January Color of the Month: Brooding Storm (DET604)

Welcome to 2023! We’re excited to share with you January’s Color of the Month! The first color of the new year we’re highlighting is Brooding Storm (DET604) as January’s Color of the Month. Brooding Storm is a deep and complex gray-blue, reminiscent of January’s weather. We’re still deep in the throes of winter after all. As a result, this gray tone is perfect for creating a space to cozy up in, or one that’s deeply sophisticated and a mood all on its own. This dramatic color pairs well with lighter hues, creating excellent contrast. Brooding Storm alongside White Picket Fence (DET648) and Stucco Tan (DE6205) make a winning combination to start off the new new year right.

Gray paint colors convey serenity and can be used to craft a Coastal Grandma aesthetic, while light grays can be paired with pinks to for more Victorian, or feminine aesthetics. January’s Color of the Month, with its particular dark blue undertones, is sophisticated and serious in nature, while also containing the ability to effect great serenity in a space.

A Brief History of Gray

Little in life is either black or white, the truth lies somewhere in the middle—in the grays. That is why when it comes to symbolism, gray denotes a kind of authenticity.

Gray has also long held an association with the more industrial aspects of life—materials such as metal, cement, and aluminum are on the gray spectrum. As a result, gray can be seen by some to hold a more oppressive or industrial character. 

For the most part however, today gray is a favorite neutral in the world of design because this achromatic color is seen as more interesting than white but still neutral enough to provide a clean backdrop on which to layer style. As a result, January’s Color of the Month, Brooding Storm, offers great variety. In fact, gray had been trending over the last decade in home design and remodeling as a signifier of all things new and refreshed—a trend referred to as the ‘HGTV-ficiation of America.’ 

According to HueData, gray is the most common color for every product from the automotive industry to logo creation. Fast Company says that the country’s obsession with the color gray can be traced to risk aversion—both our own as consumers and the companies who produce the goods we buy. Simply put—the color gray sells. As consumers, we see no sense in buying something colorful that may go out of style quickly, and manufacturers want to avoid producing a product that similarly will sit on shelves and won’t sell. Gray is a safe bet.

Want to bet on our January Color of the Month or our other gray paint colors? You even can try them out before you commit with the click of a button. Download our InstaColor® ID app and simply upload a photo from your personal library or one from ours to give the space an instant, virtual paint job.

Dunn-Edwards is committed to bringing you the highest-quality paint that is also trusted by both design experts and painting professionals. Don’t put your projects on hold any longer. Just one more click and you can order your free samples to get started.