The annual Color of the Year reveals are one of our favorite design traditions to follow (and predict). Each year, major paint brands pick a hue or palette they believe reflects or forecasts design trends. Some picks are bold, some safe, and some surprising. Now that it’s January, our 2026 Color of the Year roundup is complete — all but one brand we monitored named a selection. For context, see our recaps of 2024 and 2025.
Like last year, we list each company’s selections over recent years so you can see how trends shift and how different brands respond to the same cultural currents. Our predictions are at the end of the post.
What is the 2026 Color of the Year?
There isn’t a single universal “color of the year.” Multiple companies — such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Pantone — each announce their own color. Their selection processes vary, but the intent is similar: to reflect observed trends or to forecast mood and direction in design. Selections often reference broader cultural themes like a return to nature, a desire for calm, or an embrace of comfort and elegance.
What Were Last Year’s Colors?
For comparison, check our detailed recaps of 2024 and 2025. The 2025 selections leaned heavily toward moody browns, purples, and mauves, showing surprising consistency across brands. By contrast, 2024 featured a wider variety of tones — warm and cool, light and dark.
Will 2026 bring a return to lighter, brighter colors, or continue the trend toward deep, grounded tones? Read on to see what each brand chose.
Every 2026 Color of the Year
It took nearly six months for most 2026 announcements to appear. We tracked 15 brands; 14 named a 2026 choice. Below is a summary list with deeper descriptions following.
- Pantone: Cloud Dancer
- Benjamin Moore: Silhouette
- Sherwin-Williams: Universal Khaki
- Behr: Hidden Gem
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams: Universal Khaki
- Glidden: Warm Mahogany
- Valspar: Warm Eucalyptus
- Dunn-Edwards: Midnight Garden
- Dutch Boy: Melodious Ivory
- Krylon: Coffee Bean
- Rust-Oleum: Satin Lagoon
- Minwax: Special Walnut
- Graham & Brown: Divine Damson
- C2 Paint: Epernay
Below we take a closer look at each brand’s choice and how it fits into broader trends.
Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year
Pantone surprised many by choosing a soft white tone, Cloud Dancer, for 2026. Historically known for bold, attention-grabbing picks, Pantone’s decision reflects a current emphasis on calm, neutral backdrops that allow other elements — art, textiles, and furnishings — to shine.
Cloud Dancer positions white as a deliberate, contemporary choice — a clean canvas rather than a default. While some designers expected a more exuberant Pantone pick, this selection nods to minimalism and curated neutrality.
Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Color of the Year
Benjamin Moore named Silhouette (AF-655) as its 2026 Color of the Year. Described as a “burnt umber with delicate notes of charcoal,” Silhouette leads their “Refined Elegance” palette. It’s a deep, warm neutral that functions as a softer alternative to black — elegant, grounded, and versatile for both walls and accents.
Compared to Benjamin Moore’s recent picks, Silhouette is among the more restrained tones, aligning with the larger movement toward deep neutrals this year.
Sherwin-Williams’ 2026 Color of the Year
Sherwin-Williams chose Universal Khaki, a warm, earthy neutral that anchors their “Tailored & Timeless” forecast. The company emphasizes classic, simple, and elegant spaces; Universal Khaki is one of several creamy tan hues prominent in 2026 announcements.
Sherwin-Williams’ history of muted, timeless choices continues with this warm selection, which pairs easily with both natural materials and richer accents.
Behr’s 2026 Color of the Year
Behr continued its recent preference for deep, moody tones with Hidden Gem, a smoky jade described as mysterious yet usable as a full-wall color. This rich, desaturated green-blue offers dramatic depth while remaining adaptable to many interiors.
Behr’s recent choices show a clear move away from lighter palettes toward richer, full-room color drenching trends that include trim and built-ins painted the same hue.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams used the same swatch as its parent company: Universal Khaki. Instead of naming a separate color, HGTV Home released a 10-swatch 2026 Color Collection, “Honest Essentials,” which emphasizes subtle contrasts and organic, nature-inspired hues across categories like Timeless Neutrals and Conscious Colors.
HGTV Home typically favors punchier tones, so this alignment with Sherwin-Williams is a notable shift; it will be interesting to see if they pick independently again in 2027.
