Get out your fabric swatches, paint samples, and mood boards! It’s a new year and a fresh collection of hues and palettes has dropped for your interior design pleasure.
What’s most surprising about this year’s crop of colors is the one that seems to be leading the way—Brown. Not since the 1990s have we leaned toward this Earth Mother of all colors. But with sensibilities still trending to richer, more grounded colors and away from cooler impersonal shades, it does make sense.
The case for warm, grounded neutrals
It is anticipated that we will be seeing mid-tone browns like chocolate and walnut everywhere from furnishings, to paneling, to accent pieces, as part of the popularity of a warm, grounded neutral palette.
And when we say everywhere, we’re even including kitchens in that statement. Why? Experts say that brown is the color that is currently bringing the depth, warmth, and a sense of lived-in comfort that people are craving right now. Brown’s earthy qualities link us back to the natural world in a manner that feels restorative. Conveniently, brown is also a classic color that can work its way into many styles of interiors, as well. As a result, we’re seeing iterations of the hue popping up in annual forecast palettes including that of paint manufacturers like Sherwin-Williams, who this year bestowed Universal Khaki with its Color of the Year designation.
Interiors experts recommend a color such as this (which is described as a sun-warmed, mid-tone tan) be used as the foundational neutral backdrop to which complementary hues can be added by way of furniture, rugs, and artwork.
Among the complementary colors in the coordinating Universal Khaki palette are Henna Shade, a creamy rust, Tarragon, a dense neutral with a blue undertone, and Dark Auburn, the warming brown in this palette.
Experts suggest finishing your room by layering in natural materials such as wood floors, woven textiles, and warm metals, such as bronze and brass.
Application tips for the new neutrals
It’s not just about which colors we are choosing but how we are using them and where we are applying them. Case in point, the no-contrast trim trend in interior painting. The smartest application approach for your new earthy colors and creams is to carry them through from base board to ceiling trim and molding—for one continuous look and visual line. This is all a part of the new “drenching” practice in color application. Note, while this practice is becoming increasingly popular, it works best with these neutral applications. For darker colors, experts recommend rooms and spaces with generous amount of natural light for the best results.
Experts suggest sampling the neutrals you are considering under differing light conditions to see how they work throughout the day in morning, afternoon, and even artificial light. Each shade will have a specific undertone that you will want to consider.
When applying to open-plan spaces, you will want to carry your neutral shade throughout to create flow, and then you can anchor individual areas with deeper accent colors.
This year’s accent & other hot colors
In every year’s palette there is a smattering of colors with which you can imbue personality in not large, sweeping ways, but in targeted applications, such as color treatments for ceilings, built-ins, feature walls, and alcoves.
This year the experts are loving these shades for those special spaces:
- Velvety plums and rich purple shades which offer a luxurious, moody touch
- Poppy reds that exude energy and boldness
- Dusty teals and atmospheric blues that help create calming yet statement-making spaces
The greens grabbing the scene
If a color can indeed have a moment, the winner this year would go to a couple of shades in the green family: pistachio and avocado skin green. These greens range in vibe from evocative to playful for the innate connection they conjure with nature.
Behr paints has chosen a smoky jade version of the later green as their Color of the Year remarking that it embodies an air of mystery and sophistication.
Pistachio, or more playful green, actually began creeping into palettes late last year but continues to come into its own in fashion, fabric, and as a stand-out, stand alone color for homeowners of distinction in 2026.
When it’s time to let go
Alas, all good things must come to an end but who’s to say that the one-dimensional gray walls we’ve been seeing for the better part of the last decade are officially over. The experts actually are saying that. In fact, a majority of designers say this color’s lack of warmth and layering makes a room feel too dated and sterile for 2026.
Also on the downward trend are bright, overly saturated primary colors—unless they are being used intentionally—as the shift is toward nuanced, layered color rather than bright and flat colors.
In closing, it is always prudent to note the following when it comes to color trends: Always consider your space’s textures, materials, and light scenarios before applying any trending color, lest you be mistaking what is popular for what is proper.
