Something I always find exciting as a designer is discovering the different colours of the year.

Last year, for 2025, felt notably dusty: Benjamin Moore chose a dusty purple, Behr went with a darker red, Glidden selected a plum, and Pantone offered a dusty peach-brown. Together they created subdued palette across brands.

This year, the different colours of the year are a bit richer in tone while still keeping a more neutral palette; Benjamin Moore chose a deep neutral brown, “Silhouette,” Behr went with a dark blue-green called “Hidden Gem,” and Glidden selected a dark burnt orange-red. The overall palette created by these selections feels cohesive and sensible to me, except for one choice that has captured everyone’s attention: Pantone’s “Cloud Dancer.” While the other companies are leaning into warm, moody hues, Pantone stands apart with what is essentially an eggshell white, a much lighter and airier option amid the deeper, more saturated tones.

Don’t get me wrong, picking a good shade or tone of white can be important when painting your home, but it’s always a good idea to pair it thoughtfully with other accent colours. While it’s easy—especially when selling your house—to paint the whole place white; it’s clean, crisp, bright and creates an uncomplicated palette to stage around. The problem is that an all-white scheme can feel cold, staging photos may look flat, and it often lacks the warmth and character you can get from colours like the other brand’s colours of the year.

Painting isn’t the only way to introduce new colours into your home. Tasteful wallpaper, cushions, artwork and linens are also a great way to add warmth, character and texture— and may actually make a space feel larger compared with a flat white palette.

Enjoy discovering creative ways to introduce these colors into your home!

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