The Cycle of Colour - Top colours for home interiors in 2024

Whether it’s the furnishings, shutters, or style, multiple factors can transform your home's mood, atmosphere, and feeling. However, the one thing that can make or break a room is colour, and deciding on a colour scheme when redecorating can be challenging. Meanwhile, the speed at which interior design trends come and go means it can be hard to settle on the right colour scheme for you and your home.

That’s why we’ve revealed the most popular colours right now. We’ve looked at more than 800 colours to reveal the most popular colours in the world, and the most popular colours for different rooms in the house.

We’ve looked at the last 12 months of Google search data, to reveal the most popular colours for walls around the world.

White takes the top spot as the most popular wall colour, with just under one million Google searches in the last 12 months. White is one of the most versatile colours, meaning you can pair it with just about any colour. It’s a great choice for putting the focus on furnishings and decorations, as they’ll stand out more.

The second most popular colour for walls is the colour red, with over 600,000 Google searches for walls in the last year. Red walls can make a room feel energetic, affectionate, and enthusiastic. If you’re interested in a red wall, then opt for a more muted shade, as brighter reds can make a room feel smaller.

Our top three is completed by the colour black, with over 400,000 Google searches in the past year. Black walls are more inviting than you may think, but only when used correctly. If you want black walls in your house, then make sure to choose areas and rooms which receive a lot of natural light, as this can prevent the room from feeling mysterious and dramatic.

We’ve looked at the year-on-year increases for wall colours to reveal which colours are trending the most.

Taking the top spot is Cerulean, with a year-on-year increase of 114% for walls. Cerulean is a rich blue colour with a green undertone. Cerulean pairs well with neutral colours, such as grey and white, but it also works well with a warm yellow or brown.

Heliotrope takes second place with a year-on-year increase of 100% for walls. Heliotrope is a rich purple-pink colour that represents the colour found on the heliotrope flower. Heliotrope pairs well with neutral colours, such as white, grey, and black, but also soft greens or blues.

Chocolate completes our top three with a year-on-year increase of 50% for walls. Chocolate is a rich brown colour, which is as pleasing to the eye as it is delicious. It pairs well with white and grey and lighter shades of brown, such as beige and taupe. Chocolate also brings a level of sophistication to your space.

Choosing a colour for the interior of your home can be tricky, so finding inspiration could help you envision what different colours might look like. That’s why we’ve used search data to find the most popular colours for interior design.

The most popular colour for interiors is white, with almost 60,000 Google searches over the past year. White interiors may sound plain, but they can be warm and inviting if layered and textured well. They can also make the room feel bright when paired with natural light. White interiors are commonly featured in Scandinavian-inspired interiors.

In second place is black, with 54,000 Google searches in the last year. In interior design, black has a reputation for being moody and claustrophobic. However, when used correctly, it has an inviting effect, making the room feel large and airy.

Completing our top three is red, with just over 22,100 Google searches for interiors over the last year. Red is a colour which splits opinions when it comes to interior design. Whilst some think it’s versatile enough to be the main attraction, others believe it should be used sparingly. However, what is certain is that it’s an expressive colour which can make any room feel alive.

We’ve looked at year-on-year increases of different colours to find out which colours are currently trending.

In first place is Tiffany Blue with a year-on-year increase of 136% for interiors. Tiffany Blue is a light blue colour with green hues and evokes feelings of trust, tranquillity, and sophistication. It’s an elegant, calming colour which pairs well with corals, deep blues, and whites.

Taupe takes second place with a year-on-year increase of 96%. Taupe is a neutral grey-brown colour that works with most colours. It’s considered one of the best colours for interior design as it creates a warm and cosy atmosphere.

Emerald completes our top three with a year-on-year increase of almost 75%. Emerald is a rich dark green, which pairs well with greys, whites, and orange if you want to add a vibrant pop of colour. It’s luxurious, bold, and relaxing, making for a unique space.

The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms to redecorate. They are often the heart and soul of the house and a hub for friends and family to get together. But what are the most desirable kitchen colours? Below, we reveal all.

White takes the top spot, with almost 600,000 Google searches for kitchens in the last year. White is clean and refreshing, which should be associated with the space in which you cook food. However, as with any white room, it highlights dirt more than most colours, which might require some extra maintenance.

In second place is black, with just over 450,000 Google searches for kitchens over the past year. Black can add ambience and sophistication to a kitchen. They’re eye-catching and impactful, which can act as a centrepiece for guests. However, the downside of dark-coloured kitchens is that they need to be cleaned regularly.

Completing our top three is the colour blue, with over 310,000 Google searches in the previous 12 months. Blue adds depth and sophistication to any space, qualities that never go out of style. It also compliments silvers, blacks, and whites, commonly found in kitchen utensils and features.

We’ve looked at the year-on-year increases for kitchen colours to see which are rising in popularity the most.

