Studiopepe, Moooi, Normann Copenhagen and more are showing muted retro tones like oxblood, olive, orange and mustard, replacing formerly neutral furnishings and accessories. And while paint company Sherwin-Williams predicted that beige was on its way to unseat grey as the new neutral (how exciting!), millennials and Gen-Zers everywhere rolled their eyes at a collective reluctance to brighten up. Highlighter neon from the catwalks may be more than the renovating adults are ready for, but It's clear that the default for powder rooms, kitchens and bedrooms is no longer gallery-wall white.

Bring on Colour

Designers share their adventures in saturation.

Bold in Blue

€œThe clients were a super fun family of five with so much personality that monochromatic was just not an option! This sofa was bold enough, yet still elegant in the space. Upholstered in a rich, blue velvet, the sofa had the personality that the room needed.€ €”Erin Chow, The Haven Collective, Vancouver

Set the Mood

€œA moody master bedroom doesn't have to be every-wall bold to create a feature. Here we simply created a feature wall with moulding and a great accent paint: Benjamin Moore's Nocturnal Gray.€€”Jamie Banfield, Jamie Banfield Design, Vancouver

Calming Kitchens

€œThe shift toward saturated colours for kitchen cabinetry is one that we like very much. Francesca designed her own kitchen using an earthy green€”Forest Floor by Benjamin Moore€”as it reminds her of her garden and the green spaces she seeks out when travelling to Europe: the olive groves of Italy and the woodlands of the U.K. It works so well with metal finishes, creams and wood tones, and reflects the green space of the garden just outside the French doors, which is a very personal passion of hers.€€“Emma Kelly, Rudy Winston Design, Vancouver

Think Pink

€œIf you've going for pink, you should go with a pink with a bit of brown in it, or a dusty pink. We installed a cabinet in what used to be a closet and painted it Texas Rose from Benjamin Moore, which is a muted, desaturated version of pink, and that makes the room feel a bit more global.€€”Ben Leavitt, Plaidfox Studio, Vancouver

Sage Advice

€œWhen it comes to colour, we love muted, rich tones: chocolate browns, terracotta accents, sage greens (as seen here in our Newport residence with Benjamin Moore's Cushing Green on the wall) and blue-greys.€€”Kyla Bidgood, Bidgood and Co., Victoria

Green and Great

€œWe recently completed a home that merged classic contemporary with elements from the client's heritage. Subtle Chinese-inspired elements are thoughtfully placed throughout the home, however the dining room (pictured) is heavily contrasted against the otherwise fresh, bright and white home with its moody wallpaper, dark furnishings and luxe window treatments.€€”Amanda Hamilton, Amanda Hamilton Design, Calgary

The Battle for Colour of the Year

The hits and misses in the latest crop of Paint Colours of the Year.

Benjamin Moore First Light

Is this soft, rosy hue Benjamin Moore's answer to millennial pink? An evolution of Pantone's Rose Quartz? The exact colour of your laundry after you wash a red sock with your whites?

€œFirst Light paired with oatmeals and brown tones would be beautiful.€€“Kyla Bidgood

€œColour trends come and go, but in today's current arena I think pink is a political statement and I couldn€™t be happier about it being the colour of the year.€€“Ben Levitt

€œOver it. Isn€™t this just a more muted version of what I like to call the €˜Millennial Blush€™ that's been sticking around for as long as brass? I attended Paris Design Week and the London Design Festival and while pinks and greens are still current, I saw a lot of warmer neutrals making their way back into furniture.€€“Amanda Hamilton

Behr Back to Nature

Interiors have been working to reflect the outdoors for quite some time, so It's no wonder Behr created a palette to reflect the natural world, including springs, sandy beaches and soothing streams. Back to Nature is right at that spot where beige meets green.

€œThis colour will definitely create nostalgia for some, reminding them of their mother's kitchen colour or even bathtub colours many years ago. Our go-to for a good accent green would be more on the pastel side, such as Behr's 2018 Colour of the Year, In the Moment.€€“Jamie Banfield

€œTo be honest, we're not big fans of Back to Nature!€€“Kyla Bidgood

Sherwin-Williams Naval

This Gatsby-palette primary colour is further proof of a growing art deco takeover. It's confident, sophisticated and naturally pairs well with geometric prints, flapper fringe and glittery vintage metals.

€œWith the darker hours of fall and winter, decor takes a deeper, more saturated direction, but having strong colours in your spaces all year round helps add interest and creates layers. A navy blue, like Naval by Sherwin-Williams, can do that for a space. Painting a piece of furniture, vanity or wainscotting in this colour can help define a space and offset brighter pieces, artwork and lighting.€€“Francesca Albertazzi, Rudy Winston Design, Vancouver

€œI€™m a huge fan of Sherwin-Williams's Colour of the Year! It's calming, yet bold and moody. It's versatile enough that it could pair well with just about any colour or material. I€™d love to see a kitchen done in this colour. Gorgeous!€€”Erin Chow