Behr 2023 Color of the Year: How to Integrate Blank Canvas Into Your Space, According to 5 Experts
With the changing of the seasons comes the transition of colors. Always one step ahead, Behr recently announced that its 2023 Color of the Year is Blank Canvas. A cream hue, Blank Canvas is a safe bet for those who don’t like colour, and is a touch warmer than the brand’s other popular fabric patterns like Frost or Polar Bear. This particular shade—a warm and barely creamy hue—is an invitation to a new beginning.
Blank Canvas straddles the line between past and future and offers a meditation on the present. In a world filled with turbulent headlines that feel like daily devastation, Blank Canvas feels like a deep breath of calm and creativity. In an exclusive interview with ADVERTISEMENTErika Wölfel — vice president of color and creative services at Behr — described the hue as “the perfect artistic color for people to start expressing their creativity with.”
Maine-based author and color lover Katy Kelleher thinks the most interesting thing about Blank Canvas is its name. “The name evokes another material – fabric – in an attempt to add depth and interest to what is basically just a faint shade of ivory,” she says in an email. Katy also notes that there’s no shortage of off-white names for fabrics, “like shironuri (Japanese for unbleached silk), drab (named after coarse, home-spun fabric), or ecru (unbleached linen)”. She adds that the decision “is too safe a choice — maybe that’s the point.”
Curious about how you can incorporate Behr’s new color of the year into your own space? Take the theme to heart by repainting entire walls or sticking to smaller bursts of warm white. We consulted with four other experts to learn how to make Blank Canvas your own shade. Read on for her advice.
Start with an intention
Incorporating blank canvas into your space can also be a spiritual inclination. Nicole Pivirotto of Aesthetic Magic notes that “since white is all the colors that reflect back on you, it can promote a sense of unity and wholeness.” Allow the warmth of this white to create an atmosphere of calm and peace, without the sterility associated with pure white. Nicole loves the color as a main room or as an accent. “It can really make bright colors pop and help balance them out so they don’t feel overwhelming. At the same time, because of its warmth, it can really help keep neutral colors in place and not feel too drab.” Take your color play to the next level by setting an intention for Blank Canvas in your space, “the new beginnings, ideas and the possibilities for the future”. Imagine how people will feel in its warmth, and in the future manifest goodness within its walls.
Stick to walls
Victoria Sass’ design studio, Prospect Refuge, is known for ingenious pops of unexpected color, which justifies her initial reaction to Behr’s choice for 2023. “At first it felt a bit like a missed opportunity to make a statement, to have a voice, to be unique,” she says. “I hope this is a color for beginnings, a starting point. Far from an accent, it’s a comfortable backdrop for your personality to shine.” Don’t know where to start with Blank Canvas? Use the natural and warm color on your walls. “We could all use a solid base to build layered and interesting spaces,” adds Victoria.
Combine with other neutrals
Use Blank Canvas as a kickstart to adding more neutral colors to your home. According to Liz Lidgett, founder of Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design, it’s important to pay attention to the hue’s undertones in order to understand what colors it might play well with. “With a color like this, you only have options,” she explains. “Warm whites have a yellow, red, or brown base, so think of woods and accent colors that have a similar base color to paint with.” Liz, like Behr, feels the urge to go back to the classics. She suggests pairing blank canvas with camel and leopard prints to fit the bill.
Everything white
According to Véra Kempf, co-founder of Singulart, warm whites like blank canvas are often found in French homes. “I find it a lot softer and cozier than pure white, but just as bright,” she notes. Warm white walls are the ideal foundation for moving in artwork and furniture that reflects your own unique personality. Véra strongly recommends pairing white with shades of brown – or for that very Daring ones, consider more shades of white. “It also allows you to play with materials,” she points out. “Brown leather, white curls or pink velvet will become the focal point of your interior, bringing all the softness and comfort you desire.”