Taking the top spot is the colour periwinkle, with a year-on-year increase of almost 400% for kitchens. Periwinkle is a light violet colour with blue undertones. It can be a bold choice for your kitchen, but it’s energetic and inviting, especially when paired with lots of natural light.

With a year-on-year increase for kitchens of almost 200%, laurel green takes second place. Laurel green is a muted, pastel-like, lighter shade of green which pairs well with wooden features. Green kitchens have been trending for the last three years now, and choosing to follow the trend could give your kitchen a relevant but permanent look.

Taking third place is sunshine yellow, with a year-on-year increase of just over 150% for kitchens. Sunshine yellow is a bold, vibrant shade of yellow with orange undertones. These kitchens pair well with white, wooden features and lots of natural light.

The colour and design of your living room can significantly impact its feel and mood, so we wanted to identify the most sought-after living room colours.

Grey takes the top spot once again, with almost 140,000 Google searches for living rooms over the last year. Grey is a popular choice for interior design, and it’s no surprise why. Although different shades of grey can make for a smart, finished look, mixing with pops of vibrant colours can make for a contemporary style.

In second place is the colour black, with just under 100,000 Google searches for living rooms over the last year. Black is a good colour for living rooms, especially for smaller ones, as it can make a space feel bigger, despite the myth that it does the opposite.

Completing our top three is the colour blue, with just over 96,000 Google searches for living rooms. Blue is a timeless option for a living room as its versatility can keep up with any emerging trends. Its many variations mean you can brighten up your space with lighter shades or add sophistication with darker shades.

We’ve revealed the living room colours with the highest year-on-year increases.

Lime takes the top spot with a year-on-year increase for living rooms of almost 100%. That bold, bright shade of light green may not be everyone’s taste at first glance. However, it can make for a fun, energetic look. Natural light, house plants, and whites and blues really help bring this look together.

At the other end of the green spectrum, we have dark olive green taking second place with a year-on-year increase of almost 60% for living rooms. If you want a dramatic, elegant, and sophisticated look, then dark olive green is the way to go. To make this look work, combine it with wooden elements, beige, white, and other shades of green.  

Completing our top three is light coral, with a 50% year-on-year increase for living rooms. This orange-pink colour is a lively, spirited choice for your living room. It pairs well with whites, light blues, and greys. To add another dimension to this look, add some houseplants for a pop of green.

The colour of your bedroom is a great way of expressing your personality as it is more private than other rooms in the house. Below are the most popular bedroom colours.

Black takes the top spot, with almost 250,000 bedroom searches over the previous year. Whilst black bedrooms give off a mysterious feeling, black is brilliant for hiding imperfections in your room, making it look clean and polished. Black is also a great choice for balancing more vibrant colours.

In second place is pink, with just under 200,000 Google searches for bedrooms over the last 12 months. Pink is one of the most versatile palettes and can balance any bedroom perfectly.

Blue takes third place, with over 160,000 Google searches for bedrooms in the last year. Blue is a calming and peaceful colour to style your bedroom, making it one of the most attractive colours. You can also soften the look by combining it with grey and white.

Which bedroom colours are trending in 2024? Below, we reveal all.

Sunshine yellow takes the top spot with a year-on-year increase of almost 300% for bedrooms. Sunshine yellow is one of the happiest colours you can decorate your bedroom with. Especially when paired with natural light, it can be the perfect place to start your day.

In second place is vanilla, with a year-on-year increase of just over 160% for bedrooms. Vanilla is a creamy white colour, which works beautifully with beige, cream, white, and any other pastel-like colours. It’s a perfect colour to mix up the shades of white in your house.

Our top three is completed by dark magenta, with a year-on-year increase of 140% for bedrooms. This rich purple colour can make for an elegant approach to your bedroom. It’s vibrant, dark, and mysterious and pairs well with neutral colours like black, grey, and white.

Bathrooms are one of the most common rooms for people to renovate, and choosing a colour to tie them together can be a headache. We’ve revealed the most popular colours for bathrooms.

In first place is black, with almost 400,000 Google searches for bathrooms over the past year. Black bathrooms have become popular in recent years due to their contrast with metallic colours, such as silver and gold. Black is also classic and timeless, making it a worthy investment for years to come.

White takes second place with 141,300 Google searches for bathrooms in the last year. White is a popular choice as it exuberates cleanliness. With many bathroom accessories, such as toilets and sinks, also being white, it’s an excellent choice for creating a unified look. White also compliments silver well, another common colour found in bathrooms.

Completing our top three is the colour pink, with just under 135,000 Google searches for bathrooms in the last year. Pink, especially the lighter shades, is a neutral colour that pairs well with whites and greys, both commonly found in bathrooms. Although it’s not a colour you would usually associate with a bathroom, it can make for a bold and expressive choice.

The Barbiecore hype is still thriving, with Barbie pink bathrooms taking the top spot with a year-on-year increase of 285%. Barbie pink is vibrant and exciting, pairing especially well with white. It also pairs nicely with other bright colours if you want to spice your bathroom up further.