Glidden’s 2026 Color of the Year
Glidden selected Warm Mahogany, a rich red-brown that anchors a collection focused on rest, connection, and creativity. Its warm, grounded tone aligns with several other 2026 choices emphasizing comfort and natural materials.
Warm Mahogany is close in spirit to last year’s deeper, saturated tones and continues the shift away from lighter palettes.
Valspar’s 2026 Color of the Year
Valspar’s pick, Warm Eucalyptus, is a muted, gray-green described as calming and restorative. Valspar frames the color as a redefinition of neutrals — not colorless, but inviting and grounding.
Valspar has chosen single colors for three consecutive years. Warm Eucalyptus is a safe, adaptable choice that works in many settings without reading as an obvious beige or gray.
Dunn-Edwards Color of the Year 2026
Dunn-Edwards named Midnight Garden, a deep muted green, as their 2026 selection. Described as timeless with earthy undertones, it evokes a quiet, elegant garden at night. It’s among the more colorful picks this year and the only true green on the list.
Dunn-Edwards historically favors saturated hues, so Midnight Garden is a relatively restrained entry that still brings color to the trend toward grounded, nature-inspired palettes.
Dutch Boy’s Color of the Year 2026
Dutch Boy’s choice, Melodious Ivory, is a warm cream selected for its nostalgic, elevated vibe and its ability to layer with stronger accent colors. Imagery for the pick leans into rustic and modern farmhouse aesthetics.
Melodious Ivory sits comfortably within Dutch Boy’s history of warm, quiet neutrals and pairs well with both muted and bold accents.
Krylon’s 2026 Color of the Year
Krylon’s pick is Coffee Bean. With fewer, more limited spray-paint shades available compared to traditional paint lines, Krylon’s selections tend to be bold and saturated. Coffee Bean follows last year’s dark neutral trend and complements the broader palette of grounded colors this year.
Krylon’s recent choices show a preference for dramatic, saturated tones with strong visual impact.
Rust-Oleum’s 2026 Color of the Year
Rust-Oleum selected Satin Lagoon, a color they say balances tranquility and vibrancy and pairs well with both neutrals and bolder hues. As with other spray-paint brands, Rust-Oleum’s palette tends to produce brighter, more saturated offerings.
Rust-Oleum’s choices have leaned toward lively colors rather than true neutrals.
Minwax’s 2026 Color of the Year
Minwax chose Special Walnut as its 2026 Color of the Year. As a wood stain brand, Minwax emphasizes rustic wood tones and “wood drenching” trends, and Special Walnut is a classic medium wood tone that complements natural finishes and grounded interiors.
This is Minwax’s first time selecting a traditional medium wood tone as their COTY, reflecting interest in warm, grounded finishes.
Graham & Brown’s 2026 Color of the Year
Graham & Brown selected Divine Damson, a deep saturated purple chosen to complement their wallpaper Design of the Year. The hue is positioned as timeless and luxurious, evoking sophistication and richness for interiors.
Graham & Brown’s palette consistently favors refined, elegant colors designed to pair with patterned wallpapers and high-end interiors.
C2 Paint’s 2026 Color of the Year
C2 Paint chose Epernay, an earthy ochre inspired by European interiors and craft traditions. The soft yellow tone sits within C2’s En Terre palette and echoes the grounded, artisanal trends many brands referenced this year.
C2’s history shows a preference for gentler, muted hues that pair well with natural materials and handcrafted interiors.
Our 2026 Color of the Year Predictions
We enjoy guessing each year’s winners. Below are the predictions we made on August 1, 2025. Compare them to the actual picks above.
Sherry’s Guesses
- A taupey purple
- Emerald green
- Fire engine red
John’s Guesses
- A creamy white
- Rich navy
- Pink-ish terra cotta
While we didn’t predict the exact winners, some selections were close in tone or intent. Dutch Boy’s Melodious Ivory and C2 Paint’s Epernay align with a “creamy white” prediction, though they’re warmer and more saturated. Dunn-Edwards’ Midnight Garden sits near the emerald-green neighborhood, but muted. And Glidden’s Warm Mahogany resembles a deeper terra cotta — close in hue if not in value.
More Paint Colors We Love
For more of our favorite paint colors, tour our homes via the blog menu. We’ve also published in-depth posts on specific shades and palettes, including lists of top whites, greiges, and other go-to colors.
- Every 2025 Color of the Year
- Every 2024 Color of the Year
- 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