12 Paint Colors Interior Designers Loved in 2025—and How to Use Them

The 12 shades were Vintage Vogue, Gloucester Sage, India Yellow, Wellfleet, Barnwood, Pure White, Havana Affair, Cinnamon Slate, Benjamin Moore Alabaster, Revere Pewter, Antique Pearl, and Heron Plume. They appeared in a March 22, 2025 Martha Stewart roundup featuring recommendations from named designers and color professionals.

This is now a retrospective of the 2025 design cycle, not a claim about the newest or most popular colors in August 2026. The list is also not a ranked survey of the interior-design profession. It combines established workhorse neutrals with newer or more topical shades, united by a broader direction: complex, softened, earthy colors replacing default cool gray and stark white as the only safe choices.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Mighty Board Minis Polystyrene Paint Color Test Panels, 12" x 9", Set of 5, White	$18.12	Buy on Amazon
2		Sherwin Williams Colors collection Deck Complete Paint Colors	$35.00	Buy on Amazon
3		KILZ TRIBUTE Paint & Primer, Interior, Color Sample, Calm Forest, 8 Ounces	$10.38	Buy on Amazon
4		Benjamin Moore Collections Fan Deck	$33.99	Buy on Amazon
5		Gadpiparty Paint Color Sample Cards Paint Samples for Color Matching Standard Sample Card Set for...	$15.89	Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Below, each color is identified by its brand and number where available, its quoted designer recommendation, its likely room applications, and the practical issue most likely to affect the result. Use the list to narrow your choice to two or three samples—not to order gallons from a screen image.

The 12 colors at a glance

Color names are not sufficient when ordering paint. The same name can exist at multiple manufacturers, and a manufacturer’s color number is the most reliable way to identify the intended shade. LRV means Light Reflectance Value: a manufacturer-listed measurement of how much light a color reflects on a scale from 0, or absolute black, to 100, or pure white. A lower LRV generally appears deeper and absorbs more light, but LRV does not predict undertone or guarantee how a color will look in a particular room.

#1 Best Overall

Mighty Board Minis Polystyrene Paint Color Test Panels, 12" x 9", Set of 5, White

• PERFECT SAMPLES: These 12" x 9" white, styrene panels provide a smooth, warp-free surface for testing up to 5 color samples with paint, stain or other coatings.
• DURABLE MATERIAL: Made of sturdy styrene, these panels can withstand multiple coats and are non-absorbent so colors will stay true.
• CONVENIENT SIZING: At 12" x 9", the panels are just the right size for testing many common paint colors side by side before committing to a full project.
• PACKAGE INCLUDES: This value pack contains 5 white panels, enough for testing several color options on one purchase.
• VERY FLEXIBLE: Mighty Boards do not warp like foam core and you can bend them without breaking.

$18.12

Buy on Amazon

LRV figures above are included only where a manufacturer value was verified in the supplied sources. They are useful comparison points, not a replacement for an in-room sample.

What the 2025 palette was really about

There was no single universal 2025 paint color. The more useful pattern was a move toward colors with visible but softened undertones: muddied greens, dusty blues, earthy yellows, warm reds, browned grays, plums, and richer neutrals. ELLE Decor’s 2025 coverage emphasized muddied pinks, purples, greens, yellows, dusty blues, and browns as more sophisticated alternatives to clear, highly saturated versions. Homes & Gardens likewise covered warm reds, chocolate browns, terracotta, caramel, greens, blues, plaster pinks, and sunshine shades.

Havenly’s design team described earthy colors as capable of working almost like neutrals while bringing more personality than white walls. That did not mean white disappeared. White remained useful for ceilings, trim, kitchens, hallways, transitional spaces, and visual rest points.

Brand forecasts supported the same general direction, but they should be understood as forecasts and marketing signals rather than independent evidence of national preference:

• Benjamin Moore selected Cinnamon Slate 2113-40 as its 2025 Color of the Year and announced it on October 16, 2024.
• Pantone chose Mocha Mousse, PANTONE 17-1230, a warm brown.
• Behr chose Rumors, a deep ruby red.
• Sherwin-Williams published a nine-color Color Capsule including Mauve Finery, Bosc Pear, Grounded, and Rain Cloud.
• Valspar selected Encore 8002-45G, an atmospheric deep blue.

