Peri's Not Scary

from Windermere Living Spring 2022

by Windermere Living

Safe Haven

Leatrice Eiseman's Very Peri walls and decor show the potential of the calming hue.

LIGHT THE WAY

With this custom, Italian-made periwinkle Murano glass chandelier. $10,000 1stdibs.com

Periwinkle Promise Pantone’s 2022 color of the year inspires a vibrant future.

BY AMANDA ZURITA

WHEN IT CAME TO SELECTING A SHADE TO EMBODY

2022, the pros at Pantone decided it was time for something entirely new, a dynamic color that inspires us to embrace the future and all its possibilities. “We are all reinventing our lives because of the outcome of the last two years, and who knows what lies ahead,” says Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “So, with that reinvention, we felt it was necessary to create a new Pantone color, Very Peri.”

Because of its stability and constancy (“We can always depend on the sky to be blue, even if it’s sometimes covered by clouds,” says Eiseman), blue is the most beloved of all color families. Adding an energetic red-violet undertone to Very Peri creates a joyous, versatile color with both cool and warm elements, making it surprisingly easy to incorporate into your home.

As an accent piece, Very Peri adds an exclamation point to otherwise neutral spaces. Swap out pillows, bed linens, artwork, and other décor as a quick way to try it on for size. Feeling very, Very Peri? Larger furniture pieces or painted walls in this color can stand the test of time. Unlike, say, a hot pink or even Illuminating, Pantone’s 2021 yellow color of the year, blues like Very Peri have a level of longevity that can anchor your home for years to come. In fact, Eiseman is so confident in the color that she painted her Bainbridge Island, Washington, bedroom walls and ceiling in the shade. “It’s the perfect color for a bedroom because of the wonderful feeling that blue evokes,” she says. “I have a lot of darker wood tones with the floor, and I’ve used lighter tones in my furniture for contrast.” She also recommends pairing Very Peri with its complementary color, orange, in any shade from terracotta to soft peach.

Whether you add a bit of curb appeal with a Very Peri front door, hang a statement chandelier, or add a colorful stack of books to your coffee table, this year’s color can transform your space and inspire creativity. Ready for a rejuvenating refresh? Go ahead and get the blues.