Sherwin-Williams has revealed Poised Taupe (SW 6039) as its 2017 Color of the Year, which the Cleveland, Ohio-based brand defines as a brownish-gray that’s neither cool nor warm.
Poised Taupe is drawn from the Noir palette, which is one of four palettes in Sherwin-Williams’s 2017 Colormix Forecast. The company aims to spark a departure from cool-toned neutrals after their recently-conducted survey found that nearly 40% of respondents would like to integrate warmer neutrals—including warm grays, taupes, or beiges—into their decor. More than two in five of those respondents named taupe as the neutral they would choose.
Courtesy Sherwin-Williams
For residential applications, the company recommends pairing Poised Taupe with pastels, brights, and jewel tones—such as with a faded indigo hue for a French-countryside look, or with a teal or sunny yellow for a bold, graphic finish.
“Consumers yearn for spaces that feel welcoming and hug them as they enter. Earthen brown combined with conservative gray, creating Poised Taupe, embodies all of these emotions,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams in a release.
“[Poised Taupe] is a weathered, woodsy neutral [that brings] a sense of coziness and harmony that people are seeking.”
