Paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams has unveiled Cavern Clay (SW 7701) as its 2019 Color of the Year. The warm terracotta shade that’s “a nod to midcentury modern style, but with the soul of the American Southwest”, according the the company, sets the tone for a desert modern aesthetic, and has ancient, elemental roots. The color is a part of the “Wanderer Color Journal” that was announced earlier this year in Sherwin-Williams’s 2019 Colormix Color Forecast.
“We believe 2019 will be a renaissance of the 1970s—with a twist. In the coming year, we will embrace our pioneering spirits and artisan ingenuity,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “Our 2019 Color of the Year, Cavern Clay, embodies renewal, simplicity and free-spirited, bohemian flair.”
Sherwin-Williams
In homes, the earthy hue can play both casual and refined—such as the backdrop of a dining room or kitchen when paired with bright tiles, warm stone and sculptural greenery, the company says. Complementary materials include leather, simple woodgrains and indigenous cacti in contemporary, sleek gardening planters.
“Cavern Clay is an easy way to bring the warmth of the outdoors in. Envision beaches, canyons and deserts, and sun-washed late summer afternoons—all of this embodied in one color,” says Wadden.
Sherwin-Williams
The company suggests pairing the hue with other casual, balanced neutrals, such as a warm gray or deep brown, for a more sophisticated style—including Sherwin-Williams’s Moth Wing (SW 9174) or Dark Clove (SW 918) Or, for a bolder look, the company also recommends reviving popular 1970s earth tone combinations, such as With Distance (SW 6243), a “dusty, denim blue”, or a “fresh avocado”, such as Haven (SW 6437).
