From One Year to the Next: A Thoughtful Design Reset

February 20, 20265 min read

Image courtesy of DesignShop

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January often brings a dual mindset: deciding what to carry forward from the year behind us while also making room for something new. When it comes to home design, that balance—between continuity and renewal—can feel especially complex. There are countless decisions to consider, and color is often where that process begins.

Color has the power to reset a space, yet choosing it can feel surprisingly overwhelming. With so many options and combinations, imagining how a shade or surface will actually live in your home can be an especially stressful part of the process.

This year, there’s a better way to approach that moment of uncertainty. By working with actual, mailed-to-you samples, the guesswork disappears—and the design process becomes something you can genuinely enjoy. Seeing, touching, and living with materials before committing allows inspiration to replace hesitation.

Let Color Lead the Conversation

When planning updates for an existing home—or envisioning a new one—the “Colors of the Year” can serve as a meaningful starting point. These selections are not meant to dictate decisions, but rather to spark ideas and open creative paths. Think of them as inspiration points, not rules. Curated paint and surface pairings developed by Barbara Jacobs can bring this exploration to life.

You can also explore “Colors of the Year” from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, along with select shades from Farrow & Ball. Together, they offer a versatile foundation for coordinating paint colors with countertop and surface design ideas—across both contemporary and classic interiors.

One color for all surfaces, the approach is called “Color Drenching” by some | This image courtesy of Sherwin Williams Paints

Exploring Scale, Pattern, and Application

Take a look at the examples below ranging from light to dark palettes, from bold, dramatic surfaces to quieter, more understated patterns. Paint colors are shown not only on walls, but across ceilings, cabinetry, floors, and architectural details—demonstrating how color can unify an entire space.

You’ll also notice how countertop materials are increasingly used beyond traditional applications. Many designers now incorporate these surfaces into walls, backsplashes, and even flooring, expanding the creative possibilities well beyond the kitchen.

Stone on all walls and backsplash. Coordinated stone on countertops and floors | Image courtesy of DesignShop

Selecting cabinet styles and color, countertops, walls, and more… | Image courtesy of DesignShop

Imagine a cozy yet dramatic cork on your bedroom walls! | Image courtesy of DesignShop

Let your imagination move freely—working with real material samples makes it far easier to translate inspiration into a vision you’ll enjoy living with every day.

Two New Sampling Options, Delivered Quickly

To make this process seamless, two sample formats are available with fast, reliable shipping to your home:

Paint samples arrive as 9” x 14” repositionable swatches, prepared with two coats of actual paint from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Farrow & Ball.
The new Printed Countertop samples from Samplize are printed as highly detailed, lifelike images on flexible, lightweight, repositionable material in a generous 17” x 34” format—allowing you to view scale, movement, and pattern realistically in your space.

Completing the Vision

To further personalize your home, consider incorporating original artwork from Barbara Jacobs Fine Art or her new online gallery at BarbaraPrints—elements that bring depth, individuality, and a sense of completion to thoughtfully designed interiors.

You can find Barbara’s curated collections for paint colors on Samplize and also for paint and countertop coordinates with colors from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, and Farrow & Ball. Then, when you’re ready to explore a broader range of materials and order samples of products beyond paint and countertops, everything is available directly through DesignShop.

Barbara offers expert guidance on exterior and interior color design, for individual homes and workplaces as well as HOA communities. Among her design services is a unique visualization process that she calls Designer Color Palettes.

Additional insights and inspiration can be found through her blogs and design platforms:

A Note From Barbara Jacobs

As a design affiliate, I’m grateful to DesignShop and Samplize for providing such an exciting and effective way to share color and design concepts—from paint samples and countertop selections to the many additional materials available on their sites. I do receive a small commission when clients use my affiliate link to order samples, but there it no charge at all to the customer, so no worries about that. As you explore, you’ll also find inspiration and order actual physical samples for cabinetry, hardware, flooring, soft materials, and more

Image courtesy of DesignShop

Image courtesy of DesignShop

From my own perspective, I’m equally grateful to be able to offer my curated collections as a resource for your design journey. Think of these groupings as a jumping-off point—meant to inspire and support your own creative direction. And, of course, I’m always available as a consultant to provide feedback and additional ideas.

I’ve enjoyed exploring these collections myself, imagining how they might come together in these Kitchen, Living Room and Home Office spaces. I liked using the same basic image and changing even just one element, like an area rug, showing how one item can create a completely different look:

Shown: Area Rug – STARK – LUCA. This beautiful area rug creates a more transitional look | Image courtesy of DesignShop

Shown: Area rug – STARK – ARAMIS. The same room takes on a more modernist look with this different area rug. | Image courtesy of DesignShop

I enjoyed experimenting with the same image on the website to create these three versions, shown below, as examples of how you can select various products and colors for your projects on DesignShop. You’ll enjoy exploring the materials and rooms there, saving them as “favorites,” and ordering the samples for the products you want to see in person.