Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year: Cracked Pepper
October 2023
Interior design color trends are calling for more darks, and Behr has boldly embraced that direction by naming Cracked Pepper (PPU18-01) as the paint manufacturer’s 2024 color of the year. “We recognize the desire for darker colors throughout spaces,” said Jodi Allen, Behr’s global chief marketing officer. She added that Cracked Pepper, a soft black with brown overtones, “evokes a sense of confidence and originality.”
Black Pepper may appear to be a dramatic departure from Behr’s 2023 choice, a glossy white called Blank Canvas. Yet there’s commonality that makes Black Pepper an understandable continuation of its predecessor. Both colors can be used as neutrals that elevate whatever else is in the room. Behr defines Black Pepper as a darker neutral. It’s a new way of grounding a room, different from the white interiors that dominated in the earlier 21st century.
Black on the Upswing
Americans are seeing more black color trends, and they’re liking what they see. According to a Behr survey, about three-quarters of the people would consider using dark paint on a room or part of a room. Over half agree that a dark color produces a designer aesthetic and that black tones create boldness with a new energy and vibe. About half say that dark walls feel elevated and create a sense of comfort.
Cracked Pepper: Not Just Any Black
For starters, Cracked Pepper has a relationship with light that few dark colors can match. It might look inky in some lighting and almost navy blue in another setting. Its appearance can vary subtly from morning to evening. Every room that it graces shows another facet of its personality.
It possesses an element of warmth that softens it and differentiates it from other blacks. That’s why it works as a neutral. But it’s not a shy neutral that slinks into the background. Its boldness speaks of a modern sensibility, yet it’s also replete with timeless sophistication. It’s a beguiling color that will add intrigue to any room.
Remarkable Versatility
You might think that a shade as multifaceted as Cracked Pepper would take over a space, but in fact, the color likes to share the spotlight. It loves opposites and pairs particularly well with warm neutrals such as beige, cream and all shades of white. It can be part of either a bold or simple scheme. Cracked Pepper works as a trim color in a classic white living room or a wall color in an area with different dosages of beige, medium brown and metallics. It can act as a backdrop for a rug or accent chair featuring pink or another pastel.
Wherever it goes, it adds a degree of designer sophistication. If fits the organic modern style that’s becoming such a vogue. It meshes with any modern, contemporary or casual style and even tastefully blends into a traditional room. With the right complement, it can pull off a retro look. You can’t put stylistic boundaries around Cracked Pepper.
How Can I Use Cracked Pepper?
There are many ways to design with a soft black like Cracked Pepper. You can experiment with it no matter the style in your room. If you’ve always felt comfortable with a lighter palette, you might be reluctant to jump right in with black walls or a black living room suite. However, an experienced interior designer can help you use this Color of the Year to elevate your room in ways that you might not have considered.
If in doubt, start small. Try lesser doses, or begin with a room that gets a lot of sunlight. Natural light will allow the subtleties of the color to express themselves. A little Cracked Pepper in a room of light neutrals is a classic look that’s bound to please.
Here are a few ways that your home can be transformed with a new coat of paint or some furnishings and decor in the soft black family:
Start low-key. Use Cracked Pepper on just the baseboard, door frames and window frames. To be a little more adventurous, do wainscoting or an entire interior door.
Test out the color on your kitchen cabinets. Paint just the doors, just the facing or the entire cabinets.
Update a bedroom. You can have a single accent wall painted or all of them. Many people find that dark, relaxing tones create a cozy environment that’s ideal for sleeping.
Go for an elegant living room look. Used Cracked Pepper on some or all walls in a room of light neutrals. Keep it all neutral or sneak in one or two touches of color in a pillow or area rug.
Pair Cracked Pepper with a mix of colors in the brown family. Use different beige or brown hues in furniture frames and upholstery. Wood or luxury vinyl flooring adds pattern to the contrasting mix. Lighter brown leather is a sumptuous accent against the dark background.
Use metallics in your soft black room. Gold is a color that pops especially well against this shade of black.
If you feel adventurous, experiment with unexpected color palette ideas. Pinks and pastels are a good bet, but don’t be afraid to see how Cracked Pepper blends with burnt orange, steel blue or even red.
Introduce greenery. Houseplants and Cracked Pepper each have their own liveliness, and they make for great synergy.
Enliven your room with a new accent piece in a soft black color and match it with some soft black decor.
Used Cracked Pepper outside on trim, doors and shutters. Black exterior accents have been rising in popularity for some time, and with Cracked Pepper trim you’ll see why.
Erika Woefel, Behr’s VP of Color and Creative Services, believes that, no matter how you incorporate Cracked Pepper, it will “awaken your senses and elevate not only the room you’re in but the way you feel in it.” Try some of these suggestions and discover how this fascinating color can lend a surprising and refreshing new ambiance to your home.
