The Dulux Colour of the year 2022 is literally a breath of fresh air waiting to be added to your home. While last year’s colour focused on keeping us grounded, this year is all about embracing optimism in your home and looking to the sky.
The paint trend selected by the experts to epitomise our homes in 2022 is Bright Skies, an airy light blue shade designed to capture the hopeful mood of the moment. After the bright and rich shades of the last two years, a return to a light optimistic blue is a welcome change and one the team at Ideal Home can’t wait to embrace in their bedroom colour schemes and beyond.
Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies
Image credit: Dulux
‘As a big fan of the outdoors I’m loving the freshness of Bright Skies. It’s perfect for 2022 with its feeling of optimism,’ says Heather Young, Ideal Home Editor. ‘I’m on the hunt for a wall colour for my bedroom at the moment. Blue wasn’t on the table but now I’m very tempted to give Bright Skies a try.’
‘It’s a lighter, brighter and more refreshing colour than that of last year’s Brave Ground, yet it still has a deep connection to nature,’ adds Tamara Kelly, Ideal Home Digital Editor. ‘It pairs so beautifully with a whole range of accent colours, is this the new alternative to light grey?’
Image credit: Dulux
Many of us have been turning to shades such as blue in our home office ideas and bedroom ideas thanks to its connotations of offering peace and serenity. However, its connection to the outdoors also makes it the perfect colour choice to give your mood a boost at home.
‘Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around us?’ says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK.
Image credit: Dulux
‘It is widely known that nature makes us feel better and taking steps to bring the outside in enhances our sense of wellbeing. So whether we are working or relaxing, creating or exercising, it is essential to have a space that reflects the optimism and desire for a fresh, new start that is top of the agenda for the year ahead.’
‘However, Bright Skies is not about idle day-dreaming. It is about turning those dreams into reality and forging ahead with the changes that we want to make.’
How to use the Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 in your home
If you are keen to add Bright Skies to your home Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux says the best place isn’t on your walls but your ceiling.
Image credit: Dulux
‘If you use this colour on the ceiling you don’t have to commit to the walls. It just makes that ceiling melt away, it just fills a room with a breath of fresh air,’ she says.
‘I absolutely believe when people put it on the ceiling and can see what it can do that’s going to be an amazing revolution.’
‘I’m going to paint it on the ceiling of my bedroom. In fact, I’m going to immerse my bedroom, watch this space,’ she adds.
How is the colour of the year selected?
The Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies was selected by a panel of design, fashion and colour experts. It was heavily influenced by the events of the last few years, homes dealing with the aftermath of three lockdowns and many of us craving freedom and a return to nature.
Even the process by which the colour is usually selected had to be changed due to the pandemic. For the first time in 19 years, rather than attending the Global Aesthetics Centre, where the colour is chosen, the group gathered online for a virtual summit.
Image credit: Dulux
‘Over the past 19 years, we’ve seen a dramatic shift from a concentration on brighter tones to an emphasis on neutrals,’ Heleen van Gent, head of the AkzoNobel Global Aesthetics Centre.
‘This year, however, vibrant colours and light tones are re-emerging – a reflection, perhaps of our need for positivity and a fresh approach. After a spell of feeling shut-in, we crave expansion – the great outdoors. The 37 curated colours in this year’s collection help to make it easy to choose on-trend shades.’
What colours go with Bright Skies?
Four colour palettes have been built around the versatile Bright Skies – Greenhouse, Studio, Workshop and Salon. Each palette is starkly different from each other demonstrating the genius of this year’s colour of the year at adapting to different spaces.
Image credit: Dulux
The Greenhous palette showcases fresh greens, paired with the lovely blues. If you’re a houseplant fan then Bright Skies is the surprising, but perfect backdrop shade to make your green babies pop.
While Salon and workshop feature more muted shades for a grown-up spin on blue, the Studio colour palette really caught our eye. Partnering the pale blue of Bright Skies with reds, oranges and pinks, it is an unexpected and modern colour combination for blue bedroom ideas we can’t get enough of.
When career opportunities drew this couple to London in 2014, they went on the hunt for a house big enough for their family to grow into. ‘We wanted something we could add value to by extending,’ says the owner.
‘We had only ever lived in period properties, so liked the look of this red-brick house, close to the high street. Even though it was in a state of total disrepair, and hadn’t been updated for 40 years. But, its period features and character were too good to pass up.’
There were going to be no easy fixes in this real home transformation. Every room had to be taken back to the brick, rewired, replastered and have new windows fitted.
