Every 2026 Paint Color of the Year, Compared

Every December, paint brands compete to name the color that will define the next twelve months of interiors — and 2026's class is the most coherent in years. After a half-decade of cool grays, retreating into white-on-white, and brief detours into nostalgic pastels, the major brands have collectively pivoted toward warm, grounded, lower-LRV colors with depth. The 2026 picks share a temperature (warm), a brightness profile (mid-to-low LRV), and a mood (intentional, sophisticated, slightly moody). Here's a complete look at every 2026 Color of the Year from the major paint brands, with LRV, undertones, and where each one actually belongs in a real home.

The Big Picture: What 2026 Says About Where Color Is Going

Five out of five 2026 picks from the major US brands are warm-temperature colors. Four out of five sit below LRV 50 — the threshold where walls start to feel like a confident design choice rather than a neutral background. The collective story is unmistakable: 2026 is the year mainstream interior color leaves the high-LRV neutral zone and gets serious about saturation, depth, and warmth. Browns, espressos, smoky greens, and earthy mid-tones replace the safe greiges that have dominated the prior cycle. Even the lightest 2026 pick (Universal Khaki at LRV 40) carries more visible color than any best-selling neutral of the previous five years.

Sherwin-Williams: Universal Khaki (SW 6150)

Sherwin-Williams' 2026 Color of the Year is Universal Khaki — the warmest, lightest, and most forgiving pick of the five. SW positions it at the center of a 'Tailored & Timeless' trend palette built around classic, simple, and elegant restraint. At LRV 40 it sits squarely in the mid-tone zone, which is a notable departure from SW's recent COTY history (2022's Evergreen Fog at LRV 30, 2021's Urbane Bronze at LRV 8). Universal Khaki is the easiest of the 2026 picks to use as an entire-room wall color in mainstream homes — it's warm enough to flatter most interiors, light enough to keep rooms feeling open, and saturated enough to read as intentional rather than beige-by-default. Best suited to living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms with average natural light.

Benjamin Moore: Silhouette (AF-655)

Benjamin Moore went the deepest of any major brand for 2026 with Silhouette AF-655, an espresso-charcoal that BM describes as 'a luxurious blend of burnt umber and delicate charcoal undertones'. At LRV ~10 this is a true deep neutral — closer to a soft black than a brown — that needs strong layered lighting to come alive but rewards it with serious sophistication. BM's framing leans into a 'renewed interest in suiting and classic silhouettes', positioning Silhouette as the centerpiece of a return to the warm-brown family. Best uses: dining rooms, libraries, accent walls, cabinetry, exterior trim, and any space where the goal is depth and drama. Pair with high-LRV warm whites (BM White Dove, Simply White) for trim contrast.

Behr: Hidden Gem (N430-6A)

Behr's Hidden Gem continues a three-year streak of moody, low-mid LRV picks (after 2024's Cracked Pepper and 2025's Rumors). This smoky jade green sits at LRV 44 — bright enough to use across an entire room without darkening it, deep enough to read as a confident design choice. Behr describes Hidden Gem as the answer to a 'growing appetite for colors that challenge convention and bring an unexpected sense of wonder to everyday spaces'. The cool green undertone makes it the most temperature-distinct pick of the 2026 class — every other major COTY this year is firmly warm. Hidden Gem pairs particularly well with warm wood tones, brass hardware, and warm whites, creating the moody-but-grounded look that's defining 2026 interiors. Best uses: home offices, libraries, kitchen islands, primary bedrooms.

PPG / Glidden: Warm Mahogany (PPG1060-7)

Glidden announced Warm Mahogany (also catalogued as PPG1060-7 across the broader PPG family) as the 2026 Color of the Year — a rich, red-leaning brown that goes further into the saturated 'wood furniture' palette than any other major brand picked. At LRV 8 this is dark, theatrical territory: walls in Warm Mahogany absorb most of the available light and turn rooms into intentional, intimate spaces. The yellow-red undertone gives the color a warmth that resists feeling oppressive — it reads more as a lit fireplace than as a cave. Best uses: dining rooms, accent walls, powder rooms, exterior front doors, cabinetry. Like Silhouette, it requires considered lighting to look its best — a dim room in Warm Mahogany will feel heavy.

Dunn-Edwards: Midnight Garden (DE5657)

Dunn-Edwards picked Midnight Garden, a deep muted green with earthy undertones, for 2026. At LRV 14 it sits between the truly dramatic deep darks (Silhouette, Warm Mahogany) and the moodier mid-tones (Hidden Gem). Dunn-Edwards positions the color as capturing 'the quiet elegance of nature' — it's the most overtly botanical of the 2026 picks. The warm yellow undertone keeps it from feeling cold the way pure forest greens can. Best uses: home offices that need focus, primary bedrooms, exterior body color (DE colors typically have strong exterior performance), and as a deep accent for a kitchen island or cabinetry. Pair with creamy off-whites and natural wood for the full nature-inspired look.

How the 2026 Picks Compare to Recent History

The 2026 collective tells a clearer trend story than any year in recent memory. Compare against the prior cycle: 2024's Color of the Year picks ranged from Benjamin Moore's Blue Nova (LRV 8) to Sherwin-Williams' Upward (a sky blue at LRV ~58). 2025 mostly sat in the warm-mid-tone band (BM Cinnamon Slate, Behr Rumors). 2026 is the first year where almost every major brand independently arrived at the same conclusion: deep, warm, grounded, intentional. Even the lightest 2026 pick (Universal Khaki at LRV 40) is darker than the average COTY of the last five years. If you're forecasting where the broader paint market is going for 2027, the smart bet is more of the same — saturated warm tones with low LRVs, paired with high-LRV warm whites for trim contrast.

Which 2026 Color Should You Actually Use?

If you want to commit to the 2026 trend without making a dramatic move: SW Universal Khaki is the easiest entry point. Its LRV of 40 keeps rooms bright while still adopting the warmer, more saturated direction the year is pointing. If you want to make a real statement and have the lighting to support it: BM Silhouette and PPG Warm Mahogany deliver maximum drama. Both are best in dining rooms, libraries, and cabinetry — anywhere you want depth and intentionality. If you want green but not 'classic forest green': Behr Hidden Gem and Dunn-Edwards Midnight Garden both deliver the botanical look with personality. Hidden Gem is the more usable of the two (LRV 44 vs LRV 14), making it more appropriate for full-room walls in average rooms.

Trim and Coordinating Whites for the 2026 Palette

Every one of these warm 2026 picks looks best paired with a warm-undertone trim white rather than a stark cool white. Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17, LRV 83) and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008, LRV 82) are the strongest universal companions across all five COTYs. For deeper contrast against Universal Khaki specifically, Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005, LRV 84) keeps the warmth without going as creamy. Avoid pure cool whites (BM Decorator's White, SW Pure White Outdoor) — they will fight the warm character of every 2026 pick.

Frequently Asked Questions