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Calling it “powerful and empowering,” Pantone reveals Viva Magenta as its color choice of the year for 2023. Vivid and vibrant, Viva Magenta combines electrifying red with a smidgen of blue, resulting in a mood-boosting shot of color. It invokes a feeling of strength through creativity.
The allure of this powerful hue is undeniable, but a little goes a long way. We consulted painters, interior designers, and home improvement professionals to get their ideas for incorporating Viva Magenta into their homes.
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1. Add visual warmth.
Viva Magenta strikes a balance of “warm and cool tones,” making it an “ideal accent color for any color scheme,” says Blima Ehrehtreu, founder and CEO of The Designers Group, an interior firm with offices in Miami, New York, and Toronto.
Ehrehtreu suggests using the dynamic Pantone color on pillows, like this textured cotton pillow cover and insert at Wayfair, or wall-hanging frames to warm up and invigorate a bedroom. “It can be worked into any room, whether it be in the furniture, window dressings, or—of course—the walls.”
However, Ehrehtreu recommends not combining Viva Magenta with other powerful tones as they could overwhelm the majestic nature of this bold hue.
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2. Express yourself unapologetically.
The “in your face” dynamic of Viva Magenta lets you “express yourself in creative ways with pleasant patterns and luxurious colors,” says Stefan Bucur, who, along with his wife Maegan, operates Rhythm of The Home, a Lewisville, Texas, décor and interior design company.
Bucur suggests combining Viva Magenta with deep contrasting colors, such as sage green or charcoal brown, to tone down its intensity. He also recommends using the color for high visibility accessories—a “decorative flamingo or plant terrarium in this vivid color will stand out when paired with complementary shades,” he says.
3. Introduce Viva Magenta via wallpaper.
Since it’s so rich and deep, painting entire walls in Viva Magenta may be “too hefty for the room,” says Lily Willi, founder and designer at Ever Wallpaper, a boutique retailer of wallpaper and murals located in the United Kingdom. Willi advises installing wallpaper that has a touch of the color in living rooms to give visitors “good vibes.”
She says shades of “pink and red complement this color best, but earth tones also make for a great combination.” However, when it comes to picking interior colors, she recommends not pairing the rich Pantone color with yellow, orange, or blue to avoid creating an uncomfortable contrast.
If you’re not ready to seal the deal with wallpaper paste, try this peel and stick Viva Magenta geometric wallpaper by @LaGrandClassique at Etsy.
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4. Take it outside.
If you’re concerned that Viva Magenta will overwhelm indoor living spaces—take it outside. That’s the advice of Zolene Quindoy, head horticulturist with Yardzen, a trending online landscape platform that helps homeowners design their yards.
The magenta-hued floral and foliage options Quindoy recommends are Spilled Wine Weigela and Girard’s Crimson Azalea available at Home Depot, and dark pink SunPatiens, like these New Guinea Impatiens at Lowe’s. These bold botanical choices are destined to be showstoppers in the landscape, but check zone requirements to ensure a plant is suitable for your region.
And, if you’re looking to incorporate even more of this stunning color in the landscape, Quindoy offers a couple more selections; Ernest Markham Clematis at Burpees for trellises, and a dark pink penstemon for the perennial border. We like the vibrant flowers on this Pristine Rose Penstemon available in store at your local Lowe’s.
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5. Try it on textiles.
If there’s one thing Cristina De Miranda knows—it’s how to combine color to its best effect. As a quilter and pattern designer for Ships & Violins, De Miranda creates custom quilt designs for throws, decorative pillows, and more, and she serves on the board of the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild.
De Miranda suggests adding Viva Magenta in décor items that can easily be moved or removed as desired, such as a quilt or throw blanket, like this plush faux fur throw in magenta at Macy’s, which offers a bold splash. Then, it can be neatly folded and set on a shelf or ottoman for a more subtle effect. By keeping the color portable, rather than painting an entire wall, you can decide how much Viva Magenta you want—and you can easily change your mind about where you want it.
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6. Live with it first.
If you do want to paint a wall with the 2023 Pantone color, start small and use the color in impermanent ways. That advice comes from Theresa Clement, color expert, author, and co-owner of MyFixitUpLife, a popular design and remodeling company located in Ambler, Pennsylvania.
“Buy a quart of the paint color, and then paint two entire small canvases,” Clement says. “Then hang one—with a temporary hook—on the wall that is being considered for paint. Hang the other one in the busiest spot in the house, where you walk by multiple times every day. Then notice if you smile every time you see the color or if you start worrying. You’ll know if the color is for you or not.”
To save time and the mess of painting, try using these monochrome Viva Magenta wall art prints by @LOhanaPrints at Etsy.
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7. Create feminine appeal.
While some home decorators might prefer a monochromatic color scheme that blends Viva Magenta with other shades of red and pink, Sarah Bowen, co-founder at Spruce Up, a UK-based interior design company, is against pairing the color of the year with other reds.
Instead, Bowen suggests creating a feminine mystique by incorporating a “paler shade of pink, such as cerise, baby pink, and almond tones.” And, rather than using Viva Magenta to paint an entire wall, Bowen suggests introducing it with “accent pieces, such as cushions, throws, and wall art.” Try touches to soften the impact of the bold color, like this set of gallery wall art with Viva Magenta accents by @BohoPosters at Etsy.