Since it was first introduced in 2010, the peach emoji has come to symbolize everything from a stone fruit, a particularly taut derriere, and—of course—a booty call. Now in 2024, however, it will be the color on everyone’s walls, according to Pantone. Today, the global color authority named Pantone 13-1023 Peach Fuzz as its 2024 Color of the Year (COTY).
The hue, one of more than nearly 20,000 in the company’s color library, is a blushing orange-pink. It’s a warm, comforting color that Pantone’s experts feel will epitomize the mood in the year ahead. Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes Peach Fuzz as “nurturing,” and “warm and welcoming.”
“In a world that can seem very harsh, people are looking for colors that soothe, colors that are soft and warm, colors that nurture and provide us with comfort,” Eiseman says.
The announcement marks the 25th anniversary of Pantone’s annual COTY unveiling—an event that sets the standard for industries ranging from interiors to fashion to packaging design. And while Peach Fuzz may feel like a sharp turn from its showy sister, Pantone’s 2023 COTY Viva Magenta, Eiseman says next year’s choice marks an “evolution”—both of trends and the global mood.
“Viva Magenta was an animated red shade, both powerful and empowering, that encouraged experimentation and self-expression, encouraging us as we endeavored to write a new narrative for our lives,” she says. “As we move into 2024, we are seeing that at a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy, and compassion is growing stronger, as are our imaginings and desire for a more peaceful future.”
The hue is “a velvety gentle peach whose all-embracing spirit enriches heart, mind, and body,” according to Pantone. It begs the question: Why is peach a healing color?
According to June McLeod, a color therapist, the color peach originates from a coral hue, so has a strong connection to the sea. Peach hues that are bright are perfect for bustling social occasions, making them a great hue for gowns and dresses.
“Peach Fuzz inspires belonging, recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing, conjuring up an air of calm, offering us a space to be, feel, and heal and to flourish from,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, in a statement.
Peach has also seen a rise in interior design over the past few years, and to Pressman, it does have a domestic connection. “As we navigate the present and build toward a new world, we are reevaluating what is important,” she adds.
“Reframing how we want to live, we are expressing ourselves with greater intentionality and consideration,” said Pressman.
“Recalibrating our priorities to align with our internal values, we are focusing on health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, and cherishing what’s special — the warmth and comfort of spending time with friends and family, or simply taking a moment of time to ourselves.”
And Pantone isn’t the only company keen on peach: Benjamin Moore named Pristine, a barely their peach, among its trending array of shades, while HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams homed in on a sandy tangerine called Persimmon for next year.
Color experts see these hues as a new cadre of neutral—a trend paint companies and color forecasters have been predicting since the pandemic. Eiseman, for her part, thinks Peach Fuzz works perfectly as a wall color, especially in bathrooms, where, she points out, it is “very flattering to all skin tones.” She also sees it as the ideal color for accessories, ranging from rugs to countertop kitchen appliances.