Exterior
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
This five-bedroom Edwardian semi in Northeast London was definitely a doer-upper. ‘With no central heating, a leaking roof and a very dysfunctional layout, we knew it would be a mammoth task!’ explains the owner.
‘We carried out a loft conversion first, mainly because of the hole in the roof, and this gained us an extra bedroom, en-suite and dressing room.’
Kitchen diner
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
‘Once we had saved up enough, we started work on a kitchen extension too. We lived on site during the eight months of work, with a camping stove in the living room and a sink in the garden for washing up. The dust got everywhere and we didn’t have anywhere to retreat to for peace and quiet. Not easy with a baby!’
The cooking area is fairly compact, but the couple have made the most of the space with floor-to-ceiling storage.
Living room
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
As well as a sagging ceiling and rotten window frames, the existing living room had dated yellow walls, green carpets and red curtains. ‘We wanted this space to become more of an adult zone, so I chose a calming colour palette and lots of soft touches to make it a relaxing and comfortable space,’ says the owner.
Copper touches bring a sense of warmth to this grey living room idea. The oversized floor lamp provides direct lighting in the evenings. ‘I have an ever-growing cushion collection and love to mix and match different textures like velvets and shaggy faux furs,’ she says.
Dining area
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
The couple added an extension to the back of the house, that created space for a kitchen, dining room and family room.
‘We moved the kitchen into what was a second reception room,’ says the owner. ‘I knew I wanted the island unit to face out onto the garden, so that dictated the rest of the kitchen layout.’
Image credit: Future pLC/ David Giles
By zoning different areas of the kitchen with a central shelving unit, the space works for the whole family with dining room and play area functioning side-by-side.
‘I wanted the family room to have a fun feature and to feel connected to the garden outside the picture window, which this wall mural certainly achieves it,’ says the owner. The show-piece dark green velvet modular sofa stands out in the neutral, open-plan space and defines the casual seating and play area adjoining the kitchen.
Bedroom
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
‘When we moved in, the main bedroom had red floral wallpaper on every wall and needed to be stripped right back,’ the owner says.
She chose a dark green paint as the base colour, as she wanted this space to feel sumptuous. A mix of plain and patterned bed linen gives the bed a layered look. ‘The pink velvet headboard and brass details provide the luxurious finish I was after,’ she says.
Guest bedroom
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
The loft extension is used as the guest bedroom. ‘We spent a fair amount on glazing, so it’s really light and airy,’ says the owner of the stylish attic bedroom idea. ‘We kept the look neutral to maximise its calm feeling.’
Explains the brilliant DIY headboard idea the owner says, ‘My husband built a headboard from reclaimed boards for a rustic vibe.’
Nursery
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
The owner wanted to have some fun with the nursery idea. ‘As this room is a little on the small side, I decided to keep the walls white and instead add colour to the ceiling with a quirky cactus wallpaper,’ she says.
Bathroom
Image credit: David Giles
The family bathroom is one of the owner’s favourite rooms. ‘It’s a combination of fun and luxury and sums up my design personality perfectly!’ she says.
‘I wanted the room to be in keeping with the property’s age, so chose wall panelling and a claw-footed bath, but to make it more fun, I picked patterned floor tiles and painted the bath.’
‘We still have some work to do on the garden, but the house really suits life with the boys and we’ve given an old property a new lease of life,’ says the owner. ‘Renovating on such a large scale taught us so much about our personal style and how to cope with the stresses of a project.
There were days when the number of decisions to make and issues to deal with was overwhelming, so I had to keep reminding myself to focus on the end result.’
Blue is such a versatile hue to work with. One minute exciting and decadent, the next restful and easy to live with, blue can be anything you want it to be depending on the shade you choose. Our blue living room ideas are some of our favourites examples of how to use this gloriously diverse colour.
‘Historically, blue was a colour that was one of the most expensive to produce and spoke of the wealth and extravagance of the homes it appeared in,’ explains David Mottershead, managing director of Little Greene.
Blue living room ideas
Smart and sophisticated, navy and teal blues are the warmer way of embracing on-trend dark hues. They also have a luxurious feel – and for very good reason.
By contrast, sea blues and duck egg blues are all calm and serenity, making them the perfect antidote to our 24/7 lives. You don’t need a home by the sea to enjoy them, though they do work best with simple Shaker and country style furniture in whites and very pale timbers.
Read on to find the hue of blue that’s perfect for your living room idea.
