Mid-tone blues, sublime greens, nostalgic pastels, and the beautiful balance between warm and cool tones—aquatic hues in the blue and green color families remain as constant, and as changeable, as the sea and are set to define designs in every shade this decade.

As we track the trajectories of specific color stories through Anthology: Volume One—the Colormix^® Forecast for 2024 and beyond—we take a daring dive into the personality and purpose of Palette No. 1: The Convergence of Blues & Greens. 

These adjacent color families represent a beautiful intermingling of some of the design world’s most beloved hues, and we’re spotlighting several designers’ perspectives on what makes blue and green, and blue-tinted greens, significant today and for the foreseeable future.

Both invigorating and calming, greens and blues have long been among the most popular color choices for interior design in residential and commercial spaces. With green’s flexible and soothing nature and blue’s stabilizing force, these colors continue to captivate and inspire, offering a wealth of creative possibilities.

For Brianna Chace at Blakely Interior Design, this powerhouse pairing signifies a match made in heaven. “Together, these two colors work seamlessly in tonal, earthy palettes as well as rich, colorful rooms and everything in between,” Chace says. “Bringing in cool tones helps balance the warmth of the wood tones often used in our designs.”

Because so many shades of blue and green are present in nature, by some accounts, there could hardly be two color groups better suited to creating feelings of home. Naquita Herbert, principal interior designer of LYVDN Design, shares this outlook:

“Blue and green are critical players in the most uniquely beautiful art in our existence—our home, Earth. Ocean, sky and land, in all their forms, are the backdrop of life. Over the years, the hues and shades of blue and green have changed based on the current trends, but they have always remained staple colors in design as a whole. Look around you. In design, art, medicine, education, literally everything anywhere, blue and green are always transcending time itself.”

Each palette of Anthology: Volume One features 12 hues that encapsulate the directional shifts within a specific key color group, and the broad range of organic gray-blues, bluish-greens, and other shades of Palette No. 1 can each, and in combination, provide beautiful backdrops for design.

Karen B Wolf of k+co LIVING, for one, is ecstatic about this stunning palette. “Blues and greens have a wide reach and likability factor,” she says. “They are steady stars of our color wheel—always reliable, pairable, and appealing.” In her opinion, the expansive blues and greens of Anthology’s first palette will allow for a wider and more inclusive use compared to the earthy, creamier tones of prior forecasts.

The star quality of these shades inspires RNA Design’s Ruaa Al-Baldawi to use them as focal points. “The colors in this palette can be used on their own as accents,” she recommends, “to emphasize an area or specific piece, such as in an entryway with an accent chair or a child’s room with a gallery wall of their drawings.” She envisions setting a mood with on-trend colors from other palettes in the Colormix^® Forecast, as in a kitchen with walls of Snowbound SW 7004 (256-C2) and Indigo SW 6531 (178-C7) cabinetry.

When asked how they hope to use blues and greens in the coming seasons, some designers lean into this color family’s timeless near-neutrality, while others take a more daring and unconventional approach. “People are seeking change, authenticity, positivity, and vibrance in their lives and surroundings,” says Naquitah Herbert, and often the best way to encourage those sentiments is through color. 

Upward SW 6239 (224-C1), our Color of the Year for 2024, is situated in Anthology’s Palette No. 1, chosen for its versatility as well as its significance in current trend cycles. “Upward is a cool and calm color that leans on the neutral side,” Herbert shares. “Spice it up but maintain a calm palette with Leapfrog SW 6431 (155-C5), Indigo SW 6531 (178-C7), a pop of Rhapsody Lilac SW 6828 (182-C2), and … wait for it … a dash of Ravishing Coral SW 6612 (117-C3) or Raucous Orange SW 6883 (120-C7), if you want to get really spicy!”

Greens and blues can be so highly usable, the team at Studio 36 Design often thinks of them as neutrals. Designer Stephanie Handley says that in this sense, these colors tend to become the anchor hues for most of their designs. 

The colors selected for the 2024 Colormix^® Forecast align with that concept, she says, especially with more muted, grayed tones made for beautiful washes of color throughout an entire space. “Having an all green or blue room, including walls, trim, and ceilings, becomes a beautiful, and not overpowering, backdrop once other furnishings and art are introduced.”  

Handley also sees potential in “using unexpected shades of blue or green on an exterior entry door, not only as a wayfinding tool, but also to add a touch of color that can be carried into the interior color scheme.” Ruaa Al-Baldawi agrees, adding that blue and green both look striking on furniture pieces like vanities, chairs, nightstands, also in commercial spaces such as coffee shops or waiting areas.

Stacy Moore of Stacy Moore Designs says that this classic color group is unlikely to go out of style in home interiors—or in healthcare settings. “Both residential and medical design have benefited from the blue and green color palette over the years,” the designer says. “Blues and greens bring the outside in. From the sky to the trees and beyond, the colors of nature evoke calm. We love to use nature for inspiration when designing and creating for our clients.”

Nature and the continued emphasis on biophilia have been key influences in bringing wellness into modern interiors. Anne Marie Boedges of Anne Marie Design Studio says that nature’s eternally beautiful color palette has always been in the firm’s design toolbox. “This mindfulness helps people feel more comfortable in their environment,” she says. “The introduction of plants and wood furniture and calming colors helps to create a healthy, healing home.”

In the search for color inspiration and a starting point for her design process, Karen B. Wolf takes and refers to natural photography, and she also factors in the home’s intrinsic environment to develop the color story. “We consider if the home has views, the way the sun sets, the natural amount of light in the home, the direction the home faces, and size of windows, all coupled with the homeowners’ preferences and style.” 

This interplay between color and the light of the sun is integral to Naquitah Herbert’s biophilic touches as well. “Greens are some of my most loved and used colors and elements,” she tells us. “You will find plants, greenery, green walls, skylights, and a variety of natural elements throughout my designs.”

This connection to nature is one of countless reasons why the colors in the blue and green families—and in Anthology’s Palette No. 1: The Convergence of Blues & Greens—will remain a steady constant and continue to evolve conversations in designs both professional and personal. See the complete Colormix^® Forecast, and order complimentary color samples using your PRO+ account.

Top image: Evergreen Fog SW 9130 (215-C4). Design by Stephanie Handley, Studio 36 Design. Photo by Allison Elefante.