The Pittsburgh Paints brand has officially announced Artifact (PPG10-16) as its Color of the Year for 2027. Described as a warm, smoky blue, Artifact is designed to bring a steady sense of calm to residential and commercial spaces alike, offering an environment that promotes restoration and renewal. The selection signals a broader shift in the design world, calling upon both homeowners and design professionals to recalibrate and move away from the pursuit of artificial perfection. Instead, the trend emphasizes colors that draw deeply on instinct, authenticity, and a return to what feels fundamentally grounded.
Color professionals at Pittsburgh Paints forecast Artifact as the premier trending hue for 2027, viewing the choice as a direct reflection of shifting societal sentiments. Today, individuals and families are exhibiting a collective desire to return to environments that once felt steady and helped define the character of our homes and living spaces. Artifact serves as a familiar, enduring blue that mimics a protective cocoon or a tangible haven of safety in an increasingly unpredictable world.
According to Michelle Vincent, Pittsburgh Paints color and design manager, the newly crowned hue is meant to inspire introspection and mindful living. Artifact invites reflection and calls us to pause, reassess, and reconnect with what is truly essential and gives meaning to our lives, she noted. The color creates balance without ever feeling flat or uninspired. It is nostalgic, but deliberately avoids feeling regressive by pulling forward elements of what was good from the past and reshaping them into something newly personal and curated. This color feels rare not because it is loud or attention-grabbing, but because it is used with deliberate, thoughtful intention.
Drawing profound inspiration from the natural world, particularly water, Artifact pulls from the vital energy of greens while maintaining the depth and fluid qualities associated with blues. Much like water itself, the color possesses an adaptable nature, seamlessly shifting to complement its surroundings while channeling an organic energy that invites people to reconnect with the outdoors.
Vincent points out that as we look ahead to 2027, both homeowners and industry professionals will increasingly select colors that are rooted in longevity. This approach gives individuals greater authorship over their spaces, allowing them to craft interiors that genuinely reflect their personal style preferences. To help bring this vision to life, the color team has organized the broader trend around three distinct design collections, each catering to a different facet of modern living and spatial adaptation.
The first of these, the Foundations Collection, returns to what matters most by stripping away extraneous design elements to focus on essentials. This collection aims to create spaces that feel grounded, clear, and deeply purposeful. Anchoring hues within this grouping include Smoky Slate (PPG1028-4), Thyme Green (PPG1128-6), and Chocolate Truffle (PPG15-13). Together, these shades work to create a sense of stability and ease, establishing a strong physical and emotional foundation where reflection, possibility, and the process of personal recalibration can truly begin.
Moving beyond stabilization, the In Motion Collection embraces change as an active, ongoing process rather than something to be resisted. Within this dynamic collection, colors such as Smoky Orchid (PPG1179-2), Nostalgia (PPG1049-3), and C’est La Vie (PPG1120-6) introduce greater contrast and personal expression. These shades reflect living spaces that are capable of adapting, responding, and evolving right alongside the people who inhabit them. By incorporating bold and unexpected tones, the collection invites experimentation and personalization, capturing the unique energy of environments in transition and granting individuals the freedom to adjust their surroundings along the way.
Finally, the Resolution Collection settles into a state of quiet alignment, where every room feels balanced, refined, and complete. Comprising a thoughtful blend of hues like Craftsman Gold (PPG1092-4), Juniper Berry (PPG1145-6), and Discover (PPG1021-3), this grouping brings both visual depth and emotional calm to the forefront of interior design. It represents a deliberate departure from excess in favor of thoughtful curation. Through these balanced palettes, recalibration is fully realized, resulting in an environment that feels cohesive, entirely intentional, and comfortably lived in.
