Moody hues remain popular, proven by Behr’s color of the Year selection, Cracked Pepper. 2024’s color-of-the-year forecasts are flooding into the market. However, it’s yet to identify any dominant trends among the carefully selected colors. Still, one thing is to know for sure: Dark paint colors are gaining popularity, as is Behr’s Cracked Pepper color–a soft black with brown undertones that add warmth and a touch of heat is the latest expression of a broader, design-oriented desire for more excellent contrast and drama within our living spaces.
The announcement was made on August 15; Behr’s pick for the Color of the Year in 2024 follows an entirely different choice from the previous year: Behr 2023 Color of the Year was Blank Canvas, which is a shiny white. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Cracked Pepper PPU18-01 has the same neutral palette but a bit more character. It also proves that it is possible to use black as a neutral color.
“Now people are starting to expand their vision and boundaries,” Erika Woelfel, vice president of creative and color for Behr Paints, informs Better Homes & Gardens. “They’re using bright colors to create optimistic ones, but the dark ones can also produce an entirely different mood. They are exquisite and dramatic, in certain cases, based on how you use the colors. We’re contemplating a dark neutral in this particular color, Cracked Pepper.”
The shift to more dark neutrals is an ongoing response to the white-only interiors prevalent in the 2000s as more and more people come to the notion that color could (and must) be incorporated throughout the house. In addition, increasing numbers of people recognize that color doesn’t need to be chaotic. It can be relaxing and relaxing, too.
“Our homeowner and our pros are just so much more willing to want these darker colors,” Sarah Fishburne, The Home Depot’s director of design and trend, informs BHG. “They kind of like how it grounds stuff.”
How to Try the Behr Color of the Year 2024, Cracked Pepper, in Your Home
The warmth factor distinguishing Cracked Pepper from other black paint shades enables it to work as a neutral color, mainly used in spaces influenced by the popular organic modern look. However, Cracked Pepper doesn’t just apply to modern organic colors: Much like we all rely on our personalities when decoration (think dopamine decor and the emergence of a variety of microtrends and cores that offer an array of options to every person), Cracked Pepper is designed to blend into spaces of every style.
“It could go into so many different lifestyle trends,” Fishburne declares. “There’s certain colors, you’re like, ‘Well, I only see it in this kind of style.’ This one, it really does not have any boundaries.”
Although the culinary core style is on the rise (and it’s named for Behr’s color of the Year pick, which is specifically suited to this culinary-inspired fashion), Cracked Pepper is more of a general blend of style and lifestyle instead of a color that is tied to a particular type.
“It’s very adaptable,” Woelfel declares. “Universal and appealing to a variety of different settings for decors and kinds of lighting. That’s one of the main reasons we picked it.”
This way, there’s no incorrect way to apply Cracked Pepper in your room. If you’re looking to begin by starting small, Woelfel and Fishburne, suggest beginning by creating an accent wall trim for the interior, such as beadboard or wainscoting, or perhaps an entire door in the interior. (You may also try painting furniture in Cracked Pepper.)
If you’d like to make your space appear larger, Cracked Pepper lends itself well to kitchen cabinets, walls, and even the possibility of a striking ceiling. It is also a great choice as an exterior shade (on doors, trims, shutters, and even an entire home). Suppose you’re new to bolder hues. In that case, you may feel more comfortable beginning outdoors, too, because accents for exteriors in black have been popular for a long time (for legitimate reasons! ).
Cracked Pepper was picked partly due to its connection to light. Woelfel and Fishburne declare it’s a color that looks like black in certain lighting conditions and almost navy blue in other lighting. It could appear to be one hue in the morning and an entirely different one in the evening. Based on the lighting in your area and your space, you’ll experience a distinct experience with this shade compared to someone else. This shifting color is another aspect that makes Cracked Pepper against other black hues and allows it to be highly versatile and used in various ways.
It’s a lively, timeless color. Cracked Pepper is a fantastic color to paint any time of the year. But If you add the warm black hue to your home now, you’ll be on the cutting edge in 2024 and beyond.
