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Benjamin Moore just announced October Mist as its 2022 Color of the Year. October Mist is a gorgeous soft and earthy shade of green. This dusty hue connotes restoration, relaxation, and peace, and it is often tied to growth. It also sits in the center of the color spectrum, symbolizing balance and harmony. In addition, green represents the heart chakra or energy center, signifying a sense of love and compassion.
I’m a color specialist, designer, and creator of tools that work with the magic of color (Prism Oracle and Color, Form, and Magic), and one of my favorite ways of utilizing individual colors is applying them with intention and purpose, further enhancing their emotional resonance. Below are some creative tips for how to incorporate October Mist into your home, whether you’re ready to paint a whole room or want to get started with something smaller.
Where to Use It
When you’re choosing a color for your space it’s important to consider how the color makes you feel, how you would like someone else to feel within the space, and the purpose of the room that you’d like to use the color in. Since October Mist has such a balanced and restorative vibe, you may want to use it to enhance rooms that already have that feel or in spaces that you would like to bring that sensation to, such as a bedroom, living room, bathroom, or meditation room. You can also use it to make an office feel more peaceful, and help reduce stress. October Mist also works well in a kitchen or dining room, as it signifies love of the self, friends, and family. It’s also perfect in any space where you’d like to bring in a stronger sense of nature and growth.
How to Use It
There are many ways of using the Benjamin Moore hue in your home. Get your paint brushes prepped and try one of these projects.
Adding a pop of October Mist is a great way to incorporate its emotional properties into a space without having to commit to painting an entire room. It is also perfect for those with limited time on their hands. One way to do this could be painting a piece of furniture. A dining table would be a wonderful application as people gather around it, which would tap into this hue’s connotations of love and growth. Painting shelving in a study would be a good way to temper feelings of anxiety or burnout. Another idea is painting a door to enhance the feeling that you are entering a space of greater peace and tranquility within your home.
Painting the ceiling of a room, in addition to the walls, creates an enveloping sensation and deeply immersive experience. Paint the ceiling of your bedroom to transform it into a calming oasis. Or try out this technique in your living room, where you want to feel a sense of ease after a long day.
You also could consider using October Mist to create hand-painted wallpaper. This can be achieved by creating a pattern using a stencil (either pre-made, or you can make your own) in the design you would like, or painting a design by hand. The type of shapes you choose to use can also enhance the psychological properties of this color. Organic shapes can signify a sense of relaxation, while geometric shapes can connote a sense of stability. In addition, using more textural patterns with October Mist can also create a stronger tie between your home and the natural world.