Tranquil dawn is a pale, pastel-like green colour with light grey undertones. It was also Dulux’s colour of the year for 2020. It pairs well with white and black, as well as other earthy tones such as beige, cream and brown. It’s no surprise that tranquil dawn takes second place with a year-on-year increase of almost 200%.

Eggplant takes third place with a year-on-year increase of 140% for bathrooms. This deep purple colour, named after the vegetable, is a colour that expresses sophistication and royalty. It pairs well with white, grey, and light shades of green which contrasts this dark colour, brightening up the bathroom.

For many homes, hallways are the first room you and any guests will see, and it’s not a myth that first impressions count. With this in mind, we wanted to know what colours people want to decorate their hallways.

White has regularly appeared in our top threes, this time taking the top spot with over 220,000 Google searches for hallways over the last year. Hallways should be light and welcoming, and white certainly evokes these qualities.

Taking second place is Magnolia, with just under 50,000 Google searches for hallways in the last 12 months. Magnolia is a bright white colour with a warm light yellow undertone. It complements other warm-toned colours, including blues, greens, and whites.

Our top three is completed by the colour blue, with just over 40,000 Google searches for hallways. Blue is a relaxing and welcoming colour, precisely the ambience you want to create in a hallway.

Choosing the right furniture can elevate your space. It can provide texture to the room and complement the colours of your walls. That’s why we wanted to know which colours are most desirable for furniture.

White takes the top spot for furniture colours, with over 100,000 Google searches over the past year. Despite some people seeing white furniture as cold or sterile, it can brighten and freshen up your space. It’s also incredibly versatile, pairing well with many colours, including pastels and darker tones.

The second most popular colour for furniture is black, with over 85,000 Google searches for furniture over the last year. For furniture, darker colours rarely go out of style, giving you a timeless addition to your space. Whilst it can be challenging for people to style black furniture, monochromatic interiors or white walls are the most common ways people do this successfully.

Completing our top three is the colour brown, with almost 80,000 Google searches for furniture in the 12 months. Despite having a reputation for being old-fashioned, experts have predicted that brown furniture will make a comeback. It also pairs well with neutral pallets such as grey, beige, and white.

Whether it’s roller or Venetian blinds, window dressing is an excellent way of adding texture to your home. However, choosing the colour of your new blinds can be difficult, so we’ve revealed the most popular colours for blinds.

In first place is white, with just over 120,000 Google searches for blinds over the past years. Once again, white is incredibly versatile, meaning you can’t go wrong choosing a set of white blinds. However, the best colours to match white are black, grey and blue.

With almost 114,000 Google searches for blinds over the previous 12 months, black blinds take second place. The colour black can be a key component of any interior style. When paired with white, you get a sophisticated and minimalist look; when combined with beige, greens, and browns, you get an earthy ambience; and when used with brighter colours, you give your space a vivid, uplifting feel.

A top three of neutral colours is completed by grey, with almost 80,000 Google searches for blinds in the last 12 months. Grey blinds complement several styles, whether it’s a minimalist, Scandinavian, or monochromatic design you want. It’s a smart, timeless option to dress your windows with.

We’ve revealed the UK’s favourite colour, but are there any trends across different cities? Below, we reveal all.

Taking the top spot is red, the most searched wall colour in 16 out of 20 cities. Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, and Edinburgh were among the 16 cities that had red as the most searched wall colour. Bristol was the city which searched for red walls the most, with 920 searches in the last year.

White is the most popular wall colour in seven UK cities, the second highest number in our study. These cities were London, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Coventry, Belfast, and Derby. London also searched for white walls the most, with just under 14,000 searches over the last year.

Two colours share the third spot, with black and grey being the most searched wall colours in one city each. Black and Grey were the joint most searched wall colour in Nottingham, with 120 searches in the last 12 months.

Each year, Dulux releases a colour of the year. But how have these colours changed over time?

Between 2004 and 2011, Dulux’s colours of the year were bright and lively. With the exception of jade green, a dark and sophisticated shade of green, light shades of pink, blue, and yellow dominated the first decade of the third millennium. Between 2012 and 2016, we saw more vibrant, darker shades of colour taking the top spot, with red, indigo blue, and copper orange. However, more neutral, muted, and pastel colours have earned the title in the last seven years.

We created a seeding list of colours using Wikipedia’s list of colours A-F, G-M, and N-Z.

We also added Dulux’s last 20 colours of the year. These have been bolded in our tables.

We then used Google Keyword Planner to find the global Google searches for each of these colours and across different categories. Search data was collected for the 12 months to February 2024.

These categories are:

- walls

- interior

- furniture

- blinds

- living room

- bedroom

- bathroom

- hallway

- kitchen

We then used World Population Review’s list of the most populated cities in the UK to create a seeding list of the 50 most populated UK cities. We then took the most-searched-for colour in each city, using data from the last 12 months.