1. Invigorate your space with sky blue
Image credit: Dulux
This brilliant shade of blue has just been revealed as Dulux’s colour of the year 2022 – Bright Skies. This uplifting shade of pale blue offers a much-needed invigorating breath of fresh air for our homes. Reminiscent of a clear sky filled with promise the gentle blue reminds us to ‘look up’ and feel optimistic as we emerge from darker times.
It’s a lighter, brighter and more refreshing colour than that of last year’s Brave Ground, yet it still has a deep connection to nature. Enhance the feeling of nature by pairing this hue with warm wooden furniture and plenty of house plant ideas to welcome further elements of nature into your living room.
2. Mix soothing pastels
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
As the colour of the year announcement shows powder blues are having a moment – a refreshing alternative to grey, cool blue brings with it a calming and serene energy. A pastel shade works well when used to decorate a south facing room to maximise the feeling of light and space. Mix a palette of soothing pastel shades to add depth to the look, introducing the tones via soft furnishings.
3. Coordinate with colour
Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes
The key to creating the perfect feature way with colour is keeping it coordinated. Built-in furniture painted in the same block colour as the fireplace and the wall creates a sleek, cohesive look – solidify that one wall as one complete wall, rather than a broken space of shelving and chimney breast space.
4. Balance a blue colour scale
Image credit: David Brittain
Create a sophisticated blue living rooms by layering tones, to strike the right balance between a dominate colour to run through a scheme without it feeling overwhelming. This blue living room idea introduced a pale shade, almost blue-grey, on walls with a more pure pastel blue with the curtain fabric.
The look is enhanced with the introduction of royal blue in the form of a statement armchair. The rest of the room is kept neutral with white-washed wooden floors and white furniture to make sure the blue remains undiluted by other accent colours.
5. Make a statement with a rich palette
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
Enrich a deep blue living room with the addition of luxurious textures and materials in a range of equally rich accent colours. In this striking blue living room deep blue walls are enhanced by a large papered art on the wall and glam metallic furniture finishes and accessories.
Luxe velvets in deep shades of burnt orange punctuate the cocooning blue beautifully, creating a moody, decadent vibe.
6. Be bold with on-trend paint
Image credit: Future PLC/ Georgia Burns
Create a strong colour block theme throughout by painting all the skirting boards and above the picture rail in the same colour as all four walls. Keep ceilings painted white for a dramatic contrast.
‘Blue and white is a classic combination and will stand the test of time. The colours contrast beautifully but pick an off shade of white – a true brilliant white already has more of a blue undertone, so paired with navy it can be cold,’ says Cathy Dean, Interior Designer
7. Choose dusky tones for a sophisticated finish
Image credit: Future PLC/Chris Snook
Look to a mid-tone blue with grey undertones to keep the look bold but bright. Pair with touches of aged brown leather and brass to welcome an added feeling of warmth. This striking yet understated colour combination creates a sophisticated take on a blue living room idea.
8. Add a seascape feature wall
Image credit: Future PLC/ Philip Raymond
Set the scene for your blue living room with a feature wall. This striking wall mural has an ‘under the sea’ vibe that creates a lush serene feel to the overall scheme, which is already tranquil with pale blue-grey walls with a light grey rug and gentle pink sofa to contrast.
9. Be daring with dominating dark blue shades
Image credit: Ryan Wicks
Where a room can take it, if the light quality is right and the dark colour will enhance the size, be daring by taking all four walls to the dark side.
The key when decorating with such bold colour is to embrace all surfaces, so include skirting boards and framework into the colour scheme. Otherwise you run the risk of white woodwork from standing out like a sore thumb – totally distracting from the statement effect of the blue. Add equally bold accent colours to inject pops of contrasting colour, such as this mustard yellow.
This look oozes luxury so opt for velvet finishes for cushions, curtains or upholstery. Brass accents and gold threads for accessories and occasional furniture are an instant shortcut to glamour. Pick rich wood finishes in matt rather than a glossy polish.
For a little old school glam, bring in the signature curves of chic twenties style with globe lighting and a round mirror. Fan and tropical palm prints still look the part and whilst dramatic colours are key to the look, swap out classic black and red for sapphire blue and emerald green.
11. Add some animal attraction
Anya Large Sideboard £549; Jungle Luxe Navy Wallpaper £12; Mila Magenta Rug from £45; all Dunelm
Pick a wallpaper with a midnight blue backdrop to really showcase tropical scenes. The rich tone adds instant depth and smart sophistication that evokes Art Deco opulence.
This Neo Deco style has adopted a number of animals from tropical climes. Incorporate wallpaper, lighting and accessories featuring big cats, monkeys, zebras and exotic birds into the scheme. Gilded finishes just add to the air of eclectic glamour.
