As the end of the year approaches, we begin to wonder what the next 12 months might have in store – and here at House & Garden, that means paint colour trends. While we’re certainly not encouraging everyone to repaint their houses in the colours du jour, we know that it can be very helpful to know which shades are feeling fresh and inspiring. Who better to advise us on such matters than our favourite colour consultants? When we asked them for their predictions for 2026 paint colours, some themes did begin to emerge.
Reassuringly for those who have only just redecorated, it’s clear that we won’t be turning our back on the warm, comforting palette of 2025. Soft, restful neutrals are still very much ‘in’ – Tash Bradley from Lick points out that ‘Taupe 03’ has been on the brand’s colour edit for three years in a row – as are the richer, deeper shades we’ve been drawn to lately. However, we will see this palette evolving with some earthier neutrals and interesting ‘in-between’ colours, as well as some new entries. ‘What really excites me isn’t one “it” colour, but a feeling,’ says Tash Bradley, director of interior design at Lick.
‘There’s a real shift towards decorating in a way that feels deeply personal – letting colour lead the way, rather than following rules.’ Andy Greenall from Paint & Paint Library agrees, explaining that ‘rich jewel-like colours continue to grow in popularity, reflecting increasing confidence to embrace bold, saturated hues’. However, as Edward Bulmer points out, ‘that does not mean we have to choose achingly cool deep colours that make you feel there is a bouncer on the door, just colours with depth and heart that don’t outweigh the room’s furnishings or even its purpose’.
And that’s what we love about next year’s palette of paint colour trends: it seems to strike that perfect balance between contemporary cool and timeless sophistication.
Earthy green
You might remember that ‘dirty greens’ appeared on our list for 2025, with Farrow & Ball’s colour consultant and brand ambassador Patrick O'Donnell likening these khakis and olives to ‘mud-encrusted welly boots’. This year, Farrow & Ball’s colour curator Joa Studholme predicts that subtler, earthy greens will become the new neutrals. ‘We’re still turning to colours that feel reassuringly timeless and meaningful so nature continues to be a big influence,’ she says. ‘We will treat subtle greens like “Dibber” as calming neutrals.’ This muddied, earthy tone actually appears under both green and brown on the Farrow & Ball website – it’s not unlike Edward Bulmer’s ‘Drab Green’ – which brings us neatly onto our next subject.
Moody brown
The past couple of years have been all about those light, golden-hued browns, variously described as biscuit, caramel, coffee and tobacco. Though we are in no doubt that these have staying power, it’s the greenish, reddish, greyish browns that will be coming to the fore in 2026. Joa at Farrow & Ball believes that we will be ‘turning to browner heritage tones like “Broccoli Brown” and “Etruscan Red”, which never fail to feel restorative and reflect the spirit of craftsmanship we all hanker for’. The recently revived archive colour ‘Broccoli Brown’ is one that freelance consultant Harriet Slaughter also has her eye on for 2026. ‘It has a touch of mucky green in it, which keeps it a little bit interesting,’ she says, before recommending grey-brown ‘Mouse’s Back’ and chocolatey ‘Salon Drab’, both by Farrow & Ball, for painting woodwork.
If 2025 was the year of caffè latte then 2026 could be the year of espresso, thanks to Benjamin Moore’s new hero shade, ‘Silhouette’. Director of marketing Helen Shaw describes this as ‘an alluring mix of rich espresso hues with subtle notes of charcoal’, which ‘creates a perfect backdrop when colour drenching a space, or a moment of contrast when used with a lighter colour’. The star of the brand’s new palette of Tailored Classics, ‘Silhouette’ is inspired by the return of sophisticated tailoring and suiting in fashion and, according to Helen, has that same ability to ‘elevate a design and take it from expected to exceptional’.
Wine red
As we go deeper and richer with brown, it is only natural that we continue to explore the red and purple end of the spectrum too. ‘For 2026, we will see a natural progression in the use of burgundy, with shades of red, pink and purple all becoming more popular,’ says Little Greene’s creative director Ruth Mottershead. This is also reflected in Lick’s 2026 colour edit with the inclusion of wine-hued ‘Red 06’, which is Tash Bradley’s pick of the palette. ‘It pairs beautifully with those warmer materials we’re seeing come through, like walnut, mappa burl and other natural woods, creating a rich, layered look that feels elevated yet cosy,’ she says. Tash is also particularly excited to see ‘Red 06’ combined with some of the more unexpected colours in the 2026 edit, such as dusky olive ‘Green 05’ or duck-egg ‘Blue 03’.
Plum and aubergine
Meanwhile, Little Greene’s colour of the year is ‘Adventurer’. ‘Regal, reassuring plum aubergine hues like “Adventurer” are historically associated with opulence, providing the perfect shades to combine luxury with tranquillity, intimacy and restfulness in bedrooms, dining rooms and bathrooms,’ explains Ruth, who also cites darker aubergines like ‘Córdoba’ and ‘Purple Brown’ as increasingly popular choices on both walls and woodwork. ‘These sumptuous hues provide a sophisticated alternative to brown for an elevated scheme with a beautiful, charismatic depth of colour,’ she adds.
Raspberry pink
As millennial pink fades into the distance, we are noticing more willingness to experiment with brighter, bolder tones. Harriet Slaughter believes that raspberry pink might be about to have its moment in the sun. ‘Gosh there are some good ones,’ she says, ‘“Rhubarb” by Paint & Paper Library and “Rudranath Temple” by Francesca’s Paints are both incredibly rich and joyful – just for an injection of colour where needed.’ Dulux also offers some lively raspberry tones, including ‘Raspberry Ripple’ and the more muted ‘Raspberry Diva’.
Teal
Global trend forecasting company WGSN has named ‘Transformative Teal’ as colour of the year 2026, and this jewel-like blue-green has been on our radar too. As Elizabeth Bennett explains in her recent piece on the subject, paint companies are following suit, with Mylands having named ‘Burlington Arcade’ as its colour of the year and Birdie Fortescue’s collection for Fenwick & Tilbrook including the paler teal ‘Babingley’. And then there’s ‘Narragansett Green’ from the Benjamin Moore 2026 palette, which is described as a ‘blackened teal’ and is wonderfully deep and sophisticated. ‘Deeper shades of blue will be rich and enveloping in 2026, creating spaces that feel cocooning rather than cold,’ says Benjamin Moore’s marketing director Helen Shaw, who predicts that we will, in fact, be returning to blues of every description.T
Indigo and navy
The team at Dulux clearly agrees, as they have revealed their 2026 colour family as Rhythm of Blues. ‘Blue is having a moment – not a loud or fleeting one, but a soulful return that feels utterly right for the times we’re in,’ says Marianne Shillingford, the company’s creative director and colour expert. The Dulux 2026 colour family comprises three shades of indigo, ranging from pale ‘Mellow Flow’ through to bold ‘Free Groove’ and dark, inky ‘Slow Swing’ – much like three pairs of jeans in three different washes. Here at House & Garden, we’ve seen other indigo-inspired paints, such as Farrow & Ball’s ‘Stone Blue’ and Little Greene’s ‘Dock Blue’ (and indigo-dyed fabrics) cropping up in a few projects lately, so it could well be on the way up. If you’re contemplating a dark blue, it’s also worth pay attention to Helen from Benjamin Moore, who believes that ‘navy is set to make a 1970s-inspired comeback, blending inky blues with sun-baked tones such as terracotta, burgundy, and burnt orange’. Watch this space.
