Color of the Year

The annual Color of the Year announcements are one of my favorite design traditions to follow—and predict, with varying degrees of success. Each year, many of the most established paint and color companies select a signature shade or curated palette they believe captures the current mood and forecasts the design trends ahead. Some choices are bold. Some are so-so. And some are—let’s just say—interesting.

What is the Color of the Year?

There isn’t one universally recognized Color of the Year. Instead, paint manufacturers and color authorities—including Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Pantone—each announce their own selection.

Every company approaches the process somewhat differently, drawing upon developments in interiors, fashion, art, architecture, culture, and consumer behavior. Although these announcements certainly serve a marketing purpose, they are also intended to interpret the present moment and forecast where design may be headed. The chosen colors are often connected to broader cultural moods and aspirations, such as a desire for hope, comfort, rest, renewal, or a closer connection to nature.

Now that we’re more than halfway through 2026, I’m already wondering what the Color of the Year selections for 2027 will bring.

My strongest prediction for 2027 is a deep, mineral-inflected blue poised somewhere between Prussian blue, petrol, and softened cobalt. It would feel calm and enduring, but also richer and more expressive than the browns, khakis, whites, and subdued greens that dominated much of the 2026 landscape. I also expect to see historical yellows—such as butter, ochre, and antique gold—alongside complex shades of aubergine, plum, and mineral violet.

The 2026 selections collectively tell a fairly consistent story:

• Pantone selected Cloud Dancer, a soft, airy white.

• Benjamin Moore chose Silhouette, a charcoal-laced burnt umber.

• Sherwin-Williams selected Universal Khaki, an earthy mid-tone neutral.

• Behr chose Hidden Gem, a smoky jade.

• HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams also selected Universal Khaki.

• Glidden and PPG selected Warm Mahogany, a grounded heritage red.

• Valspar selected Warm Eucalyptus, a restorative gray-green.

• Dunn-Edwards chose Midnight Garden, a deep, muted green.

• Dutch Boy selected Melodious Ivory, a creamy, nostalgic neutral.

• Krylon chose Coffee Bean, a rich, earthy brown.

• Rust-Oleum selected Satin Lagoon, a vibrant jewel-toned teal.

• Minwax chose Special Walnut, a warm, traditional wood stain.

• Graham & Brown selected Divine Damson, a deep, opulent red-plum.

• C2 Paint chose Epernay, a soft ochre with mineral undertones.

  
  

Together, these choices emphasize earth, nature, heritage, craftsmanship, calm, and permanence. The 2026 palette feels grounded and reassuring, but it also appears to be preparing the way for something more expressive.

After several years of comforting neutrals and nature-derived greens, I think 2027 will bring greater individuality, emotional richness, and clearer color. Early Spring 2027 fashion is already showing a return to expressive combinations—including plum, pool blue, tomato red, jewel tones, and unconventional greens—which often foreshadow developments in interiors.

My overarching prediction for 2027 is that grounded color becomes expressive: the earthy foundations of 2026 will remain, but deeper blues, historical yellows, complex purples, and energetic reds will begin to take center stage.

