New harmonies and unexpected pairings at the fall 2023 trade fair set the tone for next year’s interiors

Firms exhibiting new furniture and home accessory designs at the recent Maison & Objet trade fair in Paris brought out their most spectacular color palettes to create new chromatic pairings. “2024 will welcome a playful juxtaposition of invigorating hues and pastel shades. In particular, we can expect to see an interaction between milky and earthy colors,” says Xavier Pougeot of trend agency Peclers. The firm, known for its expertise in color, established the theme Enjoy! for the Sept. 7-11 event. 

Let’s look at the colorful perspectives poised to lift our homes and spirits in 2024.

1. Color Through Pattern

One of the defining themes of the fall 2023 Maison & Objet was pattern, and, by definition, the many colors that create them. “We live with patterns. They’re constantly with us as they’re everywhere, from the most modest of objects and textiles to the most sophisticated of compositions,” says Elizabeth Leriche, renowned trend watcher who, for 2024, predicts an interior landscape dedicated to patterns.

1. The Use of Sky Blue to Create New Harmonies

Next year will see the formation of new chromatic harmonies in which sky blue plays a central enhancing role. This was the idea presented by internationally renowned trend forecaster and colorist Lidewij Edelkoort at her Everyday Paradise conference.

“We’re currently living through a difficult period. It’s therefore important to bring our focus back to beauty, serenity and aesthetics,” she said in her introduction, before deciphering the trends we can expect to see in the world of design. Among these trends, color is key. “The colors we can expect to see are ultra-modern and bright like pink, purple and orange, combined with sky blue for an unexpected contrast. Sky blue brings out different qualities in each shade, almost transforming them into new colors.“

1. Water Effects

When it comes to how color is used, Lidewij Edelkoort also observes a particular focus on water, bringing a new dimension to the palette. This is achieved through watercolor effects, often found on wallpaper, interior accessories and textiles. This wallpaper design by Papermint gives the illusion that the landscape has been painted directly onto the wall.

Water can also be integrated into the use of color in a more abstract way, with diluted effects.

1. Three Moods, Three Palettes

At the “Enjoy: in quest of pleasures!” conference, Charlotte Cazals and Brune Ouakrat of trend agency Peclers delved into the theme of this year’s show. They identified three decorative moods representing three emerging “tribes” of consumers showcased at Maison & Objet’s Inspire me! exhibition. Each tribe has its own individual approach to color.

Seductive expressiveness. This is how the agency identifies the tribe of “decadent party people.” These consumers want a life bursting with exhilarating pleasure. They want to highlight their uniqueness and transform their lives into a celebration, while carefully considering the representation of the body. Their interiors are ultra-glamorous and flamboyant and enriched with shiny, luxurious materials. Their palette is made up of terra cotta and gold with hints of pink.

Liberating creativity. This is the tribe of “collective optimists,” who seek joy in carefree play. They inject enchantment into the ordinary, celebrating the collaborative and the experimental. Their interiors are unapologetically optimistic, filled with patterns, creative works, new ideas and unexpected, playful designs that fight against the gloom of the everyday. When it comes to color, their palettes are built around flashy pink, apple green and vivid orange.

Heightened sensitivity. The third tribe identified by the trend agency is the tribe of “sensitive hedonists” for whom happiness rhymes with harmony. They seek physical exploration, imaginary escape and intimate connections. Digital media plays a pivotal role for this tribe, notably augmented reality, but it must always be used in a way that is beneficial to their well-being. Nature is also a key part of their environment.

Their interiors therefore resemble an ultra-sensitive, sensory cocoon with reflective materials, luminescent surfaces inspired by the digital world, and soft colors, shapes and materials. Their preferred tones are nude pink and gold, sometimes paired with burnt orange or metallic hues reminiscent of aluminum.

1. Nostalgic Orange

A major shade in Elizabeth Leriche’s homage to pattern, burnt orange was a recurring color across numerous booths this year, in an unexpected ode to the past. This hue was given particular prominence by French designer Tim Leclabart, winner of the 2023 Rising Talent award alongside six other promising young individuals on the French design scene. After leaving its mark on the 1960s and 1970s, burnt orange is back, reworked for the present day into resolutely contemporary, revitalized tones.

1. Ultraviolet

As a wink to digitalization and the democratization of augmented reality, purple is playing an increasingly important role in new furniture and home accessory collections. When paired with vibrant, sunny shades like orange, it rekindles long forgotten color combinations we haven’t dared to use in our homes.

1. Khaki

And, lastly, green is big in 2024, but in the form of khaki, notably spotted alongside purple in the spaces curated by trend forecasters François Delclaux and Elizabeth Leriche. We also found it contrasted with blue in Evergem, the collection staged by 2023 designers of the year Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen. This hue forms part of a broader palette, composed of turquoise, burnt orange and brown, according to Peclers’ Xavier Pougeot.