The Martha Stewart list therefore mixes emerging 2025 signals, such as Cinnamon Slate, Havana Affair, Wellfleet, and India Yellow, with established favorites such as Pure White, Revere Pewter, Alabaster, and Heron Plume. Vintage Vogue, Gloucester Sage, Barnwood, and Antique Pearl have a more heritage or character-color feel. Being recommended in 2025 does not mean a shade was newly launched that year.

Dark greens and immersive blue-greens

1. Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore 462

Benjamin Moore describes Vintage Vogue as an ultra-dark smoky green. Its LRV of 11.85 confirms that it is a light-absorbing choice rather than a casual mid-tone green.

Designer Galey Alix recommended Vintage Vogue for kitchens or libraries with extensive shelving and for color-drenching. Its green character helps it retain a green reading instead of simply collapsing into black. That makes it particularly effective on cabinetry, millwork, a study, library, dining room, or a room intended to feel enveloping.

Use it when: you want a deep, grounded room with architectural presence, especially where there is adequate daylight or a considered artificial-lighting plan.

Watch for: the low LRV. In a small, poorly lit room, it can absorb so much light that details disappear. Sample it beside the floor, trim, hardware, and any stone or countertop before deciding whether to paint the ceiling and trim as well.

2. Gloucester Sage by Benjamin Moore HC-100

Gloucester Sage is a Benjamin Moore Historical Colors shade with an LRV of 19.25. It is a mossy medium sage: more characterful than a pale gray-green, but less visually forceful than Vintage Vogue.

Alix suggested it for powder rooms and breakfast nooks, describing it as a sage that does not pull excessively gray as light changes. A powder room gives the color permission to be distinctive, while a breakfast nook lets it work naturally with wood, woven materials, and garden-facing views.

Use it when: you want a traditional or nature-connected green that can handle changing daylight without becoming an obviously cool gray.

Watch for: the surrounding finishes. Warm wood may emphasize its mossiness, while blue-white tile or cool LED lighting may make the gray component more apparent. Put samples next to the actual backsplash, flooring, and cabinetry.

3. Wellfleet by Portola Paints

Wellfleet appears in Portola Paints’ official acrylic sample-color list. Designer Jessica Nicastro recommended it for color-drenching and described it as a blue that balances depth with warmth. She also suggested pairing it with a warm brown such as Mocha Mousse.

Wellfleet can work in a study, bedroom, dining room, hallway, or cabinetry scheme where a blue needs more weight than a pale coastal color. Used across walls, trim, doors, and possibly the ceiling, it can look deliberate and architectural rather than like an isolated accent wall.

Rank #2

Sale

Sherwin Williams Colors collection Deck Complete Paint Colors

$35.00

Buy on Amazon

Use it when: you want a blue with enough depth to create an immersive room and enough warmth to sit comfortably beside brown wood or leather.

Watch for: the finish. Portola offers conventional acrylic paint as well as specialty surfaces such as limewash and Roman Clay. An acrylic sample should not be treated as a prediction of how the same color will look in a specialty finish; texture, application method, and sheen change the way light is reflected.

Warm yellows, oranges, and reds

4. India Yellow by Farrow & Ball No. 66

India Yellow is identified in the source roundup as Farrow & Ball No. 66. Mikala Kuchere of MDI Luxury Design recommended it for its earthy undertones and used it on a laundry-room cabinet alongside vibrant wallcovering.

This is best understood as an ochre or golden yellow with substantial warmth, not as a pale, universally cheerful yellow. On a cabinet, island, door, or small built-in, it can add color without committing every wall in the room to a strong yellow.

Use it when: you want a warm, historic-feeling accent for cabinetry, a laundry room, breakfast area, dining room, or a room with patterned wallpaper.

Watch for: warm light. Southern exposure and incandescent or warm-white bulbs can intensify its golden quality. Compare the sample with the wallcovering, countertop, metal finish, and adjacent white before approving the cabinet color.

5. Havana Affair by Alkemis Paint No. 56

Alkemis lists Havana Affair No. 56 in its Fire collection. Michelle Jacobson of ML Jacobson Design described it as a bright rusty orange-red and used it in a powder room.

