For 2025, Sherwin-Williams HGTV Home named Quietude (SW 6212) as their official Color of the Year. It is a soothing, soft sage with a gentle whisper of blue that adds spa-like tranquility and understated luxury to both interior and exterior spaces.
Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki (SW 6150) as its 2026 Color of the Year. It is a warm, earthy, and foundational mid-tone tan designed to bring simplicity, warmth, and a tailored, timeless feel to any space.
Sherwin-Williams does not have a single overall best-seller, but its most popular 2025 paint colors were led by the Color of the Year, Quietude (SW 6212). This serene, soft sage-blue dominated trends, supported by best-selling warm neutrals like Shoji White (SW 7042) and Malabar (SW 9110).
Embrace the beauty of quietly colorful hues with the Color of the Year 2025, Cinnamon Slate 2113-40. A delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown, this nuanced color brings a smooth familiarity to any design.
One of the most prominent colours stepping in to replace grey is beige. This versatile shade is celebrated for its ability to brighten spaces while evoking a sense of calm and timelessness. Unlike grey, beige offers a warmer, more organic feel, making it a perfect backdrop for a variety of design elements.
Top 10 Timeless Paint Colors for Your Home
To make a home look expensive, rely on sophisticated neutrals, earthy greens, or muted blues rather than stark whites or highly saturated brights. High-end spaces feel cohesive and intentional, using layered tones, natural materials, and high-quality finishes to create a calm, custom feel.
Interior designers are moving away from stark cool whites, "millennial gray," and heavily saturated accent colors. These rigid hues can make spaces feel cold or clinical. The shift is toward warmer, earthy, and highly nuanced tones that prioritize depth and coziness.
Sherwin-Williams selected Universal Khaki SW 6150 as its 2026 Color of the Year. This earthy, warm neutral bridges the gap between beige and gray, creating a cozy and grounding atmosphere.
Soft Mauves
'Mauve has the same softness and warmth as beige, but the subtle plum and reddy undertone gives it more of a richness and quiet sense of depth, so the color shifts beautifully with the light rather than sitting flat,' says Anna.
Sherwin-Williams' undisputed best-selling paint colors are overwhelmingly warm whites, soft grays, and "greiges" (gray-beige hybrids). The most popular colors include:
Steely, cool grays are being replaced by warmer, earthy neutrals. Instead of flat greys, designers are favoring cozy, nature-inspired hues that bring depth and comfort to interiors.
Joanna Gaines relies on a curated, timeless palette for bathrooms, heavily favoring classic whites, soft grays, and moody blues. Whether you want an airy, bright spa-like space or a bold, character-rich retreat, her Magnolia Home Paint Collection offers several distinct favorites.
Beige, taupe, and "mushroom" neutrals are officially replacing the cool, sterile grays of the last decade. Designers are leaning into warm khakis, sandy beiges, creamy whites, and earthy tones that add a cozy, comforting energy to spaces.
Deep green, navy blue, charcoal, and warm neutrals like beige or taupe make a bathroom look expensive, especially when paired with brass or gold fixtures. Rich, moody colors create a luxurious spa-like feel, while high-contrast neutrals like creamy white or soft grey enhance sophistication and space.
Avoid painting bedrooms in high-energy or intensely saturated colors like bright red, vibrant orange, or deep purple, as they can disrupt sleep and cause anxiety. Designers recommend steering clear of dark, gloomy shades like black or charcoal (especially in low light), as well as neon tones or cold, flat greys that make a room feel clinical.
Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki (SW 6150) as its 2026 Color of the Year. It is a warm, earthy, and foundational mid-tone tan designed to bring simplicity, warmth, and a tailored, timeless feel to any space.
Top Interior Colors
The most flattering bathroom colors balance light reflection and warmth to counteract the often harsh, yellow cast of artificial vanity lighting. The top choices range from airy hues for smaller, windowless spaces to moody, saturated tones for larger retreats.
Beige tones, hues of white, and grey should be the colors of choice for your furniture, curtains, drapes, and other home accessories. Neutral colors not only give that plush look, but they also give you that warm feeling.
In color theory, forbidden colors (or "impossible colors") are hues that the human brain biologically prevents us from seeing.
Black paint is one of the hottest trends for walls this year. “Black has been trending over the past few seasons. It is bold, dramatic, but also neutral, so easy to live with,” says Caroline Harmon, an art director and design forecaster at Lowe's.
Dark or muddy browns, intense reds or purples, neon shades, certain pastels, cool grays and primary colors often appear harsh in natural light, absorb excess heat or feel out of place depending on climate and neighborhood context.
Houses painted in neutral, universally appealing colors like warm whites, soft grays, and greige (gray + beige) sell the fastest. These colors act as a blank canvas, making spaces feel larger, brighter, and move-in ready, which is crucial for attracting the maximum number of buyers.
Rich Colour Combinations That Make You Look Expensive and...