Picture all the paint color choices under the sun, and a rainbow of endless options likely comes to mind. But for Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year selection, the leading paint company has decided to go in a different, and bolder, direction. Today, Behr announces that its much-anticipated annual selection is Cracked Pepper, a moody, meditative, and undoubtedly versatile shade of soft black.
“People are looking for ways to personalize their home,” Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at the Behr, tells AD PRO. Woelfel, whose job includes spearheading the annual color of the year selection, spent 12 months with her team and their various counterparts on this effort. (“We do our research,” she says.) The selection of Cracked Pepper can be seen in large part as the result of a careful consideration of data: For starters, Behr and the Home Depot, the paint brand’s exclusive retailer, noticed that Cracked Pepper was a top seller within Behr’s Designer Collection Palette from last year, a selection of 30 neutral and accent hues culled from designers’ top picks. And, a new survey of American homeowners conducted by the companies found that two-thirds of respondents felt that using black paint made an interior feel bold.
All this lead to a relatively quick consensus for Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year. “We know people are already using this color…” Woelfel says. “People are interested in seeing these deeper, darker colors. They create a sense of comfort in their homes.” The charcoal shade’s emotive potential extends beyond just cozy comfort though. As Woelfel emphasizes, it’s lux, confident, and pairs well with other paints that may already be used inside a house. It has range, as good a fit for a statement wall as it is for completely enveloping an interior. And Cracked Pepper speaks to various styles, from traditional decor to modern design. “This is really making a statement. It’s an exciting place for us to be,” says Woelfel.
But for the truly color-obsessed, the announcement of this “approachable, livable, and timeless” tone is only half of the Behr’s big news today. The company is also announcing its 2024 Trends Palette, a bellwether of the paint colors that will rule interiors in the year ahead—all of which pair nicely with Cracked Pepper, of course.
True whites (Whipping Cream, Weathered White), pale neutrals (Even Better Beige, Chic Taupe), and pastels (Malt, Off Shore Mist) are all “forward-thinking, and livable” choices, according to Woelfel. There are also more energetic and nature-learning hues included (think Amber Brew). As for Woelfel, it’s two of these more saturated tones that she calls out as a couple of her personal favorites. First off, Rumors, a deep red, and second, Provence Blue, a pale blue paint with hints of green. The former, she adds, is a unique selection for a color palette, while the second, she stresses, is very versatile.
When asked how interior designers will benefit from all this news, Woelfel says that she hopes it “gives them ideas, and a place to start. That’s really our goal, to coach people.” Indeed, the Color Trends Palette offers an edited, more navigable selection from the seemingly endless paint samples lining the Behr aisles at the Home Depot. “We want to give [people] confidence in making their selections,” adds Woelfel.
Will the data-backed selection—opting for the time-tested choice over more bright and saturated colorways—be the way of other paint companies as well? Only time, and more color of the year announcements, will tell.