12. Accent with pink
Vivian Cocktail Chair; £149, Dunelm
Lift the dark finishes like rich teal and midnight blue with blush pink and intense fuchsia. The warm pastel shade and bright jewel tone will soften the moody vibe and add a light hearted edge to the palette. Cushions and rugs are an easy way to inject the colour, or try some pink pampas grass for some statement texture.
A fluted, shell shaped accent chair in blush velvet will match a panelled wall with a chic silhouette while neon touches add a playful punch to the scheme.
13. Pick a sofa in a contrasting colour
Stella sofa in Paprika, £1840; Houston 5 light linear ceiling pendant, £260, Sofa.com
Orange sits opposite a blue on the colour wheel, so setting this bold tangerine against a deep blue will really make the most of both features.
Annie Sloan has some words of advice on which accents colours work with a blue scheme: ‘The complementary of blue is yellow. As you move round the colour wheel you find orange, hence why brass and copper works so well, too.’
‘Just a small amount goes a long way. For something quieter, colours like pale pink and grey greens look amazing.’ With that in mind, you might also want to see our pink living room ideas.
14. Go immersive
Plush large chaise sofa in dark blue velvet, £1,199, DFS
For a sophisticated feel, go for mid to dark tones of blue on the wall that will really envelop a room. The deeper the colour, the richer and cosier the effect. Painting skirting and woodwork in the same colour as the walls, creates a smart, seamless finish.
When designing a room in a block colour, it’s important to avoid a flat space, so a velvet sofa and curtains not only create a luxe look, but lift the space with texture and create some depth.
15. Make it modern coastal
Venus Bilbao Vinyl, £18.99 per sq m, Mirage Abstract Blue Rug, from £63.99, Carpetright
Forget the classic stripes. An inky watercolour mural will evoke seascapes whilst avoiding the cliche coastal prints. There’s no need to stick to one shade of blue either, combine everything from a sky blue to indigo, with a denim sofa and cobalt chair, to create a softer, blended scheme.
Work in a casual vibe using rattan and seagrass pieces to channel a far flung sense of coastal style.
16. Pick a heritage inspired print
Tapestry Floral Dark Seaspray wallpaper £40 per roll; Chatsworth Button Back Large Sofa in Seaspray £2,150; Laura Ashley at Next
Dip a toe into a maximalist look with a feature wall, or go for total drama by using living room wallpaper ideas on all four walls. The dusky, restful shade and the tonal blue sofa, woodwork and furniture, softens the overall look so the busy print won’t overwhelm the space.
A contemporary twist on a traditional Chesterfield, the button back sofa bring a modern silhouette whilst still maintaining classic grandeur to complement the heritage wallpaper.
17. Give smart maritime blue a crisp white stripe
Image credit: Little Greene
A nautical palette of blue and white has always been a firm decorating favourite, and this smart band of white gives a whole new take on the traditional sailors stripes! Pairing it with a soft tan leather sofa and adding washed wood furniture brings a softness and warmth to this smart colour palette
18. Mix in bottle green and accents of coral
Image credit: Future PLC/Chris Everard
Greens and blues have always been a popular colour combination and can sit effortlessly together. Using colour blocks of blue on the walls and green on the sofa grounds the room with a classic combination, whilst the addition of a pop of dark coral gives the room an extra design dimension.
This leaf green sofa and matching footstool gives the room a grown up, sophisticated feel, whilst the pops of coral on soft furnishings and ceramics gives it a modern twist. Oversized lampbase, vases and decorative jars in the same mix of colours adds a contemporary edge.
19. Layer textures on a backdrop of pale aqua
Image credit: Future PLC/Carolyn Barber
This season’s delicate shades of blush pink and pale aqua bring freshness to any room, while low-level furniture and soft linen drapes keep the look light. With a palette that is all about combining pale colours (with little or no pattern) try mixing textures to prevent the scheme becoming flat.
Don’t be afraid to combine velvets, linens, and boucle fabrics on soft furnishings around the room. Create a seamless backdrop my matching curtains to the wall colour too.
20. Contrast an exposed stone wall with midnight blue
Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes
A midnight blue velvet sofa has been contrasted with the distressed white stone wall in this living room in a converted barn. The sumptuous blue rather than looking cold against the white walls, creates a warm and inviting space to cosy up in. The rich blue colour scheme has been continued in the rug, and home accessories such as the vase and blanket.
