Bring the Warmth Inside with Cavern Clay, the 2019 Color of the Year
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Bring the Warmth Inside with Cavern Clay, the 2019 Color of the Year

2 min read

Channeling the desert modern style, Cavern Clay SW 7701 (290-C6) is Sherwin-Williams® 2019 Color of the Year. In this story, we’ll pass on tips on where to use it and which colors work well with it.

A warm terracotta color with ancient, elemental roots, Cavern Clay “embodies renewal, simplicity and free-spirited, bohemian flair,” says Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing, Sherwin-Williams. Part of the Wanderer color journal in Sherwin-Williams 2019 Colormix® Color Forecast, Cavern Clay is a perfect choice for residential and commercial settings.

This warm, earthy hue is both casual and refined. It can be the backdrop of a playful, welcoming dining room or kitchen when paired with bright tiles, warm stone and sculptural greenery. Complementary materials include leather, simple woodgrains and indigenous cacti in contemporary, sleek gardening planters.

“Cavern Clay is an easy way to bring the warmth of the outdoors in,” says Wadden. “Envision beaches, canyons and deserts, and sun-washed late summer afternoons—all of this embodied in one color.”

Works well with many colors

It pairs well with other casual, balanced neutrals such as a warm gray or deep brown. Combined with Moth Wing SW 9174 (249-C4) or Dark Clove SW 9183 (277-C4), Cavern Clay evokes a carefree yet sophisticated aesthetic.

Alternatively, consider a refreshed version of the popular ’70s earth tone combinations by pairing Cavern Clay with a dusty denim blue, such as Distance SW 6243 (224-C6) or even a fresh green, such as Haven SW 6437 (156-C3).

Even when paired with an Origami White SW 7636 (259-C3), Cavern Clay is decidedly fresh.

Warm and balanced commercial properties

As designers, developers and builders aim to create more workspaces that feel like home, Cavern Clay’s warm and welcoming vibe make it a color to watch for offices, hotels and restaurants. As an interior color, it invites staff, clients or guests to open their minds and visualize mountain vistas, indigenous plants and trees.

“Spaces like boutique hotels, restaurants and even offices are making an effort to create photo-friendly areas that are Instagrammable,” says Wadden. “Cavern Clay is an ideal color for flattering and design-forward aesthetics—it plays well with many types of lighting, and brings this visual of the expansive and free outside world to interiors, resulting in open and versatile public spaces.”

About Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year

Led by Director of Color Marketing Sue Wadden, the Sherwin-Williams global color and design team travels the world to research and identify key trends that influence the way we interact with color. From those findings, the team selects the strongest influence and then decides the Color of the Year. This is the ninth year Sherwin-Williams has named an official Color of the Year. A list of previously selected colors includes:

Find more color ideas, tools and resources at the Sherwin-Williams contractor website.