Here it is: a comprehensive round-up of every 2025 Color of the Year from 15 different color and paint companies. Each year we track these announcements to spot trends, compare past picks, and help readers see how color forecasting shifts over time. The 2025 slate reveals clear patterns—read on to discover which hues are set to make an impact in design, paint, decor, and fashion.
Like our previous annual round-ups, we compare each company’s pick with its past selections so you can see overarching trends for 2025 and how forecasts evolve. This year shows a strong leaning toward warm browns, caramels, deep purples, and several moody, grounding neutrals.
What is the 2025 Color of the Year?
There isn’t one universal Color of the Year. Multiple companies—Pantone, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and others—each select a color or collection that they believe will influence the year ahead. These picks reflect different methodologies but commonly aim to capture aesthetic and cultural moods, from comfort and tranquility to boldness and maximalism. The selections influence paint, décor, textiles, fashion, and product design.
What Were Last Year’s Colors?
In 2024, blues, warm neutrals, and punchy corals were prevalent among the Color of the Year announcements, reflecting a desire for calming, soothing interiors. That context helps frame the shift into 2025: are we continuing toward comforting tones, or moving to deeper, more dramatic hues?
The 2025 selections suggest a move toward earthy, grounding shades while still including some classic blues and bold accent colors.
Every 2025 Color of the Year
By late January most major brands had revealed their 2025 picks. A notable pattern: browns, caramel tones, and rich purples showed up repeatedly. Here are the 2025 Color of the Year selections from the companies we track:
- Pantone: Mocha Mousse
- Benjamin Moore: Cinnamon Slate
- Sherwin-Williams: Grounded (1 of 9 colors in a Color Capsule)
- Behr: Rumors
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams: Quietude
- Glidden: Purple Basil
- Valspar: Encore
- Dunn-Edwards: Caramelized
- Dutch Boy: Mapped Blue
- Krylon: Hammered Black
- Rust-Oleum: Satin Warm Caramel
- Minwax: Violet
- Graham & Brown: Elderton
- C2 Paint: Raku
- Stainmaster Paints: Truffle
Two distinct caramel tones alongside multiple deep purples and near-black neutrals make 2025 feel very grounded and tactile—an indication that designers are leaning into warmth and depth.
Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year
Pantone’s 2025 selection, Mocha Mousse, aligns with the warm brown trend this year. Described as comforting and sophisticated, it nods toward chocolate and coffee tones and emphasizes warmth and approachability. Compared to some past Pantone choices, Mocha Mousse is more muted but still carries a distinct personality that fits broader 2025 forecasts.
Benjamin Moore’s 2025 Color of the Year
Benjamin Moore’s pick, Cinnamon Slate, blends heathered plum and velvety brown to create a quietly colorful, versatile hue. It reflects a broader 2025 movement toward colors that feel both rich and approachable—suitable for interiors seeking depth without overwhelming the space.
This selection continues Benjamin Moore’s reputation for refined, wearable color choices that work across styles.
Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year
Sherwin-Williams released a Color Capsule of nine colors for 2025 rather than a single pick. The first listed, Grounded, is emblematic of the capsule’s muted earthiness. The capsule includes reserved versions of more daring shades, offering designers flexibility but also diluting the singularity that the phrase “Color of the Year” typically implies.
Whether you prefer a single standout hue or a curated palette, Sherwin-Williams’ capsule embraces a range of earthy, usable tones for 2025.
Behr’s 2025 Color of the Year
Behr selected a deep, merlot-like red called Rumors. This moody, sophisticated hue follows the trend of darker, jewel-toned colors used as dramatic accents or cozy room palettes. It signals an appetite for richer, more saturated choices in interiors.
Behr has trended darker in recent years, moving away from softer midtones toward bolder, more dramatic statements.
HGTV Home’s 2025 Color of the Year
HGTV Home chose Quietude, a soothing minty sage that fits the “quiet luxury” trend—calm, refined spaces that still embrace color. It’s a gentle, crowd-pleasing pick that balances familiarity with subtle personality.
Quietude reads as a versatile option for anyone leaning toward soft, calming palettes while still wanting a touch of color.
Glidden’s 2025 Color of the Year
Glidden’s Purple Basil is a deep eggplant shade that encourages embracing richer, maximalist colors. It’s a bold, moody selection that complements the broader 2025 trend toward dramatic purples and saturated neutrals.
Valspar’s 2025 Color of the Year
Valspar picked Encore, a saturated cobalt-to-navy blue. After a few years of softer blue-greens, this classic blue reads as confident and steadfast—a stable choice that signals trust and timelessness.
Dunn-Edwards’ 2025 Color of the Year
Dunn-Edwards chose Caramelized, a terracotta, clay-like hue framed as a versatile new neutral. Warm and earthy, it pairs easily with both vintage and contemporary aesthetics and highlights the warm-tone momentum present across 2025 picks.
Dutch Boy’s Color of the Year 2025
Dutch Boy’s Mapped Blue is a classic, foundational blue intended to remain stylish over time. It’s a safe, broadly appealing choice that fits well in many home styles.
Rust-Oleum’s 2025 Color of the Year
Rust-Oleum announced Satin Warm Caramel as a rich, tranquil accent color suited for spray paint applications. This warm caramel echoes several other brands’ selections and reinforces the caramel/brown trend for 2025.
Minwax’s 2025 Color of the Year
Minwax selected Violet as its 2025 stain color of the year—an eclectic, bold choice that highlights the growing appeal of deep purples across paints, stains, and finishes. It signals that richer, less traditional wood and stain colors are gaining traction.
Graham & Brown’s 2025 Color of the Year
Graham & Brown picked Elderton, a deep brown inspired by elder tree bark. It functions as a timeless neutral that pairs with their wallpaper and reflects the broader move toward grounding, nature-inspired tones.
C2 Paint’s 2025 Color of the Year
C2 Paint’s Raku shifts between burgundy and oxidized sanguine, combining brown and purple undertones. It’s a chameleon-like, moody color that supports the darker, richer palette trend of 2025.
Stainmaster Paint’s 2025 Color of the Year
Stainmaster’s Truffle is a near-black neutral that emphasizes versatility and elevated style. Its depth allows it to pair seamlessly with pastels, brights, and rich accent tones, underscoring the popularity of dramatic, grounding colors.
Stainmaster’s limited palette means each year’s pick carries extra weight within their small offering, making Truffle a striking statement.
What Were Our 2025 Color Guesses?
As a tradition, we offered off-the-cuff Color of the Year guesses on social channels. While informal, those predictions are a fun way to test instincts against the official selections. This year our guesses leaned toward darker, moodier tones—several of which lined up closely with the actual picks like near-black and deep plum selections.
Our guesses skewed bolder this year, reflecting the general industry appetite for saturated, grounding hues that convey warmth, confidence, and a sense of calm.
More Paint Colors We Love
If you want more color inspiration, we regularly share favorite paint colors and detailed deep dives across our blog. Our year-to-year Color of the Year round-ups, plus curated lists of go-to whites, greiges, and signature neutrals, are useful resources when planning a room refresh or a full home palette update.
- Every 2024 Color of the Year In One Place
- The 12 Best White Paint Colors
- The Best Greige Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin-Williams Pure White
- Sherwin-Williams Extra White
- The 12 Best “Haint Blue” Paint Colors