Behr's 2020 Color of the Year Will Help You Relax

Did you know people are significantly more happy in nature? This powerful nugget of truth is the inspiration behind Behr's 2020 color of the year. Since announcing Blueprint as the color of last year, (a mix between denim and navy), Behr's creative team has been on a mission to nail down the perfect color that embodies what consumers are craving. And this year they found that people want a well-balanced life.

"One of the lifestyle trends we see happening right now is everyone getting outside: camping, going to local parks, national parks, road trips," explains Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr.

This retreat to the outdoors led the brand to select, Back to Nature (S340-4), "a sun-kissed, meadow-inspired green," as their 2020 color. The hue, available exclusively at Home Depot, promises to bring the restorative feeling you get when you take a walk in a park or go for a bike ride inside your home. The color was also one of the 15 hues announced as part of Behr's 2020 Color Trends Palette earlier this summer.

"We landed on this particular green because it signifies a feeling of awakening, it represents our desire for peace and tranquility in our home. That soothing serenity," says Woelfel.

And while shades of green invoke a sense of calm, this particular color is also poppy and energizing. It has an effortless ability to blend and work with many different styles from earthy to modern. Woelfel also sees the color being used in commercial spaces such as a welcome lobby or productive conference room (spending time in nature, after all, improves creativity, boosts memory, and sharpens problem solving skills).

The lighter, yellow-based tone of this green makes it "very easy to use," says Woelfel. "It translates well with colors people already have in their home. We know that people have neutral furniture very often, or neutral flooring, so it's easy to coordinate with."

Woelfel sees it being used the most in living rooms. "You can bring in neutral furniture pieces and any kind of woodtone—from a dark to light—will work very nicely with a color like this," she says.

But the color expert also loves Back to Nature for a bedroom. "If you're looking for a good night's sleep surround yourself with this [soothing] type of color," she says.

Confused about how exactly to decorate with green? Woelfel says use the trick you've been doing with your favorite grays and blues: Choose a monochromatic look by pairing it with mossy greens, forest greens or glamorous emeralds. Or take a decorating cue from your garden and add pops of color like rose-inspired pinks.

"Green is nature's neutral," she says. "When you think about a garden landscape you think about how green is the backdrop of all these beautiful and saturated blossoms. It's a color that plays nicely with others."