2023’s hottest paint and wallpaper trends.

by Carlisle Homes

If the thought of plain white walls makes you yawn, maybe it’s time to dip your toes into the world of colour – here are 2023’s hottest paint and wallpaper trends. 

Crisp white walls might be a failsafe option and make your home feel bigger and brighter, but after a while they can seem a little, well, dull. Colour trends for 2023 are all about adding warmth and personality to your home – think brown-based neutrals, soft greens, saturated brights and beautiful, textured wallpapers, all of which make great alternatives to plain white. 

Read on to discover some of the hottest wall colours of 2023, with tips on how to style them with furniture and fabrics.

Where to start

When it comes to colour in 2023, just about anything goes. Whether you’re a fan of soft neutrals or ’80s-inspired brights, it’s about choosing hues that lift your mood and make you enjoy spending time in a space.

Start your search for the perfect wall colours and wallpapers by having a look through hundreds of stunning options on our Interiors Inspiration page. Grab a paint chart from your local hardware store or pick up colour and wallpaper ideas on Instagram or Pinterest.

Tip: Avoid choosing wall colours in isolation – hold up a paint chip of your chosen hue next to furniture, flooring and window furnishings to make sure they harmonise before you commit.

Soft greys & greens

If you’d prefer to take baby steps into the world of colour, gentle greys and greens are a great place to start. They bring subtle warmth to your walls, while making your home feel connected to nature – and they’re bang on-trend for 2023.

Take inspiration from our beautiful Piermont 29 display home at Redstone Estate, where we’ve added a soft-grey wallpaper behind the bed in the master suite, paired with crisp white bedlinen and a bedhead upholstered in marine blue. We’ve carried the grey theme through to the nursery, adding a touch of whimsy with a fish-print wallpaper on one wall, combined with accents of matt black. We’ve upped the ante in the third bedroom, while staying true to our grey-based palette, with a bold charcoal feature wall behind the bed.

Earthy neutrals

Create a cosy, sanctuary-like vibe by using the latest brown-based neutrals on your walls. Tones of beige and mushroom speak to the current trend for comfortable, welcoming interiors. They pair beautifully with other fashionable hues, such as rust, navy and mustard, which you could introduce through a lounge chair, sofa, window furnishings or art. 

For ideas on how to work earthy neutrals into your home, check out our Crompton 31 display home at Aurora Estate­. Here, we’ve opted for textured fabric wallpaper in the hallway instead of paint to create a warm and appealing sense of arrival. In the main living area, a tonal shade of beige behind the television helps the screen recede into the background. Meanwhile, in one of the secondary bedrooms, we’ve lined the wall behind the bed in a gorgeous greige wallpaper, which we’ve paired with fabrics and bedlinen in rich navy and slate. 

Bold colour accents

You don’t need to go all-out with colour on every wall to add impact to your home. Small bursts of vibrant colour can be just as effective.

Create a striking focal point in your master suite by painting the wall behind your bed in a bold hue and keeping the rest neutral. Dulux’s Revive palette, one of three trending colour palettes for 2023, has plenty of appealing options; try a soft lilac like Dulux Perplexed, a soothing green like Dulux Diorite or a warm rose like Dulux Pink Chi.

Create a feature wall in your entry or on the wall above your fireplace. The earthy, natural tones in the Dulux Connect palette are perfect for setting a relaxed and inviting tone; try a soft yellow-green like Dulux Wasabi, a warm celery tone like Dulux Stilted Stalks or a brown-based orange like Dulux Cinnamon Sand. 

Alternatively, you can take your paint brush to the planters in your outdoor entertaining space, add colour to your front door, introduce brightly coloured art, or include one or two statement furniture pieces, such as a vibrant lounge chair or ottoman.

Add impact – and the element of surprise – by adding a splash of colour to one or two unexpected spots in your home. Try painting your skirting boards in a darker shade of olive to tone in with soft green walls above, create a painted bedhead in warm ochre, paint the edge of a door frame in a hue such as mustard or oceanic blue, or jazz up the back of your shelves with a patterned wallpaper.