I’ve been asked many times if gray will continue to be a strong color of choice for homeowners updating their decor. My answer to that is Yes AND No.

Yes, because classic neutrals will forever be in style, and No, because the trend of cool, light, chic grays are making way for warmer, richer grays to start trending. And sure enough, Sherwin-Williams just announced Poised Taupe as their 2017 color of the year! And I LOVE it!

“Poised Taupe celebrates everything people love about cool gray as a neutral, and also brings in the warmth of brown, taking a color to an entirely new level. Not cool or warm, nor gray or brown, Poised Taupe is a weathered, woodsy neutral bringing a sense of coziness and harmony that people are seeking,” says Sherwin-Williams director of color marketing Sue Wadden.

Poised Taupe is the love child of Earthen Brown and Conservative Grey. See how these two colors came together to make the hottest color trend of 2017:

I love the versatility that Poised Taupe possesses. It’s one of those chameleon-like paint colors that can take on the hue of other colors. In some settings, Poised Taupe appears browner; in other settings it can appear to have more of a gray hue. I found this cute fabric swatch and uploaded it to LetsChipIt.com, (Sherwin-Williams’ amazing Color Snap desktop paint-matching tool). When paired with turquoise and light greens, Poised Taupe takes on a more lavender tone.

For the last few seasons, Grey has become the new Beige. So much so that there are actual paint colors that combine the two, aptly named “Greige”. Clean sight lines, plenty of light, and soft, neutral colors will always be on trend. But you’ve got to have some color in there with all of those neutrals! Poised Taupe can inject just the right amount of color your grey space may be missing. It compliments lighter grey walls beautifully and makes the perfect choice for an accent wall or statement ceiling, like this gorgeous dining room by Laura U, Inc.

Photo Credit: Laura U, Inc. via Houzz.com