January can be a long blah month.

Once the glitter of Christmas is gone, winter is still around for a while.

To get over the dullness and the mere thought of cold, dark and rain for two more months, I find January the perfect month to pick a fresh new paint colour, even for just one room.

Every year the paint companies select their pick for the top new trends in colour. They choose a new palette from their existing lines and re-market it. I love to research what the forecast is, and find it quite comical at times, because it can be so confusing.

Here’s what I found from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams.

Benjamin Moore has predicted a very soft, almost pastel palette. Many of the 24 colours are shades of neutrals with a third of the palette being in the blue, grey, mauve families.

Its top choice for colour of the year is “Breath of Fresh Air 806.” It’s very soft, calming and quiet. This is a great colour for us west coasters, it works very well against our ocean and sky.

One of the other 24 colours I like is “Wickham Gray HC-171.” I have been using this warm, soft grey for years. Even though it’s not a new 2014 colour, it can be paired with darker greys, blues and white. It’s easy on the eye and subtle.

Sherwin Williams has gone with plum for its 2014 colour pick. I used a version of it a lot in the late 1990s and I am not sure if I’m quite ready for its resurgence. It is a very neutral plum, easily paired with greys, taupes, and off whites.

My prediction for the year is go with what you love and what speaks to you. If you’re having a tough time deciding – call a professional. It’s the best money you’ll spend without buying five cans of test paint.

Sheri Peterson has been an interior designer for 22 years in Victoria.

She designs for commercial,

residential and hospitality clients.