A Guide to Every Color of the Year for 2025 (So Far) (2024)

Color of the Year—COTY in industry parlance—season is officially here. It’s time for paint companies and color experts to cast their predictions on what colors are set to dominate interiors in the year ahead.

Whatever will 2025 hold? Are we still riding the wave of last year’s Barbenheimer split, with a migraine-inducing amalgamation of preppy pinks and moody darks? Is blue still having a moment, proving to be a perennial favorite for designers and DIYers alike? Or will some unexpected shades come out of the woodwork, creating a stir in the colorverse, like Pantone’s bait-and-switch last year?

While we wait to see how the 2025 Color of the Year outlook will shake out, so far we’re seeing an enthusiastic embrace of moody browns and rich jewel tones (Behr’s announcement of Rumors, a new spin on a ’90s classic, had us tripping down memory lane in the best of ways). As we wait out each color drop, we’re keeping close tabs on what colors are hot. Join us, with popcorn in hand, as we share the 2025 Colors of the Year—as they stand.

Behr Color of the Year: Rumors

We’re leaning hard into ’90s nostalgia these days, and Behr—Home Depot’s in-house paint company— is here for it. The California-based paint company named Rumors, a sultry red, its 2025 Color of the Year. It’s a sophisticated take on the viral unexpected red trend that had us looking at cherry red with new eyes. Rumors is a fitting departure from last year’s reveal, a charcoal shade dubbed Cracked Pepper—which was the dark-hued part of the “Barbenheimer” effect we observed across the colorverse. The Behr team’s choice of Rumors reflects a newfound freedom of expression. “Today’s consumer doesn’t want to be told what they like,” says Sarah Fishburne, the Home Depot’s director of trend and design. “They’re more confident, and they’re past latching onto everyone else’s style…Rumors is that bold choice that can be incorporated into many different versions of self-expression.” The color works well when applied wall to wall but also on one specific architectural detail in the home, like a fireplace mantel or a statement wall.

Valspar Color of the Year: Encore

Blue came in hot last year, and it’s clearly not going anywhere anytime soon. Valspar’s named shade, Encore, is a rich, saturated jewel tone, described by Valspar’s director of color marketing, Sue Kim, as a “livable ultramarine.” It’s a more luxurious take on the brand’s minty blue last year. Kim says her team chose this shade for its versatility in both modern interiors and old-world design styles. Use the paint color to create a jubilant accent wall or jewel-box-bathroom moment.

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams: Quietude

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’s named shade, Quietude, is exactly what it portends—a cool sage green hue that sets the stage for a calming space. The hue is one of 10 gentle colors that make up the paint company’s color collection of the year, which is a subtle lineup of muted yellows, creamy neutrals, and warm browns. “The ‘Naturally Refined’ Color Collection embraces the desire for simplicity and slower living,” Ashley Banbury, the color marketing manager at HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, said in a press release. “Within the collection, the softened sage green Quietude stands out as the 2025 Color of the Year and sets the stage for a quiet space to promote relaxation.” In other words, it’s your sign to embrace understated elegance.

Minwax Color of the Year: Violet

Purple, it seems, is having its own moment this year. If you’re a sworn purple hater, you might do a double take with Minwax’s crowning of Violet for the 2025 Color of the Year. This particular purple hue lives in the blue color family but has red undertones, providing a balanced shade that feels both classic and contemporary. The color was chosen to invite consumers to embrace maximalism and empower DIYers to explore new frontiers in wood staining. "This year, we have seen that consumers are looking for ways to really express themselves," says Lisbeth Parada, the brand’s color and design lead. "This is especially true among millennial and Gen Z consumers, who are looking for ways to breathe new life into well-loved and thrifted heirloom pieces....Violet truly transforms pieces, whether they are thrifted or hand-crafted, to be purely joyful and really brings a sense of fun—and I think we all need that little touch of happiness in our homes."

STAINMASTER Color of the Year: Truffle

Haven’t you heard? Brown is the new black. Stainmaster, a flooring and paint brand from Lowe’s, dares you to give one room in your house an all-out color drench with their moody Truffle. The saturated shade, a rich chocolate-meets-taupe color, aligns with the trend toward luxury interiors and dark designs. “Truffle complements a wide range of styles, from modern minimalism to rustic chic, and layers beautifully with a broad palette of colors from soft neutral hues to deep bold palettes, truly elevating the style of any space,” Monica Reese, Lowe’s director of trend and style, said in a press release. Go ahead, shake up an otherwise prevailingly neutral room with quiet luxury’s new It color.

Little Greene Color of the Year: Mochi

Little Greene is betting that we’re still in need of a comforting color. Mochi, a rich light brown with peachy pink undertones, is a warm hue that’s more saturated than a traditional beige but more subtle than a jewel tone. The paint company says it’s designed to work in both traditional homes and ultramodern spaces. “Rich warm colors deliver cocooning, restful, and charming spaces and are perfect for creating enticing and sumptuous spaces within our homes,” Ruth Mottershead, creator director at Little Greene, said in a statement. Mottershead recommends playing up the more traditional elements of a room by pairing Mochi with greens and grays for a grounded, earthy feel. A rich, dark brown too would make for an inviting contemporary space.