21. Pair maritime blue with white for a look that’s cosy and bright
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
Painting the walls a dark blue is a wonderful way to build a look that’s cosy and homely. So that the look isn’t gloomy, keep the walls, ceilings and window dressings light – ideally white – to balance things. Mirror-finish furniture will also maximise the light in a dark-painted room.
22. Use midnight blue with grey for a modern rustic look
Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore
You might think of blue as a cool colour, but the deepest, darkest shades will create a cosy, cocooning look, as evidenced here.
Greys and blush pinks are the ideal bedfellows – or should that be sofa fellows? – for this opulent midnight shade. They both soften and brighten up the room, while a woodturning stove, tongue and groove panelling and pale wood furniture enhance the rustic feel.
23. Try teal blue for a traditional update
Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore
There’s a fine line between traditional and tired, but it can be completely avoided if you are confident with colour. This strong teal brings a certain amount of heritage to this living room, but it simultaneously feels fresh.
Matching the sofa and the walls emboldens the look and creates a strong backdrop where it’s possible to mix up antiques with modern pieces without the overall effect being messy.
24. Pick a pastel blue
Windmill Wings in Regal Select Matte, from £23.00 for 0.94ltr, Benjamin Moore
Introduce a splash of sky blue to enliven a small living room idea. A soft pastel shade welcomes colour without overwhelming the space. Combine cool, airy, pastels with the clean lines of modern furniture and contemporary textiles to bring it right up to date.
25. Give country style a fresh twist
Credits: Platform Medium 2 Seater Sofa £1,699; Hendricks Loveseat £599; Tuck Armchair £349, Cushions from £12; Jute Pouffe £79, Skye Jute Rug, £80, all John Lewis & Partners
Bright shades of blue are the perfect companion to warmer, fruity orange hues, so instead of the soft pastels that sum up a traditional country look, team a zingy turquoise with sunbleached hues to update the look.
Dip into some Tuscan tones of sun soaked coral, golden ochre and for warmth and vibrancy. Flowy, full length curtains are the perfect way to introduce an energetic shot of colour.
26. Warm up the contrast
Walls painted in Scotch Blue and Snow White, Estate Emulsion, both £49.50 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball
Balance the feel of a rich blue with a splash of neutral white. ‘You can turn up the temperature by using a darker tone of blue and punctuate the space with energy’, says Natasha Petitt, Colour Designer at Craig & Rose.
27. Make pink feel grown up with inky blue
Image credit: Future PLC/ Georgia Burns
Backed by any other shade, this pink sofa might look a little too sugary for many people’s taste. But with a dark inky blue behind it, it’s the ultimate in sophistication, enhanced by the coffee table’s brass legs and accessories.
Also framed in brass are three blue prints, which break up the blue without detracting too much from its effect. Warm wood flooring and a pale rug keep things bright yet cosy underfoot.
28. Start with a blue sofa
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Here, a vibrant turquoise blue sofa pops against a soothing backdrop of denim blue, for our take on modern coastal.
Stonewashed blues like these are the perfect foundation for classic styles of furniture, the white dresser being a prime example. It’s a good idea to reflect them in the accessories in display.
29. Tile a blue feature wall
Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole
You’ll need to have a healthy budget, but a feature wall formed of cement tiles can look truly spectacular and – despite the rustic nature of their material – glamorous. Velvet chairs in a deeper blue enhance this effect, and again, accessories in a similar turquoise are accents that bring the room together.
30. Experiment with pattern
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
The golden rules for making this formal look work are to stick to a neutral hue for the walls and floor, and then to keep with a strict palette, which will allow you to play with pattern.
No two motifs are the same, yet they work harmoniously with each other and create an eclectic, global-inspired look, rather than a contrived seaside scheme.
Are blue living rooms popular?
Blue living rooms are more popular than ever, thanks to the recent announcement of Dulux’s colour of the year 2022 Bright Skies.
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK, says, ‘Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around us?’
‘It is widely known that nature makes us feel better. And taking steps to bring the outside in enhances our sense of wellbeing’ Marianne adds. ‘So whether we are working or relaxing, it is essential to have a space that reflects the optimism and desire for a fresh, new start that is top of the agenda.’
Additional words by Michela Colling, Nicky Phillips
Nothing is worse for a portrait than a subject who looks irritated or angry when they’re supposed to be relaxed. Unless that’s the angle you’re going for, and even then, you still need your model to look engaged in a photo. Otherwise, the image will look awkward.
is not about idle day-dreaming. It is about turning those dreams into reality and forging ahead with the changes that we want to make.’