My 2027 Predictions

Brand and official 2026 selection	Predicted 2027 color family	Why
Pantone — Cloud Dancer	Expressive cerulean or ultramarine	After three increasingly quiet selections—Peach Fuzz, Mocha Mousse, and finally the soft white Cloud Dancer—I expect Pantone to answer with a clearer, more assertive color. A luminous blue would communicate optimism, imagination, and renewed energy while retaining a sense of calm.
Benjamin Moore — Silhouette	Antique gold, muted ochre, or burnished straw	Benjamin Moore moved from Blue Nova to the brown-violet Cinnamon Slate and then to the charcoal-brown Silhouette. After two consecutive dark, complex neutrals, a lighter historical yellow would feel fresh while remaining compatible with the company’s refined, traditional direction.
Sherwin-Williams — Universal Khaki	Mineral, Prussian, or petrol blue	Sherwin-Williams followed the pale blue Upward with Grounded brown and Universal Khaki. A substantial mineral blue would restore color after two warm neutrals while preserving the durability, practicality, and timelessness emphasized in its recent forecasts.
Behr — Hidden Gem	Smoky aubergine or mineral violet	Behr moved from near-black Cracked Pepper to burgundy Rumors and smoky jade Hidden Gem. A subdued aubergine would continue the progression of dramatic, enveloping colors while moving into a family Behr has not featured recently.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams — Universal Khaki	Buttered gold or softened ochre	HGTV Home has recently moved through Persimmon, Quietude, and Universal Khaki. Its 2026 collection already includes Lemon Chiffon, suggesting that yellow is entering its broader color story. That influence could mature into a warmer, richer gold for 2027.
Glidden — Warm Mahogany	Mineral blue or softened cobalt	Purple Basil in 2025 and Warm Mahogany in 2026 make another red or violet less likely. Glidden’s history shows a willingness to change direction sharply, and a substantial mineral blue would contrast with Warm Mahogany without retreating into another pale neutral.
PPG — Warm Mahogany	Inky blue, softened cobalt, or deep teal-blue	Warm Mahogany was the only color appearing across all four of PPG’s 2026 trend stories. For 2027, I expect another versatile, substantial shade, but in a cooler family. An inky blue could provide heritage character, emotional depth, and broad usability.
Valspar — Warm Eucalyptus	Sun-washed ochre or muted terracotta	Valspar selected pale Renew Blue in 2024, navy Encore in 2025, and gray-green Warm Eucalyptus in 2026. After three cool, nature-derived choices, a warm earthen color would represent a meaningful change without abandoning Valspar’s preference for restorative, livable shades.
Dunn-Edwards — Midnight Garden	Dusty plum or earthen violet	Dunn-Edwards has recently explored muted green, caramel, blue-gray, terracotta, and brown but has largely avoided purple. A brown-based plum would add a new family to its recent archive while retaining the company’s earthy, Southwestern sensibility.
Dutch Boy — Melodious Ivory	Sun-washed ochre or aged marigold	Dutch Boy frequently alternates cool restorative colors with warm, nostalgic neutrals. A muted golden yellow would build upon Melodious Ivory’s warmth while introducing more character and supporting the company’s emphasis on craftsmanship, nostalgia, and intentional living.
Krylon — Coffee Bean	Burnished ochre or spiced mustard	Krylon moved from Bluebird to Hammered Black to Coffee Bean. After two consecutive dark neutrals, a warm, energetic accent color would be a logical turn—especially one suited to wood, metal, wicker, planters, and outdoor furniture.
Rust-Oleum — Satin Lagoon	Tomato, poppy, or lacquer red	Rust-Oleum is more willing than wall-paint companies to embrace conspicuous accent colors. Following French Blue, Warm Caramel, and Satin Lagoon, a cheerful red would support the movement toward expressive color and work well across furniture, metalwork, and smaller DIY projects.
Minwax — Special Walnut	Warm chestnut, aged cherry, or auburn wood	Minwax forecasts the appearance of finished wood rather than opaque paint. After the familiar mid-brown Special Walnut, a redder stain would reflect renewed interest in richer traditional woods and interiors that feel collected, handcrafted, and lived in.
Graham & Brown — Divine Damson	Petrol blue or peacock blue-green	Divine Damson follows 2025’s brown Elderton, giving Graham & Brown two dark, warm selections in succession. A cooler petrol shade would preserve the brand’s dramatic, opulent character while avoiding another red, brown, or plum. It would also complement elaborate botanical and historical wallpapers.
C2 Paint — Epernay	Smoky aubergine or mineral violet	C2’s recent sequence of pale blue, dark brown, and soft ochre suggests restrained, historically informed colors rather than trendy brights. A weathered aubergine would introduce greater emotional depth while preserving the company’s quiet sophistication.

Overall 2027 Forecast

Across the complete group, I see four principal directions emerging:

1. Mineral blues: Prussian blue, petrol, softened cobalt, and ultramarine

2. Historical yellows: butter, ochre, antique gold, and aged marigold

3. Complex purples: aubergine, dusty plum, and mineral violet

4. Expressive warm accents: tomato red, terracotta, chestnut, and auburn

   
   

My Leading Prediction

A deep mineral blue poised between Prussian blue, petrol, and softened cobalt.

My second-place prediction is antique ochre or buttered gold, followed closely by smoky aubergine or mineral violet.

What About the Luxury Paint Brands?

The luxury end of the paint market tells a somewhat different color story. Rather than organizing their identities around a single annual headline color, these companies tend to influence interiors through carefully edited palettes, distinctive finishes, historical research, environmental philosophy, and collaborations with designers, estates, and cultural institutions. Heritage-led British brands such as Warner House, Little Greene, Farrow & Ball, Fired Earth, Mylands, and Paint & Paper Library draw upon decorative history while continually reconsidering it for contemporary interiors. Edward Bulmer Natural Paint approaches historical color through plant- and mineral-based formulations, while House of Hackney interprets nature through a more exuberant, maximalist lens. Their influence is often quieter than a Color of the Year announcement, but potentially more enduring: a new palette, archival revival, or carefully chosen collection can shape the colors designers actually use for years.

Other luxury and design-led companies represent a more contemporary side of the market. Lick combines a tightly curated, approachable palette with collaborations such as the eight-color Lick x Soho House collection, inspired by Soho House interiors around the world. American brand Clare similarly simplifies color selection while emphasizing zero-VOC, GREENGUARD Gold-certified paint. COAT focuses on curated colors, modern performance, and more sustainable production, while French brand Argile offers nature-inspired, bio-based paints organized around earth, vegetation, and sky. Gris takes an even more disciplined approach, limiting itself to atmospheric fields of white, gray, and deep blue in mineral formulations. Graphenstone occupies a more technologically experimental position, combining traditional lime with graphene to produce breathable ecological coatings.

The category also includes brands whose influence extends beyond conventional wall paint. Annie Sloan transformed decorative furniture painting with Chalk Paint, while Andrew Martin and Designers Guild approach color as part of broader worlds of textiles, wallpaper, furniture, and globally inspired interiors. Not every company in this group currently promotes a full paint collection—Designers Guild, for example, states that its paint is not presently available—but their fabrics, wallpapers, archives, and room schemes still contribute to the larger direction of interior color.

These brands may not all declare an official Color of the Year, but they are important to watch when forecasting 2027. Their new collections can reveal subtler movements before those ideas reach the mass market: a warming of traditional neutrals, renewed interest in mineral blue, the return of muddy historical yellows, or a movement from botanical green toward plum, petrol, and lacquer red. Where the major manufacturers announce the trend, luxury paint and interiors brands often demonstrate how that trend can actually live within a room.