Farrow & Ball’s color curator reveals the shocking paint shades predicted to be big news into 2022
Are these hues set to dethrone gray as the most popular color? Color master Joa Studholme shares everything we need to know


Decor Ideas. Project Inspiration. Expert Advice. Delivered to your inbox.
Thank you for signing up to Homes & Gardens. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
While gray has endured as the most sought-after shade for several seasons, its previously unequaled power may be coming to an end. Instead, Farrow & Ball’s chief color curator, Joa Studholme, has shared the hues that are on track to be the biggest shades of the year, and her predictions involve an indulgence of pure, playful color.
In an exclusive interview with H&G, Joa shared the colors we should use across our walls to get ahead of the upcoming paint trends.
The latter half of 2021 – and all of 2022 – is looking beautifully bright.
2021's biggest colors – according to Farrow & Ball's color curator
Has gray finally met its match? Joa suggests so. ‘There certainly has been a seismic shift in the ways we are using color in the home – grays hold less allure, although still have a place in many homes, and bolder colors are becoming more and more popular,’ she explains.
While we’re certainly not turning away from grey living room ideas entirely, Joa’s predictions are reshaping our interiors. But which shades should we experiment with first?
‘Over the last two years we have been drawn to the pink rooms that make our homes feel like sanctuaries and the blue rooms that create moody rooms to relax in, alongside green rooms which root us with nature. However, I think we will increasingly see the use of uncomplicated brighter colors,’ Joa says.
In Farrow and Ball: Inside the Posh Paint Factory, which is airing across the UK today, July 8th, Joa shares her excitement at the rise of these tones as they showcase the brand’s paint in all their kaleidoscopic glory and ‘come alive’ differently in all homes.
‘My world is all about color – but I am more than aware that those colors are only part of the magic of a Farrow & Ball paint,’ Joa explains.
‘It never fails to amaze me how alive the colors look in different light conditions – and this is what makes them so very special,’ she adds.
For future living room paint ideas, we’re looking towards the new color trinity: pink, blue, and green. You heard it here first. More about the new show, including a preview, is available here.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Decor Ideas. Project Inspiration. Expert Advice. Delivered to your inbox.

Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, sleep and wellbeing stories, and celebrity-focused pieces. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.
-
-
Should you place a rug under a bed? The verdict from interiors professionals
Find out what interior designers think about putting a rug under a bed – and their reasons
By Sarah Warwick Published
-
8 of the best plants to take cuttings from right now – for healthier plants and even more blooms
Our selection of varieties to propagate in fall is guaranteed to multiply your plant collection fast
By Sarah Wilson Published