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Real Homes
Megan Murray

How to use the 2024 colors of the year without paint

Office area painted with Behr's Cracked Pepper paint color.

If trying to keep your space on-trend, incorporate colors of the year without paint for an easy update. While I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for every new shade to be announced, it's difficult to use these colors when you live in a rental or just aren't up for retaining. 

While the major paint brands are some of the biggest color authorities when it comes to letting us know what's up for next year, it doesn't mean you have to whip out the paintbrush. 

From earthy tones that feel super relaxing to vivid pops of color that'll update any space, we're looking to the top color experts for small space color trends to keep our rentals fresh when painting the walls just ain't an option. Instead, I've found some super cute home accessories to shop and give your spot a nod to the trends.

How to use the colors of the year without painting

Leave the roller hiding under the utility sink and keep those paintbrushes packed up. Here are all the colors of the year that have been announced, like Benjamin Moore's color trends, and how to bring them in without a lick of lacquer.

Renew Blue, Valspar

(Image credit: Valspar)

Blue has long been a color that represents serenity, and Valspar reckons it has the answer to your Sunday Scaries with this ultra-chill shade. It describes Renew Blue as a "nourishing: color with green influences, and it genuinely looks like the water you’d find on a tropical island.

I don’t know about you, but a vacation would definitely help my zen right now. So, if this color gives me a little bit of that feeling, I’m in! When it comes to styling Renew Blue, it's all about going with the flow, baby, and finding accessories that match the calm vibe, whether you want to go all-out coastal grandmother or just add a few pops. Think organic and rounded shapes, soft lines, and nothing angular.

Bauwerk by Charlottenburg

(Image credit: The Hoxton)

Bauwerk’s effortlessly cool limewash paints are everywhere right now — coffee shops, hotels, and your most stylish friend’s place. If you’re wondering what the color of the moment is, the brand’s founders have picked out a newly-launched shade from the collection with an on-trend hotel chain The Hoxton. 

Charlottenburg is named after an area in Berlin known — not for its edgy aesthetic like you might think — but, actually, for the neighborhood's Art Deco buildings in pastel colors. This earthy take on shell pink is basically the perfect color because it’s flatteringly warm, has a playful twist, and still maintains a grounded vibe. It'll go with everything. As well as incorporating pink home decor and accessories, you could even paint something small, like a plinth, and position a lamp or vase on it.

Cracked Pepper, Behr

(Image credit: Behr)

To be honest, I didn’t see this one coming. The moody, charcoal gray that Behr has crowned its colors of the year packs a punch. Those who would consider putting Cracked Pepper on their walls would have to be confident in their interior prowess. B

Behr knows that black is a hard color to do well, so it has created this particular hue with a soft finish and tons of depth to make it not only apply better but feel more versatile in the space. Nevertheless, a great way to incorporate this into your apartment or rental would be through black decor and accessories, especially if you think this dark shade could be a little much for your space.

Persimmon, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams

(Image credit: HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams)

Earthy, terracotta hues are going to be huge in 2024, so it’s really fun to see a different twist on this color family from HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams. The brand has touted this warmed-up peach as its top color recommendation for next year. 

Thanks to its warmth, this is an ideal color to use across accessories. I’m picturing modern designs that can really carry this jolt of color, like pillows, lamps, and even storage units.

Prediction: Lemon Drop, Pantone

(Image credit: Pantone)

Now, obviously, Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement is a big deal. While this news hasn’t yet escaped the color authority just yet, it has given a list of tones to watch out for in spring 2024 in accordance with New York Fashion Week, darling. 

There are several shades in the palette for early next year, but Lemon Drop is a perfect happy yellow that will make any space feel more positive. Use this bright hue as an accent in your space to give it a really fresh, fun feel.


After perusing through all of these colors, you might be excited about giving your home's palette a refresh. If you haven't figured out how to choose a color scheme for your apartment, there are plenty of pointers. And you won't need paint in these instances either!

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