Trailblazing designers are constantly innovating, inventing, and redefining how we design the world we live in—and using color in unconventional ways to inspire the next generation of designers.

We reached out to six designers whose recent projects showcase some of the most intriguing and unexpected design decisions we’ve ever seen: Dabito, Leah Alexander of Beauty Is Abundant, Jill White Designs, Saree Parry of Decorating Den Interiors, Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow, and Joni Spear. For even more inspiration to create beautifully unusual spaces, be sure to listen to “Unexpected Design,” the latest episode of our podcast, Colormixology^™, featuring special guest and friend of the show Dabito, who shares his perspective on finding joy in the unexpected and embracing both what’s personal and what’s popular in design. 

Designer and author Dabito is currently building his new New Orleans home from the ground up, so he knows what a challenge, and what a joy, it can be for a professional designer to be their own dream client. His stunning backyard patio project is a perfect example of the magic that can happen. 

“My backyard patio project was a labor of love on a budget,” he says. “I wanted to create an outdoor oasis that felt both inviting and stylish. To achieve this, I transformed the concrete floor into a faux tile pattern using stencils and paint. The colors, Adriatic Sea SW 6790 (167-C7) and In the Navy SW 9178 (253-C3), evoke a coastal, Mediterranean vibe. I drew inspiration from classic Spanish tile patterns and aimed to create a space that was perfect for entertaining and relaxing. The biggest challenge was working with a tight budget, but I found creative solutions like using stencils instead of actual tile.”

He knew the effect would be special, but underestimated just how stunning the transformation would be. “Design is a journey, and surprises are often the most exciting part of the process. I embrace unexpected challenges as opportunities for creativity. The biggest surprise in the patio project was how dramatically the painted tiles transformed the space. It added depth, dimension, and a sense of luxury that exceeded my expectations.”

When it comes to getting out of one’s comfort zone, Dabito sees value in the palettes and key colors selected by interior design industry leaders. “I love how palettes or a Color of the Year, or a Capsule Collection, can help me explore other colors,” he shares on Colormixology^™. “Sometimes I get really stuck, and then I realize, ‘Oh my God, look at these beautiful, earthy, neutral colors with more gray, or maybe even black, undertones that give it a little bit more depth.’ And I think that helps me play with color and balance a bit more.”

Photos courtesy of Dabito.

Leah Alexander, owner and principal designer at Beauty Is Abundant in Atlanta, has always been inspired and fascinated by the ways that people invest in beauty, from her first job at Louis Vuitton on Rodeo Drive and throughout her career as an award-winning interior designer. She takes great pride in broadening the boundaries of her clients’ comfort zones, encouraging them to think outside the box and find beauty in unexpected places.

“Elegantly creating moments of surprise and delight is one of my specialties,” she says. “I like to dream out loud with clients by asking, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if...?’ and ideating from there. Color sometimes still causes trepidation for clients. But a portfolio boasting chartreuse, dusty pink, burnt orange, and more helps people to see that yes, that would be cool.”

This undeniably cool use of Chartreuse SW 0073, a key color in our 2025 Colormix^® Forecast,  graces Leah’s own kitchen. “I’m in awe of how simultaneously soothing and invigorating this kitchen is,” the designer says. “I completely reconfigured the kitchen from a closed-off layout, and the ’90s wood cabinetry, amber-colored glass pendant lights, and microwave/vent combo over the stove were my pleasure to update, elevate, and simplify.”

When asked what about the design world creates that same feeling of surprise and delight in her, Leah responded that the developments in materials, especially hard surfaces and fixtures like countertops, tile, and plumbing, continue to amaze her, as well as lighting, which she says is becoming “so elevated it rivals actual artwork in projects.”

“All of these developments have pushed and stretched me to elevate my work and deliver only the chicest, most beautiful designs to my clients,” she says. “It's truly an honor to enjoy deeper levels of trust with clients, as the world sees how our intense dedication to designing outside run-of-the-mill trends sparks joy and fosters elevated daily living.”

Photos by Marc Mauldin Photography, Inc.

Jill White Designs recently converted a 150-year-old church into her new Little Rock, AR, studio and headquarters. The beautiful historic building had been vacant for 10 years and had fallen into disrepair until Chuck Hamilton Construction & Hamilton Real Estate purchased the church and gave the space new life.

“We designed the space for our needs yet maintained the amazing features from the original church. We were able to uncover hidden architectural elements that we didn’t even know existed until renovations began. With every reno comes surprise. Having to pivot and be creative and solve problems is part of the job, and we have come to expect it and not let it add stress to projects.”

With a thoughtful combination of two designer-favorite hues—Iron Ore SW 7069 (251-C7) for a striking exterior and an interior in Alabaster SW 7008 (255-C2)—the former house of worship was restored and repurposed with care, designed to reflect the principal designer’s love of classic black-and-white looks. 

“That is my thing, but that doesn’t define us and it’s not all we do,” she says. “While we do follow trends when designing for a lot of our clients, we try to find out who our client is, then put our spin on it and figure out how it all meshes and works best within their particular space. Trends will come and go, but as long as you stay true to yourself and your likes, you will have a space that you love.”

