You'll Find Etsy's Color Of The Year In Every Thrift Store

If you have already heard about Pantone's color of the year for 2026 and were hoping that Etsy would come up with something a bit more exciting than the muted hues of Cloud Dancer, we're happy to announce that you may be pleased with Etsy's pick, which is a vibrant blue with metallic influences that has been dubbed Patina Blue. Though it may be newly embraced, this color has been present in interior designs for years, and if you noticed some color change in your copper pieces at home, that's not rust, it's patina. 

Patina is actually a naturally occurring film that appears on metals, changing their color as they age. Though it can appear different since materials vary, one of the best examples is copper — The Statue of Liberty herself used to shine bright as a freshly minted penny, but decades upon decades of weathering and oxidation have led to the resulting green she is most known for today. 

If you have ever spent time wandering around a thrift store, there is a good chance that you have come across patina in the wild. Whether on pots and pans, candlesticks, a lamp, or even dresser hardware, there are many places you may have encountered this color before. While you may have associated it with tarnish or rust (which many people take as a sign of devaluation), Patina pieces are often used by interior designers to bring a sense of authenticity and history into a space, and though many have tried, no replica has had quite the same organic visual effect. 

Though bright, Patina Blue is a stunning way to embrace color without feeling artificial, and this color is also quite generous as it provides a whole palette instead of a single hue. While the base is a deep turquoise, a true patina has a blend of colors, including metallics — particularly copper and bronze, which gives you a whole color story to play with, and allows you to integrate the colors in different ways. If you do choose to use Patina blue in your room, however, you have an instant jumping point to go from, knowing that it pairs well with metallics, you can also take away the shimmer and opt for the solid base colors of the metallics — for example, goldenrod instead of gold. Should you have authentic pieces in your home, it is imperative that you know how to maintain patina without damaging your antiques. 

An interior designer or antique specialist may find the differences obvious, but to the untrained eye, it can be more difficult to spot a true patina next to a fake one. When it comes to determining whether a patina is natural, there are a couple of rules. One is that the patina should look even across the entire surface. This doesn't mean that it cannot have variations of color, but rather that no areas stick out as looking bright, shiny, and new. The patina should also not wear off even if the surface is scratched, so if you see a scratch that uncovers a bright metal, there's a good chance it did not occur naturally. 

If you are hoping to find items with a natural blue patina, then you will want to stick with metals like copper, brass, and bronze. The aging that results in the blue/green color is referred to specifically as verdigris, and it is a product of the metal reacting with the elements that surround it. Though it may look as if it is a sign of damage to a piece, this mottled exterior actually serves as a protective agent of metal, preventing further corrosion. When looking for pieces in a thrift or second hand store, there are quite a few avenues and items to consider. Besides your typical home decor objects like lamps, candlesticks, furniture, and picture frames for example, you can also find verdigris on items like jewelry, brass instruments, or even large pieces of salvaged metal. Since it develops with age, Patina is truly a decor investment that only gets better as time passes. 

Though real verdigris is only present on brass, bronze, and copper, you can also thrift items that fall within the color palette of deep turquoise. Whether a larger piece like a sofa, or smaller accents like pillows, curtains, or a blanket, there are endless ways to incorporate this color into your home. If you really want to lean into the richness, also consider textures and opt for something luxurious like velvet or a brocade. While it wouldn't be actual patina, there are also some glazed ceramics that give off a similar effect.