While most of us are trying to keep our head above water as we survive the holidays, Pantone is looking ahead — specifically to 2022 — by announcing the color of year. Dubbed “Very Peri,” the periwinkle-esque hue marks the first time the company has created a color from scratch rather than delving into its vast archive of options. “It was really important for us to come up with a new color, because we have a very new vision of the world now,” Pantone Color Institute’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman told CNN, adding, “It is literally the happiest and the warmest of all the blue hues.”
Interior design experts coast to coast couldn’t agree more, telling us (practically in unison) that Very Peri is ab-so-lutely a fit for home interiors. “It’s bold, but also serene; it’s equal parts lively and tranquil; it has some bright energy to it, but it also feels comforting,” explains Think Chic Interiors founder Malka Helft of White Plains, New York. “And I love that it can add a lot of design ‘oomph’ into a space quite easily.”
Bringing more color into the home, says Shaolin Low, founder of the Honolulu-based Studio Shaolin, is always a good thing. “I think after the neutral years of gray, this an amazing departure and moves us toward eclectic styles we are starting to see pop up,” she says, adding, “It’s soothing, playful and feminine, which always makes for a great space, and it’s going to blend easily with the coastal styles we see here a lot in Hawaii, so I think it’s kind of a neutral pop of color — present, but not dominating.”
Lance Thomas of the Louisiana-based Thomas Guy Interiors agrees, saying that the color is actually a versatile workhorse we should all have in arsenals. “Very Peri is a great color choice to warm up a cool-toned room while keeping in a similar color family,” says Thomas. “Table lamps or draperies would be a great way to do that. Conversely, Peri can also be used to cool down a warmer-toned room.”
So, how exactly do we infuse some Very Peri into our homes? Well, there are pretty much only two ways to do it — go big or go small. If you’re going to go big, you might consider swathing an entire wall or space in the hue. “We love using a color like this in a serene space like a bed or bath,” says Nina Grauer, principal and co-founder of Dekay and Tate Interiors, which has offices in Florida and Colorado. “It packs a punch, but still feels relaxing and moody, which is the perfect vibe for those areas. It’s probably best to use an accent wall, even on the ceiling!”
Zane Kearney, Ruggable’s senior director of art and design, advises, “If you’re a maximalist you’ll want to be sure you’re using a good range of complementary colors like a nice teal or sage blue-green to keep it fresh and fun.”
If that is a bit too daunting, baby steps are a better Very Peri tactic for you. “Bedding would be a wonderful place to start,” recommends Paige Gray, partner and lead interior designer at British Columbia firm Parker & Harlow. Gray adds that color can also be injected via some paint on the front door, stacked subway tiles in the bathroom or a textured seagrass wallpaper behind the bedroom’s headboard.
It’s true, Pantone’s Color of the Year can easily be mixed into any space (and with minimal investment), thanks to decor stalwarts like paint, rugs, throw pillows and blankets, artwork, vases, lamps and accent furnishings like an armchair or a console. Says Hillary M. Stamm, founder of Manhattan Beach, California-based firm HMS Interiors, “I love Peri for the interior color of your bookshelves, for the dreamy drapes in the kitchen — this color has so much depth and breadth, it can easily be folded into any room.”
Below, you’ll find your very own Very Peri home decor cheat sheet, brimming with pieces that can quickly and easily be added to your home.
Rugs are a designer’s secret tool for anchoring a space and creating distinct areas within a room — choosing one that blends in some Very Peri will hit two birds with one stone. “This rug would look great in a dreamy, whimsical bedroom with soft bedding and elegant accents,” recommends Leslie Murphy, creative director and owner of Murphy Maude Interiors in Memphis.
A big fan of channeling Pantone’s Color of the Year via bedding, Gray loves this set specifically for its fabric. “I love when the color speaks to the texture of a product, and for Peri, my mind went immediately to linen. Here, a soft, livable textile application on the bed makes the color the focus and lets the fabric sing its praises.”
A must-have Peri item on Grauer’s list? This set of gorgeous leather-textured lamps that are great for bedside tables or anchoring a living room console. Pro tip: Grauer recommends swapping out the shades for a custom option.
