In case you missed it, last week Benjamin Moore hosted a launch party to celebrate the Color Trends 2020. In a captivating reveal, guests at the event got an exclusive first look at the Color of the Year, First Light 2102-70. In a palette of 10 hues, this trend is described as “a fresh palette; a revitalized spirit.” And fresh, they are. Over the years, Benjamin Moore has curated these yearly color palettes to inspire and motivate us to try something new in the world of color. We’ve seen it all, from an eclectic rainbow of shades to deep, dramatic and daring collections.
However, this 2020 collection is set apart from the rest. If you take a look back, you can see the traditional vibrancy in the first three Color Trend palettes. Then, we move into more mature, bolder colors in 2017 and 2018. Two-thousand and nineteen’s Color of the Year surely came out of the need for neutrality with Metropolitan AF-690. And then, First Light 2102-70 hits the scene. And it’s surrounded by an agreeable family of sweet, sophisticated, yet unexpected colors. Here, the millennial pink hue is warm, cozy, and different (I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t expect a shade of pink to be the Color of the Year).
For a special kind of review, all of our design consultants have given their input on the Color Trends and Color of the Year 2020.
Sue
“I love First Light, however it doesn’t go with the Danish modern furniture! I think the colors would look better with different furniture and room settings. The whole booklet is so modern, I’m not sure what [demographic] they are targeting. Certainly not the Northeast!” Sue has been designing and decorating for much of her life. Being a color expert, she doesn’t like the combination of the blues, yellow, and pink, saying that it looks too much like baby room colors. Blue Danube and Cushing Green are out of place among the rest of the palette, too. Overall, Color Trends 2020 is “anemic looking.”
Vicki
Vicki is an avid decorator of her own home and doesn’t stray from color, so she likes this refreshing trend. “I did expect the trend to turn this way after a very recent neutral trend; it’s not surprising. I can’t say that any of them are unappealing.” Vicki notes that Cushing Green did pleasantly surprise her with its vibrancy. “The colors in the Color Trends 2020 flow seamlessly and compliment each other’s. Though, Windmill Wings 2067-60 is a bit too bright for my personal taste.”
Lisa
“My first thought about the Color Trends 2020 is that they are very different from the popular beige/ gray. They’re much more light and airy with bold pastels.” She says, “I think that they work well pairing them with the grays. For example, First Light 2102-70 looks pretty with Coventry Gray HC-169.” Though Lisa is not sure she likes the colors, she does think they would be great for kids’ rooms.
Veronica
“First Light wasn’t a shock to me, but the palette as a whole feels very limiting. These colors are nice on their own, and while they do coordinate well, I think that they don’t quite work for all of today’s decorating styles.” Veronica is drawn more to natural looking colors, favoring Thunder AF-685 most. However, she believes “there are definitely places in the home to use pastel hues.”
What We Love From Color Trends 2020
Crystalline AF-485 
Cushing Green HC-125 
First Light 2102-70
Our Not-So-Favorite Hues
Windmill Wings 2067-60 
Golden Straw 2152-50
These are our personal opinions and do not reflect upon the views of Benjamin Moore & Co.
Does anybody know the name of the chair featured at the top of this article?
Hi Doug,
We don’t know the name of the chair in the photo. Our apologies! However, the photo was provided by Benjamin Moore as part of their Color Trends 2020 campaign, and you may be able to reach out to them for the source.
Thank you,
Wilmot’s Decorating Centers