Color Trend Forecast 2026: Inside the Hues, Harmonies, and Bold Statements Shaping the Year Ahead

As we look ahead to 2026 (and with Pantone opting out of an actually colorful Color of the Year selection…), we’ve got color on the brain. Here, Kuchar Senior Project Designers Rachel Benitez and Shelby Thompson unpack the emerging moods, palettes, and cultural influences shaping 2026 interior color trends — and how the studio is using them to create thoughtful, joy-filled spaces.

As we look toward 2026, what overarching mood or feeling will define the year’s color trends?

SHELBY: People want their spaces — homes, workplaces, hospitality environments — to actually say something. After years of minimalism, there’s a real desire for character. I’m calling it ‘MIDimalism’: the sweet spot between min and max. It’s calm, layered, and expressive without being overwhelming.

RACHEL: This shift is pushing color in a richer direction. We’re seeing warm, saturated tones that feel grounded and sophisticated. Clients want spaces with depth — colors that make a room feel lived-in, loved, and personal.

SHELBY: Lately, I keep coming back to the idea of creating moments. With everything happening in the world, people are craving more joy in their environments. Color becomes a way to create those micro-moments of delight.

RACHEL: Exactly. We’re moving away from copy-and-paste catalog spaces. People want interiors that resonate with who they are — whether that’s a quirky piece of art or an unexpected textile.

SHELBY: Or even something small, like painting a door a joyful, personality-filled color. Moments don’t have to be big to make an impact.

Which color families do you predict will define 2026 — and why?

RACHEL: I’m seeing a rise in rich, warm tones — burgundies, oxblood, brown-reds, chocolate. They’re bold but behave like sophisticated neutrals. You can pair them with so much, and they add instant depth.

SHELBY: I’m leaning into what I call ‘spicy ’70s jewel tones’ — paprika, deep spruce, yellow ochre, cumin, and desaturated emerald with a hint of blue. And then, to keep it fresh, a surprise note: a pale, desaturated mint or soft blue-green that balances all that spice.

RACHEL: We’re currently using this color family for a workplace project. The client wanted a major color move, so we’re painting the entire core of their 12,000-square-foot space a deep, spicy brown-red. It completely transforms an otherwise white and gray shell.

How is the 2026 palette evolving from the trends of 2024 and 2025?

SHELBY: Colors are getting warmer and bolder. Social media is a driving factor. People are documenting their travels, their homes, their collaborations with designers. There’s this drive to elevate our environments beyond the standard builder-grade aesthetic to make them worthy of sharing.

RACHEL: One of our recent residential projects is a perfect example. While 100 percent luxury, this duplex loft in the West Loop had a very minimal shell. We layered in warm tones (i.e., turmeric, pink clay, gold, and moss green), texture (Venetian plaster and velvet upholstery), and subtle nods to the family’s origins and travels (heirloom art and treasured momentos). Today, clients want spaces that feel collected and meaningful.

What accent colors best enhance the core 2026 palette?

RACHEL: Butter yellow, celery green, mint, denim blue, and cobalt. These softer or cooler notes become the pop, especially against saturated foundations. The idea is to ‘desatch the pop’ — use desaturated accents instead of neon-bright surprises.

SHELBY: It flips the script in a way that feels new.

RACHEL: In commercial design, brand colors can be limiting—but that’s where interesting combinations shine. When clients trust their instincts, unexpected pairings can create something truly memorable.

SHELBY: And on the material side, silver is reemerging. Brass isn’t going away, but silver tones are balancing out those richer colors.

Speaking of… How else do you see color interacting with texture and materials in 2026?

RACHEL: They should always be in conversation. If a client gravitates toward ivory bouclé, we’ll sometimes try nudging them toward a colored bouclé instead. Color can absolutely be a neutral. We redesigned the Scandinavian Spaces showroom at The Mart entirely in mauve across multiple palettes, and it’s stunning.

SHELBY: Agreed. At Kuchar, color is a neutral. That’s something our team collectively believes in. And texture is only getting more expressive — colored bouclés, colored fringe, reflective surfaces, the resurgence of chrome. It’s a more playful, layered approach.

RACHEL: For clients nervous about color, we bring it in through small but intentional detailing: a colored fringe, welt, or button. Tiny touches can shift the whole piece.

Are residential and commercial color directions diverging or converging in 2026?

SHELBY: They’re converging. The comforts of home have been seeping into commercial interiors for several years now. Sconces, patterned rugs, bursts of color, lounge seating… People want their workplaces to feel welcoming and relaxed.

RACHEL: Residential always sets the tone for all of the other design verticals.

Psychologically, what colors will people crave in 2026?

RACHEL: Dopamine-inducing combinations. And by that I mean colors that excite because they’re slightly unexpected: burgundy with butter yellow, lilac with magenta and blue, peach with brown, or warm burnt orange with neutrals, for example. There’s joy in the surprise.

SHELBY: And nature is still a huge influence, but we’re digging deeper than ‘just green.’ Think about the variant shades inside of a tree and the spectrum of hues at the base of a forest — across the soil and moss. People want colors that feel rooted and organic, but in more nuanced ways.

RACHEL: Which ties directly back to texture. Nature is layered, so color should be too.

What global or cultural influences are shaping the upcoming color landscape?

SHELBY: Fashion always leads. Major houses set palettes through texture, accessories, and materiality. In my opinion, Dries Van Noten, Hermès, and Rabanne were the textural all-stars at the Fall 2025 Paris Fashion Week, showcasing fringed tassels, braiding, beadwork, faux skins, and ribbed knits. 

RACHEL: Clients want their personal experiences — travel, fashion, art — to influence their spaces. If someone just visited Venice, we’ll pull from those color memories. For clients who are more cautious, art becomes a great entry point for big color moments without architectural commitments.

For anyone wanting to refresh their space with 2026 colors, where’s the best place to start?

RACHEL: Start with a vision. And don’t panic if the ‘colors of the year’ seem scattered. All that proves is how subjective color really is. Use them as inspiration, not rules.

SHELBY: I love starting in a small space, like a powder room. Go bold: color-drench the walls, pair them with an unexpected mirror, and experiment with new metal finishes. It’s a controlled environment that delivers big impact.

Your personal favorite emerging hues or combos for 2026?

RACHEL: Oxblood and lilac. We’re using this pairing in a workplace project right now, and it feels both striking and elevated.

SHELBY: Camel and cobalt. It’s warm and cool in perfect tension.

RACHEL: At Kuchar, we joke that camel completes every palette. It’s the universal finisher.

Any wildcard colors you hope get their moment?

SHELBY: Spruce yellow — a muted mustard with a twist. It’s playful and surprisingly versatile.

RACHEL: Lilac. Not soft lavender but something bolder, with magenta or red undertones.

If you had to describe the 2026 color story in three words, what would they be?

SHELBY: Bold, dynamic, comfortable.

RACHEL: Rich, balancing, chic.