Benjamin Moore’s 2020 Color of the Year is the Alternative to Beige You’ve Been Waiting For

It’s no secret that pink has been in the spotlight for some time now, partly thanks to the Millennial Pink hype. More and more homes have featured pink walls and accents in the past several years, and just a few weeks ago, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams declared their Color of the Year a blush hue.

Another brand that’s thinking pink is Benjamin Moore, which just revealed their 2020 Color of the Year as the soft, rosy hue they call First Light (2102-70). With a new decade just around the corner, Hannah Yeo, Benjamin Moore Color & Development expert, said the hue “reflects a new definition of home” that revolves around flexibility and inclusivity while being “fresh” and “playful.”

“I don’t think anyone should be afraid of using a color pink because it’s delicate and sophisticated,” Yeo told Apartment Therapy. “It’s really something that everyone can really enjoy across all generations, regardless if you’re a female or a male. First Light is not just for a particular audience, but more about, how do we make it more universal?”

When we asked what makes this COTY particularly sophisticated, the answer is the undertone that gives a “soft and subtle and more soothing” tone to it, rather than a saturated cotton candy pink. Yeo mentioned First Light can serve as an alternative to a warm beige, which is helpful to those who steer away from the neutral shade.

First Light was introduced as Benjamin Moore’s COTY alongside a complementary palette of nine hues: White Heron (OC-57); Crystalline (AF-485); Windmill Wings (2067-60); Buxton Blue (HC-149); Golden Straw (2152-50); Thunder (AF-685); Cushing Green (HC-125); Oxford Gray (2128-40); Blue Danube (2062-30). While First Light is able to blend with each of the selected colors, the rosy hue is also capable of standing on its own—which Yeo said is the beauty of its flexibility.

“When we put our palette together, we were focusing on pink to be alone or with Gunther, which was a gray,” Yeo said. “What makes First Light so good is that it pairs very well with other colors, especially the nine colors that we put in the palette. It’s not that you need to pair it or use it alone, but I think it’s flexible with that.”