Spring has arrived, and so has our 2024 colour and decorating trend forecast

11 Sep 2023

The beginning of spring is hugely energising, and it’s the time of year that many clients are inspired to embark upon new projects. The start of spring is also a timely reminder that the new year will be here before we know it. As we prepare to step into 2024, many designers, builders and applicators will be eager to get across the latest design trends to be able to offer their fresh professional perspectives on cutting-edge colour palettes, materials and styles – and Resene and BlackWhite have got your back with this early look at the colour and decorating trends set to dominate the year to come.

Whether you’re keen to create a calming, nature-inspired retreat or a boldly eclectic space that’ll attract social media mavens, you’ll find something to suit every project typology and taste among the top colour and decorating trends for 2024.

Beautiful bolds

Exciting bold and bright colours have become an undeniable presence in today’s top colour trends, and these invigorating hues will play a major role in shaping projects throughout 2024 and beyond. Vibrant colour palettes, pattern layering and eclectic maximalist looks allow clients the freedom to showcase their personalities in their homes. In public spaces, creating visually-stimulating spaces that people are excited to occupy encourages sharing on social media – which can drive business for your client, and your firm.

Showstopping reds, in particular, are going to be a dominant hero hue throughout the year to come – including tones like Resene Aroha, Resene Thunderbird, Resene Rudolph and Resene Incarnadine. But lipstick pinks like Resene Drop Dead Gorgeous, acidic greens like Resene Funk, warm peach and apricot tones like Resene Dawn Glow and Resene Tequila Sunrise, periwinkle blues like Resene Heliotrope and vivid violets like Resene Blackberry are other important hues to incorporate if you’re looking to bring enviable bold, bright energy to your projects in 2024.

Back wall in Resene Aroha, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, headboard in Resene Inspire and bowl in Resene Black Sand. Bedlinen from Foxtrot Home, cushion and rug from Baya, chair from Danske Møbler, artwork, books and mug from Father Rabbit, sconce from Kmart.

Liveable luxury

In 2024, the natural and earthy tones that have become synonymous with quiet luxury looks will continue to be among the most important decorating trends for residential homes, commercial offices and hospitality spaces. Hues like pale greige, warm brown, ruddy terracotta, muted green or buttery beige such as Resene Kinship, Resene Trek, Resene Tuscany, Resene Transcend and Resene Athena are popular for creating a soothing and grounded atmosphere, connecting occupants with the beauty of the natural world in a way that’s far easier to live with than stark white walls are.

Neutral tones with warm undertones such as soft beiges, milky whites, toasty taupe and rich browns like Resene Foundation, Resene Tea, Resene Courtyard and Resene Rebel, while top trends, also have strong staying power and will continue to be relevant hues to use for many years to come. These colours are highly useful for creating a versatile backdrop for various design styles and can be easy complemented with accessories. While most quiet luxury looks are primarily light and neutral, don’t overlook smoky browns and soft blacks like Resene Kia Kaha and Resene Black Sand for intimate spaces like media rooms, performance spaces and restaurants where you’re aiming to create a decadent, cocooning vibe.

Arched wall painted in Resene Kinship, timber tongue-and-groove wall finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, floor in Resene Stepping Stone and timber divider in Resene Colorwood Pitch Black. Chairs and table from Matisse, lamp from ECC.

Nurturing through nature

Biophilic design, which emphasises the connection between humans and nature, continues to be a dominant trend. The most popular ways to incorporate this trend are the use of indoor plants, natural materials like wood and stone and earthy Resene colour palettes that evoke the great outdoors to increase the space’s connection to Mother Nature. Since this trend is effective for building a sense of tranquility and prioritising the well-being of the project’s users, spaces where people need to spend long periods of time or reduce their stress levels – such are residential homes, commercial offices and healthcare facilities – are among the best candidates for this treatment.

As for what earthy tones to use, look to warm and bushy brown-edged greens like Resene Off The Grid, Resene Seaweed, Resene Tic Tac Toe, Resene Nirvana and Resene Contour to tap into 2024’s colour trends rather than the greyer variations that were popular in years past. Or look to sea glass tones that sit right between blue and green on the spectrum, like Resene Infused, Resene Unite, Resene Eau De Nil and Resene Green Acres, for an ocean-inspired palette that’ll continue to be popular in the year ahead.