The building itself also revealed quite a few surprises along the way. “One of the best examples of a happy accident happened during the renovation. When CHC started to tear out the ceiling, we found that not only was there a layer of Sheetrock, but underneath that was a layer of acoustic ceiling tile, followed by intricate patterned wood planks! It needed a lot of work and repair, but the end result was a very happy surprise. We opted for painting it all, because I wanted the stained glass to be the star, and using Alabaster allowed it to pop!”

Photos courtesy of Jill White Designs.

As one client said in her testimonial, “It’s Saree’s fun, original, and somewhat wild artistic side that makes her final touch so unique.” Designer Saree Parry has recently expanded her focus to new-build multi-residential spaces like condos and luxury rental and independent living communities, but for this featured project, the Ottawa-based designer was tasked with reimagining a basement living room to provide comfort, functionality, and tranquility year-round. 

Parry’s Account Executive, Ali Izadnia, introduced her to various Sherwin-Williams locations around town and facilitated in-person introductions to the design staff at several stores. “This connection was particularly helpful when my client’s painter needed to pick up paint, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration,” the designer says.

The inspiration for the design came from a deep yellow room featured in Corey Damen Jenkins’ book “Design Remix: A Spin on Traditional Rooms,” which resonated with her client’s African heritage. “We used deep yellow walls, African-inspired motifs, rich dark wood, deep blues, and complementary black accents to create a warm and inviting glow throughout the year.”

To guarantee the warmest of warm glows, she knew she needed a bold color: Goldenrod SW 6677 (133-C6). “Goldenrod’s richness and warmth impressed my client,” the designer says. “It was perfect for the African theme they wanted. The touch of yellow ribbon on the lampshade—a distinctive piece of decorative trim from a previous project—brings it all together.” 

“It’s so liberating that today’s design world encourages personal expression and straying from dominant trends,” the designer opines. “Bold colors, long abandoned, have gained widespread acceptance, which thrills me. The Sherwin-Williams Colormix^® Forecast exemplifies this acceptance of diverse styles and personal expression, which aligns with my design philosophy. I encourage clients to focus on their current happiness rather than future resale value, which allows for breaking conventions and creating deeply personal, soothing environments.”

Photos by JVL Photography.

Creator, blogger, and interior designer Amber Guyton started her firm, Blessed Little Bungalow, back in 2016 when she purchased a renovated San Antonio, TX, bungalow for herself and started building her design and decorating hobby into a thriving small business, one client and project at a time. These days, she designs for Atlanta-area residents and e-designs for more distant clients.

This project was close to home, but far from ordinary. A new build in the Atlanta suburbs called for jewel tones galore from a lover of bold color and hip-hop music culture. Amber Guyton transformed the neutral walls with Mature Grape SW 6286 (190-C7) in the living room and entryway on the main floor and used Black Magic SW 6991 (251-C3) in the moody media space upstairs.

“I love adding design elements that reflect the client’s interests,” Guyton tells us. “Every detail from the afrocentric musicians artwork to the coffee table books, the pattern mixing and brass elements, all of them were intentional. My hope is that her new home brings her joy, inspiration, and the uncontrollable instinct to dance in every room!”

Guyton says she has always been a colorful maximalist, but she recognizes the hesitation others might feel when “diving headfirst into the world of Roy G. Biv.” Often it takes patience, compromise, and encouragement to help clients take the leap. “Whether it’s a color-drenched space or a muted one with a few pops of color, I’m helping clients open their eyes to using color and seeing it not as a trend, but as a staple that’s here to stay.”

Photos by Brittany Bah Photography.

Designer Joni Spear isn’t known for following fads, instead leaning toward timeless designs created with heirloom-quality pieces. She also says she takes her time selecting the perfect colors. “It’s as much a cerebral decision for me as it is experiential and visceral,” she tells us. “To make a room cohesive and achieve the desired effect with the space’s light conditions, I look at the color wheel and select complementary, split complementary, monochromatic, and analogous colors.”

And all that time and effort certainly pays off. In a recent project for a busy working mother, Spear was determined to transform a home office into a lively, inviting wonderland with the perfect pink hues, even if those perfect pinks were discontinued. She says her Account Executive, Stephanie Maley, supported her color selection process and assured her that Sherwin-Williams would be able to formulate the exact colors she had in mind. 

“I cast out the look of the dated, stained-wood built-in shelves with a flirtatious pale pink hue, Lighthearted Pink SW 6568 (103-C1),” the designer says. “The run-of-the-mill ceiling became powerfully emboldened with unexpected, outsized floral blossom wallpaper in provocative shades of fuchsia and violet, and the oak floors got new life with a professional refinishing and were topped with an acid-washed cowhide rug.”

Best of all, the grasscloth-look wall isn’t actually grasscloth at all. It’s made using two shades of pink paint—Lighthearted Pink SW 6568 (103-C1) and Haute Pink 6570 (103-C3)—carefully applied using a trompe l’oeil technique to resemble a woven wallcovering at a fraction of the cost.

Photos by Alise O’Brian.

If these unexpected and inventive uses of color are inspiring you, you can see many of our colors for yourself by ordering complementary large-sized samples with your PRO+ account.

Top image: Alabaster SW 7008 (255-C2). Design and photo courtesy of Jill White Designs.