Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year 2022

By October 8, 2021Awards, Color Schemes

Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams

It’s that time of year  – hence the fall season where the announcement of the 2022 Color of the Year is revealed as paint brands typically offer up a relative rainbow of shades each offering its own explanation of the aesthetic zeitgeist.  But 2021 is turning out to be not such a typical year and as a result there’s been quite the convergence around neutral-inflected shades of green as there is a consensus around a “rebirth” as we head into 2022.

Thus, after much anticipation, Sherwin-Williams revealed their color of the year: Evergreen Fog, SW 9130. The company’s color and design team selected the trending color as the top choice in the annual 2022 Colormix Forecast.

Evergreen Fog is a versatile and calming hue, a chameleon color of gorgeous green-meets-gray, with just a bit of blue.  It’s a simple but sophisticated wash of beautiful, organic color for spaces that crave a subtle yet stunning statement shade.  A very tranquil and relaxing hue, the color is clearly inspired by Mother Nature. Compare the shade to a combination of fog rolling in across the San Francisco bay just as it meets the evergreen forest of the expansive coastal range. The mixture of atmospheric conditions produces Evergreen Fog to perfection and is a symbolic color choice to showcase the beauty of nature and renewal.

 

A mint green leaf with a shadow of leaves on top of it.

An acoustic guitar lying on a cloth with sunlight streaming through a nearby window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sherwin-Williams’ Director of Color Marketing, Sue Wadden said in a recent interview, “Evergreen Fog is a sophisticated wash of color for spaces that crave a subtle yet stunning statement shade. Evergreen Fog inspires us to begin again and is a great choice for modern interiors and exteriors.”

She goes on to state, “We chose Evergreen Fog based on our research of design trends from around the world. We’ve been seeing that neutrals are warming up, sustainability and organic living are key design trends, and organic textiles and natural materials are huge in home and design right now.”

“People are leaning into creative expression and are more open to using color in their homes. Specifically, there’s been an uptick in interest in greens, anecdotal, and in Google and Pinterest search trends. The green color family is so diverse and rich, from calming rich sages like Evergreen Fog to earthier tones and more dramatic emeralds.”

When asked about what decor fits Evergreen Fog, Wadden went on to say that the color fits well in any space that requires a regenerative touch, such as homes, restaurants, office space, or hotel rooms.

Combining Nature with Modern Beauty

A hybrid color, Evergreen Fog pairs seamlessly with natural textures in a room and complements consistency that boasts deep, dark, or black shades. Metals like gold and warm brass also look good paired with the shade. 

Previous Sherwin-Williams Colors

At this time, Evergreen Fog is the 12th Color of the Year picked by the design team, and it is the third time a gray or green shade was given such an honor. Similar colors selected by Sherwin-Williams include the 2012 Color of the Year Argyle, which was a jewel tone green. In 2013, Aloe emerged as the Color of the Year, which was a pastel mint shade. Gray winning colors included Burban Bronze (a neutral dark gray) in 2021 and Poised Taupe in 2017, a mid-tone gray with a slight purple undertone.

The 12 previous Sherwin-Williams color choices:

  • 2011: Indigo Batik SW 7602
  • 2012: Argyle SW 6747
  • 2013: Aloe SW 6464
  • 2014: Exclusive Plum SW 6263
  • 2015: Coral Reef SW 6606
  • 2016: Alabaster SW 7008
  • 2017: Poised Taupe SW 6039
  • 2018: Oceanside SW 6496
  • 2019: Cavern Clay SW 7701
  • 2020: Naval SW 6244
  • 2021: Urbane Bronze SW 7048

 

Pairing Evergreen Fog

 

Evergreen Fog is part of the Sherwin-Wiliams 2022 Colormix Forecast’s Method palette.  Wadden recommends pairing the winning color with Accessible beige, Shoji White, or Woven Wicker to create a seamlessly natural appearance. Uber Umber and Bakelite bold paired with Evergreen Fog will provide a luxurious look and feel.

“The familiar, comfortable nature of Evergreen Fog shines as a reassuring backdrop and freshens up any space,” explains Wadden. “Create depth and texture with a mix of natural-looking textiles. Add a little gleam with a fusion of metals—champagne gold, warm brass, or inky black.”

The appeal of Evergreen Fog is that it provides the utmost design versatility.  Wadden elaborated in an interview with Martha Stewart,  “Evergreen Fog’s versatility lends itself to just about any style, from organic modernism to rustic and farmhouse, and everything in between,” she told MarthaStewart.com. “It works especially well in rustic environments because it has an Old-World vibe and an ephemeral connection. It is a fresh and re-imagined version of a nostalgic green. It brings that pastoral vibe back into the home.”

“People are leaning into creative expression and are more open to using color in their homes. Specifically, there’s been an uptick in interest in greens, both anecdotally and in Google and Pinterest search trends. The green color family is so diverse and rich, from calming rich sages like Evergreen Fog to earthier tones and more dramatic emeralds.”

Although exceptionally calming, Evergreen Fog has just enough edge also to be bold and trendy. It blends seamlessly with a multitude of accents and furnishings. Whether you embrace the hue in a reading nook or choose it as your primary kitchen color, it will inspire a variety of moods.

Check out the Color of the Year Evergreen Fog in your home’s environment using the ColorSnap Visualizer App. The handy tool lets you choose the paint color that best fits your particular home design needs. You simply download the app, and then you can examine not only Evergreen Fog but the 1,700 other colors provided by Sherwin-Williams in your home’s space to help make a perfect choice.

Leave a Reply