As a designer, you dedicate your days to shaping atmosphere and quietly influencing how spaces are experienced, all while balancing creative vision with client expectations, technical precision, and everchanging project demands. With all this complexity at hand, the right support can make all the difference.

That understanding led to the creation of the Sherwin-Williams Design+ Trade Program^™ – a dedicated offering designed exclusively for designers and architects. Unlike traditional trade programs that focus primarily on product access, Design+ is built to support the full creative and business lifecycle of a design practice – powered by the size and specialization of our Account Executive team and the unparalleled scale and customization of our offerings. This new program will bring together expert color leadership, personalized service, practical tools, and exclusive professional benefits in one cohesive, trusted resource.

Designers who create a Design+ account gain access to a depth of expertise shaped by decades of research, innovation, and real-world application – from our annual Colormix^® Forecasts to curated color systems, custom color matching, finish innovation, and accredited continuing education opportunities.

These resources are reinforced by the color expertise of the Sherwin-Williams Trendsight Team^SM, alongside continuing education courses offered through the Sherwin-Williams Design Education Center. Whether a project calls for quiet restraint, expressive color, or high-performance technical solutions, the Design+ Trade Program provides a single point of access to the insights, tools, and expertise that support informed creative decision-making.

“We understand that it’s impossible to be an expert in every aspect of the renovation cycle, so knowing you have an on-demand learning center where you can expand your color and coatings knowledge is invaluable,” says Tiara Castro, an Account Executive based in New England. “As we all know, knowledge is power! The continuing education opportunities and expert support from their local Account Executives are two of the most compelling reasons for designers to sign up for Design+.”

At the heart of Design+ is a level of personalized service grounded in continuity, trust, and collaboration. The Sherwin-Williams Account Executive team – the largest and most specialized in the industry – serves as a dedicated extension of a designer’s practice, offering consistent expertise throughout the life of a project.

For Account Executive Karissa McMillen, the focus is as much on long-term partnership as it is on product support. “My goal is to be an integrated part of the design community I support,” she says. “True collaboration often goes far beyond paint and color – it’s about understanding how designers work and showing up as a reliable partner at every stage.”

Photo courtesy of Karissa McMillen.

A connection with an Account Executive offers consistency across a project’s full lifecycle. They serve as a knowledgeable mainstay who comes to understand your aesthetic, workflow, and priorities as intimately as someone on your own design team.

(First) Photo courtesy of Tiara Castro. (Second) Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Barton Bourque. 

“We don’t see this as a traditional rep role,” says Account Executive Melissa Fotusky. “Our intention is to serve as a designer’s trusted industry partner. Designers are incredibly talented rockstars, and what they create is nothing short of magical. Supporting that work is both a responsibility and a privilege.”

Working with Sherwin-Williams means access to a fully integrated team of specialists – strategically aligned to support builders, painters, and every phase of project execution. Account Executive Tiara Castro says, “We’re here to inspire, connect, promote, network, provide solutions, and ensure your business is successful in all aspects – not just product and color expertise!”

In any project, efficiency and precision directly impact both client experience and project outcomes. Helping you achieve that level of precision is one of the main purposes of Design+, and our exclusive tools and resources, including complimentary large-size color samples and downloadable digital color dollops, offer designers the chance to see color fully realized.

When asked which Design+ resources she’s most excited about, Michelle Lee Paranteau, founder and principal designer of Michelle Lee Designs, says she will turn time and again to the expertly curated hues of our Designer Color Collection. “The colors are so universal, and Peel and Stick samples are fantastic for clients who have a hard time visualizing color.”

Other designer favorites include fan decks, which designer Laura Hodges says have the potential to greatly impact her teams’ workflow and confidence in color selection. “Having a physical, comprehensive color reference in hand will allow us to evaluate color in real time – against materials, in different lighting conditions, and within the context of a space. That tactile process is essential to how we work. It gives us clarity early on and reinforces our decisions throughout the project, ensuring the colors we specify feel intentional, nuanced, and grounded once they’re brought to life.”

A closer connection to color always leads to clearer communication with clients. “The Color Visualizer and large-format samples will help clients truly experience their new color well before a brush ever touches the wall,” says designer Linda Rendulich of Twin Oaks Interiors.

As for Victoria Young, an Account Executive in Ontario, Canada, she says the designers who’ve been given an exclusive first look at the program are especially impressed with the range of digital services, from downloadable palettes and paint dollop graphics to the availability of Sherwin-Williams products and colors on a variety of specification sites. “Our presence on these platforms provides a compelling reason to specify with us,” Victoria says.

Design+ members also gain access to a dedicated Design+ dashboard – a personalized digital environment where benefits, resources, and support converge. From scheduling deliveries and connecting with Account Executives to exploring education opportunities and inspiration, the dashboard is structured to mirror the rhythm of a designer’s workflow.

“The new Design+ program provides the streamlined approach designers have been looking for, making color selection and product coordination more intuitive and efficient,” says Account Executive Jennifer Collins. “It’s inspiring to see how these design tools now work seamlessly alongside Sherwin-Williams’s designer support, creating a more integrated and collaborative experience.”

At its core, the Design+ Trade Program is built around the realities of design practice – bringing together color leadership, technical expertise, and personalized support in one dependable destination.

Become a Design+ member today to access exclusive benefits, trusted partnership, and industry-leading insights on color – all designed to support your vision and elevate the spaces you create.