“I recommend using Very Peri in small doses as the vibrant color in the room,” says Sarah Stacey of Sarah Stacey Interior Design in Austin, Texas. “For example, when covering your whole room in color, you could use a muted petrol on walls, navy on your sofa and have hints of Very Peri on accent chairs or small accessories.” Case in point: This awesome geode that is bursting with periwinkle hues. “Decorating with natural stone is always elegant and timeless,” Stacey advises, adding, “Place some amethyst in bookcases for layered styling.”
“If you want to just add a few touches of Peri, think throw pillows, an accent chair, vases and even flowers,” recommends Grauer. Case in point: This stunning objet d’art from Baccarat. Uplifting to look at, the glinting crystal butterfly (in the purple hue!) is a gorgeous piece to add to a desk, coffee table or bookshelf.
Statement-making art that is also oversized and easy on the wallet? Yep, it exists — even in Very Peri hues. “I loooveee this piece and am planning on using it in a project,” says Low. “It’s feminine, playful and soothing, all the things I used to describe Peri packed into one piece of art. It’s simple and bold without being overwhelming.”
We all need an excuse for more Le Creuset in our lives, and luckily Stamm found one for us, saying that this periwinkle-hued Le Creuset coffee mug “is gorgeous for your open-kitchen shelving…and your early morning coffee!” You can get a set of four on Amazon for just under $60 too.
KDC Tile and Marble Blue Ceramic Subway Tile ($14.69 per square foot; wayfair.com)
“I love a bold powder room, and what better way to integrate Peri than to mimic the subtle gloss and watery hues of seashells in a stacked subway tile,” says Gray, who loves this long and narrow option from Wayfair.
Crane & Canopy Admiral Blue Fringed Throw Blanket ($130; craneandcanopy.com)
Pretty much every designer we chatted with recommended investing in a Very Peri-hued throw blanket, and this pretty option from luxe bedding and bath retailer Crane & Canopy is among our favorites.
“If you have a Ruggable, you already know our rug covers are interchangeable — so you can swap out your existing rug cover with a nice neutral-toned rug that uses Very Peri as a pop of color,” says Kearney, who suggests this lilac-and-gray geometric area rug.
More than 47,000 Amazon reviewers agree that these blackout curtains are worth the purchase — especially in Very Peri. Perfect for a nursery or kid’s bedroom, the curtains not only add a dose of Pantone to the room but also work to keep little ones sleeping by blocking out natural light.
Zhuzh up an accent wall with some color and texture. “The natural fibers of seagrass give subtle tonal variations to the Peri color here, which will result in a deepening presence on the wall,” advises Gray.
“Throw pillows are an easy way to add a pop of Very Peri into the home,” says Murphy, adding that this 18-inch-by-18-inch velvet option — which serves our purpose in the dark blue or purple colorways — would “add some drama in a black-and-white living room.”
Judy Pickett, founder of the Raleigh, North Carolina, firm Design Lines Signature, is all about channeling Very Peri into her clients’ spaces. “I could see this color used anywhere from a child’s room, to lacquered cabinetry in a sophisticated home bar, to the tile color on a spectacular backsplash,” she advises. We can see why she loves this 10-inch-by-14-inch artwork from Etsy — it’s the perfect way to add a pop of Peri into rooms big or small.
Both Thomas and Helft agree that this beautiful area rug is a surefire way to add a subtle dose of Very Peri to your space, whether it’s a living area or a smaller nook like a library, bathroom or mudroom.
Pottery Barn Teen Watercolor Rainbow Ombré Comforter & Sham (starting at $29.50; pbteen.com)
Multiple designers recommended bedding as an easy way to incorporate Very Peri into your bedroom, including Stamm. “Pottery Barn Teen has a fantastic ombré watercolor duvet and sham, which is gorgeous and full of Pantone vibes. I would anchor a teen’s bedroom with this and build around the color,” she says.
Love you some print? Luckily, so does Low. “I’m always down for a little animal print, and this pillow is the perfect muted, animal style to throw on a bed, a daybed or even the middle of a sofa,” she says.
We’re totally on board with the colored glassware trend right now, and this pretty champagne set from West Elm hits all the right notes. Says Stacey, “Champagne coupes are so fun to use, and these purple glasses add a pop of color and will look great amongst all of your clear barware.”
Lighten up your space with this one-of-a-kind beauty from direct-to-consumer vintage rug retailer Revival. Clocking in at a 4’11 x 8’5, the flatwoven rug is made from 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} hemp and features a minimalist design that puts the yarn’s periwinkle hue on display.
