The house should feel like a sanctuary. I always want to feel a sense of peace and calm as soon as I walk through my door, especially after being in the hustle and bustle of everything going on outside. Your home can, of course, evoke any feeling you want, but ultimately, home is where we rest. This is where we relax after a hard day of work, this is where we relax in our pyjamas slow Sunday mornings, and that’s where we’re headed to sleep And I wake up every day. Having a home that exudes calm is a good goal for the new year, and there’s a surefire way to help you achieve it: color.
Best Color Predictions for 2026
There’s no denying that color has an effect on our mood and well-being, and paint color trends in 2026 show us that we’re all collectively looking to relax. “Homeowners are looking for comfort and stability and will look to create that particularly in their home,” Carolyn Fife Bever of Foundry-House said. “The future of paint colors is nature’s big warm hug: comforting, familiar and grounding. »
Designers look for warm neutrals, soft blues and greens, and desert-inspired tones meant to help you feel comfortable. Ahead, interior designers share their favorite paint color trends for 2026 and how they can create a relaxed feeling in every room.
Warm Neutrals
Years ago, cool gray was neutral. Nicknamed “millennial gray,” the tide has turned and neutral and warm tones continue to reign supreme. “Instead of cool grays, we’re seeing a shift toward warmer neutral tones, like a mushroom taupe, soft stone, or warm-toned beige,” Daniele Doerge, color expert at Californian paintingssharing. “These colors are timeless and can create a space that is comforting rather than cold or stark.”
If you think neutral tones seem a little boring, Lauren Lerner, founder and lead designer of Living with Lolosuggests the opposite. “Neutral and warm tones create an inviting backdrop that really makes architecture, furnishings and textures shine,” she says. “Colors inspired by limestone, sand, clay, weathered wood or mushrooms seem timeless to me because they are anchored in nature and not in trends.”
Paint finishes can also create calm, especially when working with warm neutral tones. “You’ll see brighter paints reflecting sunlight back into rooms, especially on warm paint colors like Broccoli Brown from Farrow and Ball And Creamy by Sherwin-Williams», adds Fife Bever.
Greek
If gray continues to call you, all is not lost. 2026 Paint color trends include greige, a warm, creamy gray that doesn’t include cool, stark tones.
“As we look ahead to 2026, I recommend a warm greige for its calming and grounding qualities,” Erica Yaw, senior designer at Rumor Designssaid. “With the cool grays finally disappearing, this neutral is fresh, clean and welcoming, without any yellow or dated undertones.”
Current interior design trends embrace unique, highly personalized spaces, and Yaw explains that greige works equally well in calm, relaxed spaces as well as those that are a little bolder. “I applied this color to the walls and ceilings of a living room, creating a warm, welcoming environment while providing a neutral base for striking design elements, such as ice blue lounge chairs, a weathered metal fireplace, and a vibrant accent rug,” she says. “The overall effect was rich and welcoming, with the warm greige connecting every element of the space.”
Nature-focused greens and blues
There’s a reason why lush green forests and a sun-drenched body of water make us feel relaxed. Being in nature calms us, so it makes sense to use the same calming paint colors in our homes. “Earth greens continue to lead the charge through 2026 because they create that immediate connection to nature,” says Doerge. “These tones are restorative and relaxing, making them ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, and anywhere someone wants to encourage calm.” As for what shade of green? “Deep greens like Dakota Woods Green by Benjamin Moore will warm reading rooms and ground kitchen cabinets,” predicts Fife Bever.
The same goes for soft blues. “The secret to a serene painting that will be popular in 2026 is to select a color that mimics natural light,” Leigh Falkner of Leigh Falkner Interiors shares. “A space with few windows, especially a bedroom, can be enhanced and calmed with the beautiful light aqua color. Farrow and Ball Pale Powder #204.”
Desert-inspired colors
Camille is the queen of desert-inspired color palettes, and it’s no surprise that they’re hot this year. “We’re seeing more play with clay, terracotta, and those ‘sun-baked’ earth tones,” shares Doerge. “These bring warmth and serenity to a space, while also encouraging color for those who want to add different tones to a room.”
“Clay, putty, soft terracotta and warm charcoals are incredibly grounding,” adds Lerner. “They are calming because we already associate them with the outdoors, so they create balance instead of demanding attention.”
Desert-inspired neutral tones are also incredibly flattering — and who doesn’t want to both look and feel good in their own space? “Visiting a spa with beautiful plaster walls painted similar to Farrow and Ball Setting Plaster #231, I noticed that the color complemented a wide range of skin tones, enhancing the bliss experience for all,” shares Falkner. “As an additional option, this color can be softened satisfactorily by mixing it at 75% intensity. »
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