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It seems that every color trend goes through the same evolution, starting with fashion flourishes and nods in the beauty world before making its way to home decor items and eventually everything else.
For a while, everyone was obsessed with rose gold. Then, millennial pink was everywhere for what felt like, well, a millennium; it was on everything from Glossier products to pink accent chairs. We became so saturated with blush that it’s basically a neutral at this point. Thankfully, we have moved on to the next color trend: Gen Z Yellow.
Gen Z Yellow, which can range from light lemon to deep mustard, was spotted in its infancy on the iconic dress in Beyonce’s “Hold Up” music video and has made its way from runways to retailers over the last two years. It’s now in the height of its home decor phase, but under a different moniker: ochre.
What the heck IS ochre, anyway?
By definition, ochre is a natural clay earth pigment derived from ferric oxide, sand and clay that can range in color from yellow to deep orange or brown. The word is pronounced ow • kr (think about how Cardi B would say, “Okurrr”).
According to Etsy’s in-house trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson, there’s been a 36% increase in searches on the site for ochre-colored items in the last three months. During that same time frame, searches on Etsy for “burnt orange” items were up more than 750% — indicating that folks are trying to get in on the ochre trend without necessarily knowing what ochre is.
“In January, I coined burnt orange Etsy’s color of the year, and with natural, grounding tones continuing to trend, ochre is the latest hue to take center stage,” Johnson told HuffPost. “This fall, I predict that shoppers will be combining ochre with other organic yellows and moody oranges to create the ultimate looks for cooler weather.”
The design experts at Pinterest say searches for ochre are up on their site as well — by about 65%, and mostly around home decor inspiration.
They say the top related searches on the platform are around “ochre living room” and “ochre bedroom,” especially as people look for inspiration on how to add color to their spaces with duvet covers, pillows and art. (Pinterest users are also shopping fashion across the ochre palette, like this ASOS pointed mid-heel shoe and this Topshop midi skirt.)
How can you try the ochre trend in your own home?
It’s impossible to scroll through home inspo on Instagram without seeing a blend of woven textures and bohemian styles soaked in classic ’70s sunset hues and earth tones — ochre being the most popular.
If you’re looking to spice up your space with a splash of the sunny color, it’s as easy as tossing a set of ochre sheets on your bed or adding an ochre cushion cover over the decorative pillows on your sofa. Brooklinen, for example, added ochre linen bedding to its summer selection (though the shade now appears to be, ahem, sunset), and Anthropologie has an ochre velvet quilt in its bedding selection.
Looking for more ochre home decor inspiration? We’ve rounded up a few ochre home items you can use to add a splash of the color trend into your space. Take a look below, and if you want more of our editor-sourced products and reviews, sign up for HuffPost’s sales and deals newsletter.
Ochre home decor items to add color to your living space:
Ochre Home Decor
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