2026 Color of the Year Prediction (with Color Palettes)

We’re two months into the new year, and the color trends for this year are fresh in our minds. this year, we are surrounded by muted, earthy tones and rich, vintage-inspired shades that are a nice balance of warm, natural, and sophisticated. But I want to look forward to 2026 and see if we can predict the 2026 Color of the Year.

It is always an exciting time when leading paint brands and Pantone announce the new Colors of the Year. These colors are often paired with beautiful color palettes, complementing the trending colors and helping you create a beautiful, harmonious color palette in your home.

Before we discuss the color prediction for 2026, let’s examine the prediction for 2025, which showed a correlation between the Fashion Week color palettes and interior color trends.

Almost every Color of the Year chosen by leading paint brands like Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, and the Pantone Color Institute was shown in the New York and London fashion week color trend reports.

The color palettes also share a lot of similarities, which suggests that the design world is heading toward a specific color trend.

According to the Pantone Color Institute, the LFW Autumn/Winter 2025-2026 palette harmonizes creativity, heritage, and change. The trending colors of 2026 reflect a deep, moody atmosphere enriched by elegantly grounded earth tones and ethereal, vaporous whispers of tinted whites and lavender blues. The addition of brighter reds and eco-inspired blues and greens injects vibrancy, enhancing the seasonal story with an aura of innovation.

The key color trends for the London Fashion Week Color Palette

• Rich, Earthy Tones: Deep burgundy, warm rust, mustard yellow, and dark olive provide a foundation of timeless sophistication.
• Muted Neutrals: Soft grays, creamy whites, and deep browns balance the intensity of richer hues.
• Bold Contrast: Striking reds and moody greens bring a sense of drama and depth to the palette.

The London color selection is all about depth, contrast, and an invitation to experiment with a refined yet adventurous approach to color design.

A golden yellow like Bronze Mist adds a warm and luxurious look to your interior, as pictured here in this IKEA living room, where it’s paired with a green corduroy sofa and colorful cushions.

Green never goes out of style, and the London color palette features a lovely teal green shade that will look great in your kitchen.

But you can also go bolder. The London color palette features the Salted Lime color, a bolder green shade.

The deep, earthy orange shade Dessert Sun adds a warm atmosphere to your home. Go all-in by painting the walls and ceiling or use it as a warm accent color.

The London palette features deep, earthy shades that can easily be incorporated into your interior by adding new textiles. This Swedish bedroom with earthy-colored bedding creates an instant cozy vibe.

Both palettes feature the cheerful orange-red shade Poppy Red. This is a wonderful accent color, as you can see in this kitchen, where the inside of the cabinets is painted in a similar orange-red shade.

An orange-red library room in an art-filled Scandinavian apartment.

Even a tiny room can handle a deep and dark shade. This tiny sitting room in a narrow London home is painted in a deep purple shade similar to Pantone’s Fig.

The first two rows consist of the new standout colors, while the bottom row consists of seasonless shades that are classic and luxurious neutrals. In contrast to London’s moodier palette, NYFW Autumn/Winter 2025-2026 presents a more poetic and nuanced approach to color.

Pantone Color Institute describes this season’s New York colors as embodying a mix of casual relaxation and subtle elegance. The color story features traditional neutrals balanced against deep, dramatic hues, encouraging a personal journey toward authenticity and meaningful living.

The key color trends for the New York Fashion Week Color Palette

• Vintage Warmth: Soft pinks, muted yellows, terracotta, and rich browns offer a comforting, nostalgic feel.
• Deep, expressive tones: Dark blues, rich reds, and purples create drama while maintaining an air of elegance.
• Layered Sophistication: A mix of warm and cool neutrals allows for seamless layering and versatility.

New York’s palette reflects a fusion of tradition and modernity, helping you explore personal creativity while embracing familiarity.

The New York palette features more romantic colors like light pink, purple, and a lovely reddish pink. Light pink is a classic and looks good in any room. If you want to create a soft, romantic vibe in the bedroom, you should add this color.

The New York color palette features Brandied Melon, a soft and muted orange shade that adds the right amount of warmth and color to your interior space.

Dark blue, like Pantone’s Crown Blue, is a classic color for the bedroom. It creates a cozy and relaxing atmosphere in the room where you need to get your rest. It can be paired with neutral tones but also with a soft pink for a more romantic touch.

Mustard yellow is a shade we have seen a lot in recent years, but the New York palette shows a lighter yellow shade, ‘Lemon Grass,’ which will add a nice subtle color pop to your interior. This bathroom shows that it also works well in the form of tilework.

A bronze ceiling in Natasha’s (@untillemonsrsweet) color-blocked house.

A couple of years ago, PPG/Glidden already chose a teal green shade as their color of the year, and it looks like the color is making a comeback as both color palettes feature this color. This light Victorian townhouse already showed the strength of this color in their library room.

The New York color palette features a lovely terracotta orange shade that can be used in home accessories or as a warm, natural shade on the walls.

But these color palettes show a shift toward classic, timeless tones that offer stability while also incorporating modern expressions of bold color to spark individuality and innovation. Deep reds, browns, and mustard yellows suggest a return to heritage hues, while deep greens and blues blend the past with the future.

It is also interesting that both color palettes feature Poppy Red, Hot Chocolate, and Crown Blue. As 2025 has been the year of brown and in previous years, we’ve seen an abundance of blue, perhaps 2026 is the year for a cheerful orange-red shade!

But whether it’s the rich, dramatic contrasts seen in the London palette or the softer, poetic blends from New York, in 2026, we will embrace color in a way that feels authentic and meaningful—highlighting balance, creativity, and personal expression.