic, perfect in both modern and traditional homes
Dead Salmon – A perfectly strange, deeply flattering pink-brown
Dimity – Soft, creamy, and warm without being yellow
Jitney – A soft beachy brown, full of understated character
These are colors that interact with the architecture, the light, and the people who live in the space. They evolve throughout the day. They suggest depth, not trendiness.
How and Where These Colors Work
Traditional doesn’t mean dated. It means designed for longevity. The new traditional palette adapts beautifully to both older homes and new builds. Here are just a few applications we’re seeing:
Living Rooms: Creams, warm grays, and earthy neutrals paired with soft textures
Dining Rooms: Deep greens or navy blues that create an intimate, anchored feel
Bedrooms: Taupes, muted mauves, and gentle browns for warmth and restfulness
Exteriors: White with black or forest green trim; red brick with soft cream siding
Trim & Millwork: Painted in tones darker than the walls for contrast and presence
These colors work particularly well in homes across Fairfield County, where colonial, cape-style, and farmhouse architecture pairs naturally with heritage-inspired palettes.
The New Traditional Isn’t New. It’s Just Back.
What we’re seeing isn’t a flash trend—it’s a return. A re-grounding. And while Pinterest may still be catching up, professionals in the field are already making the shift.
The best part? These traditional tones offer a kind of confidence that trend colors rarely do. They don’t need to be updated next year. They don’t go out of style when the algorithm changes. They’re not designed for Instagram—they’re designed for the people who live with them.
If you're thinking about repainting a room, a hallway, or your entire home, it's worth asking:
Is this color a placeholder, or is it something I actually want to live with?
At Stanwich Painting, we help homeowners move past trends and into choices that last.
Let’s bring color back to your home—in a way that feels personal, grounded, and quietly timeless.
Call 475-252-9500 or request a consultation today.
Citations & Further Reading
Sherwin‑Williams Colormix® Forecast 2025
https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/colors/g46127995/color-trends-2024/Sherwin‑Williams 2024 Color of the Year: “Upward”
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/en-us/color/color-of-the-year/2024Southern Living: 5 Secrets to Picking Paint Like a Designer
https://www.southernliving.com/picking-paint-color-like-designer-11758297?Livingetc: Paint Colors for Light-Limited Spaces
https://www.livingetc.com/ideas/best-paint-colors-for-small-dark-rooms?House Beautiful: 2024 Interior Design Trends
https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a62871138/top-interior-design-trends-2024/Southern Living: Outdated Trends That Are Making a Comeback
https://www.southernliving.com/outdated-and-comeback-interior-design-trends-8718774