Beyond Very Peri: the other colours you will see more of in 2022

25 Jan 2022

When Pantone announced Very Peri as the colour to define 2022, we found the choice a bit surprising. The hue is also a tricky one to work with across many disciplines within the world of design. For starters, purple (generally speaking) is one of the most universally disliked colours around. And while it may be a blue purple, Very Peri is still very much a purple – which can make it a hard sell for clients. As far as periwinkles go, Very Peri is also on the brighter side. Though it can be an effective accent hue, it’s not one that you’ll likely want to use in very large quantities since it could easily overwhelm.

So, if you too will be taking this Color of the Year announcement with a grain of salt, there are plenty of other gorgeous on trend hues that will be highly relevant in the year ahead. Here’s your primer on the Resene paint colours you need to know about for 2022 and how to work them into your designs.

Nettle

Sitting halfway between two other popular tones, olive and forest green, sits nettle. Because greens reigned supreme throughout the past year and a half, this subtle refresh to a colour family that is already very much part of the zeitgeist will understandably be among the earliest trends to emerge in 2022. Resene Raptor, Resene Kelp and Resene Cabbage Pont are the versions to look for, which work well with everything from stone greys like Resene Stonewashed to ochres like Resene Horses Neck to bright reds like Resene Roadster.

Background in Resene Castle Rock with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from right to left) Resene Copyrite, Resene Raptor, Resene Tuscany and Resene Chelsea Gem, large bowl in Resene Sugar Loaf, small bowl in Resene Alpaca and painted vases in Resene Raptor, Resene Tuscany and Resene Alpaca. Styling by Laura Lynn Johnston, photo by Bryce Carleton.

Gingko 

After two years or steadily warming hues, it might come as no surprise that another popular green that we’ll be seeing a lot of in 2022 will be yellowed gingko greens like Resene Dingley, Resene Green Leaf and Resene Bilbao. Try pairing grassier greens like these with zesty citrus tones like bitter orange or lemon-lime such as Resene Smoke Tree and Resene Chenin, along with sharp yellowed white like Resene Rice Cake and a touch of powder pink like Resene Paper Doll for what we expect will become a quintessentially 2022 colour palette for trend lovers.

Background in Resene Rice Cake with A4 drawdown swatches in (from left to right) Resene Dingley, Resene Dust Storm, Resene Green Leaf, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Chenin, Resene Smoke Tree and Resene Clover, orange vase in Resene Dust Storm, circle vase in Resene Rice Cake and coat pegs in Resene Dust Storm (left) and Resene Smoke Tree (right). Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Wendy Fenwick.

Chartreuse

In 1605, Carthusian monks in the French Alps created a secret blend of 130 herbs and named the resulting colourful liquid Chartreuse. Chartreuse was intended to be a medicine and was dubbed an “elixir of long life” but people found the concoction so tasty that they began consuming it as a beverage. Since then, colours that resemble its distinct and intoxicating blend of yellow and green have been bestowed the same name.

Greener Resene Green Smoke as well as yellower Resene Gimblet are both destined to become darling accent hues in 2022. Just a touch of these sharp, medicinal tones can go a long way and pair well with leafy green tones like Resene Clover, creamy whites like Resene Double Wheatfield and suede browns like Resene Leather.

Background in Resene Gimblet, leaf dish in Resene Green Smoke, triangular bowl in Resene Deluge and other painted vessels in (clockwise from top left) Resene Marionette, Resene Slate Brown, Resene Valour, Resene Avalanche, Resene Lemon Twist and Resene Double Wheatfield. Project by Laura Lynn Johnston, image by Bryce Carleton.

Papaya

Look forward to juicy papaya pinks squeezing their way into the fashion and interior design worlds in the coming months. For brighter versions, try Resene Japonica or Resene Roxy while dustier tones like Resene Tuscany can do the trick if you need to reel back the brightness factor. With an eye-catching colour like papaya, in most cases, you’ll probably want to keep its partner hues dustier and more restrained. Try it with deep blackened browns like Resene Kilamanjaro, ocean blues like Resene Seachange, wine reds like Resene Vanquish or camel browns like Resene Twine.

Background in Resene Kilamanjaro with letters in Resene Juniper, Resene Seachange, Resene Otter, Resene Vanquish, Resene Twine, Resene Hot Toddy and Resene Japonica.

Mink

A mix of mauve and grey, this endlessly chic hue is well primed to be a go-to neutral for those who are well over flat greys but not quite ready to dip back into beiges and browns. Whether your clients are drawn towards deeper charcoal tones, lighter lattes browns or even smoky blue greens for their project, Resene Tide, Resene Martini and Resene Dover White have a touchably soft look to them that will bring both cosiness and elegance.

If you want the full down-low on how to put must-have mauves like these to work on your project, check out our recent story all about this sophisticated hue.

Background in Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from left to right) Resene Nocturnal, Resene Blue Smoke, Resene Martini, Resene Tiara and Resene Quarter Silver Chalice with vases in Resene Tom Tom (top) and Resene Nocturnal (left) and tealight holder in Resene Tiara. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.

Honeycomb

Sunny honey yellows are poised to bring a well-deserved dose of optimism to the design world in 2022. If your clients are looking for a mix of positivity and decadence that can fit beautifully within a nature-inspired space, look no further than honeycomb yellows like Resene Hot Toddy and Resene Influential. Try these exotic golds with violet-tinged charcoals like Resene Bastille, creamy ambers like Resene Marzipan or deep forest greens like Resene Midnight Moss along with gold and grass accents for an elegant look. Or keep it earthy with green greys like Resene Grey Olive and classic khakis like Resene Go Ben.

Background in Resene Grey Olive with A4 drawdown painted swatches in (from top to bottom) Resene Moonlight, Resene Influential and Resene Chorus Line and woven kete bag in Resene Influential. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

Aquamarine

It’s been a few years now since pale to mid-range blues have been in vogue, but it’s looking like 2022 is the year for crystalline versions like Resene Ashanti and Resene Jetstream to really shine. Thanks to their subtle green undertones, these glassy blues are surprisingly versatile. Try them with everything from murky navy blues like Resene Navigate, to brick reds like Resene Hot August, to pastel pinks like Resene Sakura and even oily browns like Resene Wood Bark or suedes like Resene Lone Ranger.

We’re also likely to see a touch of greener celadon versions thrown into the mix such as Resene Haven and Resene Pewter. Try these with those aforementioned nettle greens for depth or go for minty greens like Resene Snowy Mint, greyed lavenders like Resene Chalk Lavender or terracottas like Resene Alert Tan.

Background in Resene Ashanti with A4 drawdown paint swatches is (from left to right) Resene Nocturnal, Resene Sakura and Resene Space Cadet and hook rack in Resene Gorse. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

For more on the colour trends to expect in 2022 and beyond, check out the Red Alert section in the latest issue of BlackWhite magazine or the habitat plus – decorating and colour trends book.

Published: 25 Jan 2022