Sherwin-William's 2024 Color of the Year, is the perfect shade for creating airy spaces and quiet minds.

Upward (SW 6239) is a denim blue with calm gray undertones PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

Easy, breezy, beautiful… Upward! Sherwin-Williams (sherwin-williams.com) released its Color of the Year 2024, and the hue is providing respite for all our spaces. After a ton of research and design methodology, the Sherwin-Williams team pulls one through line of color from their Color Forecast palettes, and this year, that was the calming light blue dubbed Upward (SW 6239). “Easy, breezy, light and carefree,” says director of color marketing Sue Wadden. “[Upward] is all about a calming expression of color. We are in a frantic time. We really wanted an opportunity for a color that is not a neutral but still very calming and simplistic. Upward pairs great with other colors, and it was really important to me to pick a color that counterbalances the weight of the world.”

In Sherwin-Williams’ biennial trend report, “Colormix Forecast 2024, Anthology: Volume One,” the company explains that Upward offers a gentle push in the right direction, uplifting our moods and spaces, but is careful not to overwhelm them. “We’ve been tracking the importance of green over several seasons, and what has emerged is that blue is going to overtake green and rise in importance,” says Wadden. “Blue will represent what we will see in the next seasons. I wanted Upward to indicate what is to come because that is what Color of the Year should be.”

Not only is the color a breath of fresh air, but its applications are versatile, perfect for respite spaces like bathrooms, bedrooms and closets, and more unexpected spaces like the kitchen. Says Wadden, “Blue’s not always a color for kitchens. It is a weird food color, so it doesn’t always translate to kitchens, but Upward is very airy and bright and translates a versatile feel. It can be beachy. It can feel modern.” It is the perfect complement to a coastal-chic kitchen, a grand millennial living room or even a midcentury modern sitting room. Upward can revive an old vanity piece, complement the ceiling of a front porch, ward offevil spirits (according to the Gullah Geechee people) and even uplift your everyday mood. Fall in love with this color’s overall calming effect and allow it to inspire your next home project.

The color works surprisingly well in kitchens, instilling a coastal vibe. PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS