It’s a new year and possibly time for a new coat of paint. Need inspiration? You’ll find it here.
Whether you want to create a calm sanctuary or add distinctive drama, everyone will be able to find something to love in 2025’s colours of the year. Carefully chosen by the top paint companies, this year’s colours are definitely a diverse palette, ranging from earthy neutrals to all-out glam in an attempt to embrace all the latest design trends.
Pantone: Mocha Mousse
The obvious and best place to start is with Pantone’s Colour of the Year. Although this is not technically a paint colour, it does hold major sway over pending design trends for both consumers and companies.
This year’s chosen colour is Mocha Mousse, which Pantone describes as “a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.” With its sophisticated, earthy elegance, this colour can stand on its own or act as a versatile foundation, enhancing a wide range of palettes.
Benjamin Moore: Cinnamon Slate
Reflecting the current decor trend of more nuanced colour stories, Benjamin Moore has introduced Cinnamon Slate, a sophisticated blend of heathered plum and velvety brown. Its depth and richness will add an air of accessibility and sense of comfort wherever it’s used in your home.
The shade is especially beautiful in open-concept homes, where its subtle complexity creates seamless transitions between spaces, while also adapting well to small-scale projects like bookshelves, kitchen islands, bathroom vanities and even stair risers, adding an unexpected pop of colour.
Dunn-Edwards Paints: Caramelized
This unique, neutral terracotta brown hue offers the warmth of sun-warmed clay and a fresh take on neutral palettes. Its adaptability makes it suitable for both well-lit and darker rooms, looking almost golden in sunlit areas while providing warmth in the evening.
Caramelized creates an inviting atmosphere encouraging both relaxation and connection in any room. Pairing it with bold colours like navy or charcoal gives it a modern edge, while combining it with creams and natural elements like wood or stone results in a timeless more organic feel. Green is especially vivid against this colour, making a room feel fresh and hinting at summer even in the coldest months.
Behr: Rumors
In an online survey conducted last year by Behr, it was discovered that 69% of Canadians would consider painting accent walls, bedrooms and front doors a shade of red to create a positive impact. Ready to join that group? The colour Rumors is a great place to start.
This sophisticated hue creates intimacy in spaces like dining rooms, bedrooms and living rooms, whether as a simple accent wall, or a completely colour-drenched look. Rumors is especially effective in entryways, whether you use it on the door to enhance curb appeal, or on a piece of furniture like a bench. It also pairs well with greige, tan or grey tones, and transforms a space into a glamorous haven if you add metallic accents in gold or bronze.
Glidden: Purple Basil
This knock-out, organic purple hue challenges conventional colour choices. If you want to express yourself in a unique way, Purple Basil is the perfect choice.
Like Rumors, Purple Basil is great if you want to go bold and paint an entire room, or simply use it for a pop of colour on furniture or a bathroom vanity. Add gold fixtures and your bathroom will look like a high-end spa. It’s also very effective if you want to highlight architectural features like a fireplace mantel or an ornamental coved ceiling. This is also a fun colour to add to the exterior of your home on the front door or shutters. If you want to ease into using such a bold colour, try it on something small like a mirror frame or an end table.
Graham & Brown: Elderton
This rich brown is inspired by the Elder tree and brings nature indoors.
A colour reminiscent of all things earthy, it’s surprisingly versatile and can be modern, boho, sophisticated or cozy, depending on your mood. Elderton pairs extremely well with nature-inspired hues, from green to shades of clay, grey and mustard. It’s perfect to cozy-up large living spaces, or turn smaller spaces like sunrooms or front porches into tranquil getaways. Shots of black and white brighten it up with graphic contrast, but natural light woods also pop against its deep warmth.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams: Quietude
Shhh. After all these bolder, warm palettes comes Quietude (see cover image). This polar-opposite colour offers a refreshing sense of tranquility with its pale sage-green hue imbued with delicate hints of blue. Quietude offers the promise of slower living and mindfulness.
Quietude transforms bathrooms into spa retreats, bedrooms into relaxing dreamscapes, and are an unexpected detail in kitchens. This colour pairs beautifully with the other shades in the ‘Naturally Refined’ colour collection which it’s part of, including Convivial Yellow for subtle contrast or Snowbound for a fresh, restorative appearance.
Whichever colour is calling to you, embrace it to create a home that truly reflects your unique taste!