Done with grays? Enough of the insipid off-whites, the ho-hum neutrals? Are you craving colors with some oomph? Well, have I got good news for you! The last of the paint manufacturers have presented their candidates: 2025 Colors of the Year (aka COTYs) are wowzer, what a field it is!

When you love what you do for a living, these announcements are equally fun, exciting, and serious business. Colors of the Year are both science (link in Farrow and Ball below is a deep dive) and marketing, and TRH eagerly awaits this annual tradition.

Color consultancy is one of The Refreshed Home’s most requested services:  Homeowners looking for a change, sellers looking for quick, high-ROI updates that’ll engage buyers, and buyers looking to put their own stamp on their new home.

Walls are mathematically the largest part of any space, so nothing defines a space or a vibe like the color (or sadly, lack of color) on the walls. Our design and staging work takes an anthropological position:  The attraction to, the power of color is inexorable and undeniable. Our reactions to color is baked into our cells.  Obvious (think stop signs, or your favorite sports team) to subliminal (think fireworks, holiday lights, and branding).

Overall the two trends I see emerging are strength and color-drenching. The grays that have soothed and comforted will still be relevant, but now in a supporting role.

In 2025 we are looking for more oomph, choosing meaning over fluff. These colors are substantive and saturated, they have distinct personalities. And while the idea of color-drenching (aka monochromatic palette) is not new, that it’s done in deeper, moodier tones is fresh and provocative. They are stable and satisfying anchors. Ready? Set. LET’S GO!

Behr  Rumors  #MQ1-15

Full disclosure: I was not, am not a fan of Behr’s budget-friendly paint line, the formula, or the colors. The paint was thin, the colors too sheer or too harsh. But all that changed when they debuted their MARQUEE line in 2013.  More and better pigment has given these paints a thick, creamy texture and a polished, nuanced finish. Rumors is a deep, sexy blue-toned red with a fabulous name.

Benjamin Moore  Cinnamon Slate #2113-40

Benjamin Moore will always have a special place in my heart, as they were the first I knew of with a truly user-friendly program to support the design trade.

You may be confused though, as this color doesn’t read as the name suggests. BM describes Cinnamon Slate as it appears,  a ‘delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown.’  Opulent, gentle, and with presence, a good foil against deep browns, many grays, and deep creams but keep it away from anything in the rusted/orange tones we think of when we hear “Cinnamon”.

Farrow and Ball True Joy

Known as the bespoke English paint company that owns its niche, they are as passionate about their purpose and process as they are about the colors themselves. At any given time there are just 132 well-curated active colors, with every other single past color easily accessible through their vibrant Archival program.

Below is from Dulux, their UK sister paint company, in describing this COTY. If you’re a color nerd like me, link in quote below takes you on that deep dive into the science behind the trends.

“This year, there’s a growing sense across the world that life must be better elsewhere. In times like these, there’s a desire to break free, press reset and welcome in the new. This was the feeling from our Colour Futures Trend Forecast meeting.”

Well-named, True Joy is a fluid, full-bodied yellow. It’s soft, bright, and warm, a great color and a perfect illustration of the difference quality pigment makes.

Glidden PPG  Purple Basil  #PPG1046-7

Glidden Paint has been around for a while, but since its merger with Pittsburgh Paints in 2012 they’ve become real players in the design field.  Here in Westchester, it’s sold in a number of locations from the local hardware store to Home Depot.

As its namesake suggests, Purple Basil is a deep and smokey tone, sexy, modern, and elegant.  If you use a lot of it, it’ll need light and contrast; otherwise, it’ll read as dark, even disorienting.  Think: below a chair rail with wallpaper above; in a powder room, even on a ceiling could be amazing!  Otherwise, the judicious use of lighter colors in trim and upholstery, art with a light ground and wide matting will provide contrast and get you a polished and dramatic look.

Sherwin Williams went rogue this year.

Instead of “a” color, they submitted a whole color palette. Not sure how I feel about this idea. 9 colors dilute each others’ impact, and just feels like they’re just covering a lot of bases here.

You can’t sell a lot of paint if there’s nowhere for people to buy it. While SW has been one of the biggest US paint brands, they’ve only become a real presence here in Westchester the last 10 years or so, going from 2 retail stores to almost a dozen.

That aside, I have always marveled at the look of real Bosc pears.  No single paint can capture that golden bronze dappled with green undertones, but it’s a start. So in absentia, I nominate their aptly named Bosc Pear (lower left dot) for their 2025 COTY.  Would pass on using it with whites or grays, and suggest instead of playing warm mossy green or even black against it for a fresh and organic vibe.

Valspar Encore  #8002-45G

Navy blues walk a fine line: too deep can read as ashy, or charcoal; too light isn’t really navy.  IMO this one nails it: a solid, classic, quintessential navy blue that’s substantial enough for exteriors.

Bummer though: Design and painting pros tend to work with what is reasonably accessible, and at this writing, according to their website, Valspar is available at only 3 Lowe’s locations in the lower Hudson Valley: 1 in Westchester and 2 in Rockland.

Like Glidden, Valspar’s fashion-forward choice hints at upscale moves, and more locations. And like Farrow and Ball,  Valspar speaks to the emotion behind the color:

“An anchoring shade that embodies constancy and confidence to let you create a joyful respite from the ebbs and flows of life.”

So beyond the celebrity or hype, the power of color to affect your life is real. Whether you’re dancing with the idea of a Purple Basil ceiling, or thinking a warm gray is a good way to de-beige your space, The Refreshed Home can help, just start the conversation!