Tualatin Valley Painting Blog

If you’re wondering which interior paint colors will be “in” this year, just look outside. The diverse greens and blues that we see outdoors will be the most popular choices for beautifying our Woodburn indoor living spaces in 2013.

Upon reflection, it’s actually quite fitting that green will be used to refresh and renew the Woodburn interiors of so many homes and buildings. Throughout history, the color has always been symbolic of new life. Only now, green will be giving new life to tired interiors.

That’s not to say, however, that the “pure” green on the color wheel will be the only available choice. The growing complexity and sophistication of the palette offered by most paint companies typically includes an extremely wide spectrum of green hues.

To visualize the options, think for a moment of the many different greens that color a garden or grove of trees: those on apple, asparagus, celery, fern, honeydew, lime, mint, olive, and willow may come to mind. Wherever you buy your paint, you’ll likely find some tints and shades of green named after such familiar fruit and flora.

Then there are the greens that gravitate toward blue, which is projected to be the other popular interior paint color this year. Bluish-greens like teal, turquoise, aquamarine, and cyan are expected to be hot designer choices. By selecting one of these hybrid colors, you can co-opt both of 2013’s trendy color choices.

But we’ll also see a lot of true blues this year. And many will be drawn right from mother nature: ranging from lighter tints such as sky blue and robin’s egg to darker shades like slate, navy and midnight blue. . . and every conceivable color in between.

Because various greens and blues work so well together, virtually any combination drawn from these extended color families will create a visually pleasant interior. So you shouldn’t hesitate to mix it up when working with these hues.

There are lots of ways to do that: using different blues or greens on the walls and trim;
painting an accent wall in a slightly different color from the others; and even incorporating patterns into the paint color scheme used on the walls. Another idea is to paint one or more furniture items in a green or blue that contrasts with, or complements, the wall color.

As you decorate with these wonderfully compatible colors, do so with confidence. Just as various greens and blues harmonize beautifully in a garden or landscape with the sky up above, your greens and blues will work their magic indoors, helping to create serene and tranquil living spaces where all will feel at home.