Front wall painted in Resene Rewilding, back wall in Resene Creme De La Creme, floor in Resene Tic Tac Toe with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Springtime applied on top and small vase (on centre shelf) in Resene Black Doris. Chair and bookshelf from Bauhaus, wall hanging from Città, curtain, wooden vase and books from Father Rabbit, rug from Baya.

Tactile textures

Plaster cladding has long been a popular alternative to weatherboard, brick and timber exteriors, but textured walls are becoming a key focal point indoors, too. Products like Resene Sandtex that can be used to create a variety of looks, are becoming more and more widely used as a way of adding tactile texture indoors. While these classic sandstone-like effects and Mediterranean-esque looks are hugely enduring, other options such as Resene wallpaper with intricate raised patterns, mottled or limewashed paint finishes and painted textured wall panels are other methods being used to add depth and interest to formerly flat surfaces.

Textured wall panels painted in Resene Morning Haze and floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Sofa from Mr. Bigglesworthy, side table and stool from Bauhaus, rug and cushions from Baya, glassware and shoes from Father Rabbit.

Made-to-measure

Finding a way to stand out from the crowd has never been more popular, and with the desire to be different has come a penchant for personalised, custom designs and décor. More and more designers are collaborating closely with clients to create spaces that truly reflect their unique tastes and preferences through bespoke furniture, custom artwork or murals, unique colour combinations and one-of-a-kind paint effects. New Resene product releases, including the Resene In The Wash concrete wash collection, allow clients more options than ever before to create individualised spaces that are not only stylish but also aligned with their own lifestyle and values.

Wall painted in Resene Sour Dough with Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with Resene Blanc applied on top, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, plant pots in (from left to right) Resene Rivergum, Resene Double Akaroa, Resene Concrete Clear satin tinted to Resene Claywash (applied to achieve a criss-cross effect), Resene Concrete Clear satin tinted to Resene Stonewashed (applied to achieve a criss-cross effect) and Resene Rivergum. Side table from Danske Møbler, rug from Baya, concrete plant pots from Mood.

More metallics

Incorporating metallic elements – particularly warm ones like gold, brass and copper – adds sophistication and elegance to any space. While these accents can be easily introduced through lighting fixtures, furniture and accessories, we are also seeing designers apply Resene FX Metallic colours to their project’s major surfaces like walls and ceilings. At your next visit to your local Resene ColorShop, be sure to check out Resene’s latest metallic wallpaper releases or take a moment to reacquaint yourself with the diverse range of options available in the Resene FX Metallics and Special Effects colour chart.

Background in Resene Resitex Coarse in Resene Sugar Loaf with vases in (from front to back) Resene Rose Gold over a base of Resene Kalgoorie Sands, Resene Gold Dust over a base of Resene Apache and Resene Proton over a base of Resene Copyrite.

Creative sustainability

As many continue to seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint and unsustainable consumption of resources, more and more designers are encouraging clients to choose materials and furnishings that are environmentally conscious – something we don’t imagine we’ll see slowing down in 2024. While choosing high-quality items and enduring finishes is one way to get a longer lifespan out of what we build and decorate with, the best way to reduce consumption is giving second (or third or fourth) life to materials that might otherwise be discarded.

Break the buying cycle by revitalising or reinventing reclaimed timber, stone, glass and metal finds with Resene products, which can be found at local salvage yards. Including vintage or second-hand furniture and accessories into your design not only gives second life to what are often well-made items, they’ve effective at infusing spaces with desirable character and charm. Keep an eye out at second-hand shops for mid-century modern and Art Deco style furnishings, which may only need to be sanded down, stained and sealed or primed and repainted with Resene products to become your design’s most beloved treasures for decades to come.

Wall and floor painted in Resene Rainee, cabinet, tall vase and wall hook in Resene Blue Bark and plant pot in Resene Butterfly. Cabinet from Mocka, wavy vase from Danske Møbler.

Have you been able to reuse reclaimed materials, furniture or accessories by revitalising or creatively reinventing them with Resene products? Share it with us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured in an upcoming story.

projects Amber Armitage, Laura Lynn Johnston

images Bryce Carleton, Wendy Fenwick

Published: 11 Sep 2023