Designers Can’t Get Enough Of These Interior Paint Color Trends For 2024

We’re always looking for ways to give our homes a little refresh, and with the new year just a couple of months away, we’re turning to talented Southern designers for advice on how to liven things up without breaking the bank. “Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to give personality to a space, and it's not permanent,” says Betsey Mosby, a Jackson, Mississippi-based decorator. “We encourage our clients to have fun with it—especially in jewel box spaces like bars or powder rooms!" Here are the interior paint trends, from paint colors to unique ways to use paint, that Southern designers are anticipating for 2024. 

These Interior Paint Colors Will Be Popular in 2024

Bring On the Brown

"Chocolate brown is having a moment,” says Louisiana designer Megan Evans. “The rich warmth of this color is super inviting, and it can translate for any design style. Whether you lean more traditional or contemporary, it provides the perfect backdrop for a cozy space. Some of my favorites are Benjamin Moore Chocolate Velvet and Farrow & Ball London Clay." 

Laura Williams of Austin-based ATX Interior Design agrees: “We are still going to be seeing color drenching [the practice of washing an entire space—from walls and ceilings to window treatments and accessories—in one color] but in earthier tones, like the chocolate and taupe family.”

Say Yes to Red

Before you hit the panic button, we’re not talking fire-engine shades. “I am all in on earthy reds that evoke feelings of comfort,” says Charleston designer Chelsea Handegan. “I recently selected Farrow & Ball's Red Earth for the guest bedroom of a client's historic Charleston home, and I just had my own entry floors painted with a faux-marble design in a rich brown-red. Bethany Adams, a Louisville, Kentucky, decorator, is also counting on the return of red—burgundy, in particular.

Lean Into Grounded Shades

“I think we will see a lot of rich, earthy tones such as Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster and French Gray, two of my favorites,” says Richmond, Virginia, designer Lizzie Cox, who also loves sunny yellows and turmeric-like hues. Jessica Davis of Atlanta-based Atelier Davis also anticipates a continued embrace of these colors, like "mossy greens, raisins, and ambers."

Try One of These Popular 2024 Paint Trends

Go Bold with Cabinetry

While there may be an overall trend towards earth tones, spirited hues are as popular as ever for elements like cabinets. “We love to paint cabinetry fun colors, especially in smaller spaces like powder rooms and bars where we encourage our clients to express themselves and have fun,” says Dallas designer Lauren Reynolds. Charlotte, North Carolina-based designer Charlotte Lucas is also anticipating stand-out colors in the kitchen; she’s painting her own cabinets a juicy aubergine.

Experiment with Contrast

Greenville, South Carolina, designer Caroline Brackett anticipates “more saturated colors for walls that aren’t too matchy-matchy with the other elements in the room.” She also expects to see more trim and millwork that’s painted a contrasting color to the wall color.

And for those who may not be ready to embrace a statement-making hue in a grand way, Evans has another suggestion: “If you can’t commit to a bold color on the walls, try painting the trim and doors [that shade]. Doing so provides a subtle pop with a bit of playfulness." 

Dial In on the Details

Invest in smaller standout moments, says Raleigh designer Maggie Dillon. “More and more of what I seem to be drawn to are hand-painted whimsical and loose designs that are applied to everyday pieces of furniture and accessories,” says Dillon. “Taking an antique chest and hand-painting stripes that aren't completely perfect or using an existing linen lampshade and jazzing it up with multicolor florals are fabulous ways to add a fully-custom layer… The options are endless and the rules nonexistent, which makes it that much more fun.”

Think Beyond the Walls

Don’t limit transformative paint jobs to the walls alone. “I have found clients becoming increasingly open to using colors on ceilings, from softer pale colors to bold, rich colors,” notes Noel Pittman, a decorator in Dallas. “I am working on a project where we are painting the ceilings in a pair of boys' bedrooms gray-blue and gray-green, respectively, to relate to the fabrics in the rooms. Color on the ceiling can really elevate a space.” 

Painted floors are also on the up and up, says designer Lauren Sullivan of Tennessee-based Well x Design. “I love a painted solid color, or even a harlequin pattern in contrast to the floor’s wood stain,” she says. “The charm and patina of a well-worn painted wood floor is hard to duplicate!”