Havana Affair is a high-impact color suited to a room where a strong point of view is welcome. A powder room is a practical place to use it because the space is compact, separated from the main palette, and often benefits from a more theatrical treatment. It could also suit a built-in, door, ceiling, or carefully limited accent.

Use it when: you want a warm, energetic room and are comfortable making the paint a major design element.

Watch for: visual intensity. It is not the low-risk choice for a whole-home neutral scheme. Confirm current availability, the exact product, coverage, and sheen with Alkemis before specifying it, especially if the color will be applied to cabinetry or a specialty surface.

Browned grays and complex plum tones

6. Barnwood by Benjamin Moore CSP-115

Benjamin Moore identifies Barnwood as CSP-115 in its Color Stories collection and lists an LRV of 22.13. The manufacturer also states that it is not available for exterior use.

Emily Rand described Barnwood as a deep gray with brown hints and recommended it for bars and dining rooms. Those rooms make sense: its low, warm value can give a bar, dining room, den, or built-in a substantial backdrop without reading as a straightforward charcoal.

Use it when: you want gray that feels connected to brown wood, aged materials, leather, or metal rather than to a cool minimalist palette.

Watch for: low reflectance and texture. Dark gray-brown paint reveals uneven patching and can make a rough wall more noticeable when used in a higher sheen. Sample it with the room’s wood and artificial lighting, and keep it strictly to approved interior applications.

7. Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin Moore 2113-40

Benjamin Moore selected Cinnamon Slate 2113-40 as its 2025 Color of the Year and describes it as a blend of heathered plum and velvety brown. Vyanca Soto described it as a warm, enveloping mixture of deep plum and earth brown.

Rank #3

KILZ TRIBUTE Paint & Primer, Interior, Color Sample, Calm Forest, 8 Ounces

• PAINT + PRIMER: KILZ TRIBUTE is a low VOC, 100% acrylic advanced technology paint and primer in one formulated for superior hide and coverage with exceptional durability. Paint and primer covers light-medium stains and light-dark color changes.
• ADVANCED FORMULA: This is our most technologically-advanced acrylic product which combines paint and primer properties with exceptional stainblocking performances. This remarkable formula can be scrubbed clean safely. GREENGUARD Certified: low emissions of VOCs
• MULTIPLE SURFACES: KILZ interior paint makes a great wall paint or cabinet paint for many home improvement needs. Use on properly prepared coated or uncoated wood, drywall, masonry and cured plaster. Surfaces should be clean and free of dust, grease, chalk, rust and peeling paint. Mix well before using.
• SUPERIOR COVERAGE: KILZ TRIBUTE interior satin paint and primer covers up to 400 sq. ft. per gallon depending on surface texture, porostiy, and application method. If desired, recoat after 2 hours. We offer an 8 oz sample size for color choosing convenience. Use with high-quality brushes or paint rollers.
• KILZ has been making premium primers and paints for 40 years and leverage this experience in every gallon of KILZ Paint. Named Paint Brand of the Year in 2015 in the Harris Poll EquiTrend Rankings. Lifetime Limited Warranty (see label for details).

$10.38

Buy on Amazon

Cinnamon Slate works as a bridge between a dramatic color and a usable room backdrop. Consider it for a bedroom, dining room, library, office, living room, or a color-drenched hallway. Cream, muted blue, olive, natural wood, and aged brass can all support its warm complexity without competing with it.

Use it when: you want the room to feel intimate, layered, and colored rather than merely neutral.

Watch for: the difference between brand endorsement and broad popularity. Color of the Year status is Benjamin Moore’s forecast and selection, not proof that it was the country’s most purchased or preferred paint. Its plum component can become more visible beside warm whites, while dim or cool lighting may make it appear browner or duller.

8. Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore HC-172

Benjamin Moore lists Revere Pewter HC-172 at an LRV of 55.05 and describes it as a neutral bridge between warm and cool tones. Benjamin Moore also identifies it as a best-selling, homeowner-favorite greige.

Isabel Byrnes recommended it as a warm, versatile gray with soft green-gray undertones for bedrooms, kitchens, and trim. It is the established workhorse in this group: more flexible than a strongly colored statement shade, but more nuanced than a plain neutral.

Use it when: you need one color to connect warm wood, cooler stone, cabinetry, upholstery, or metal across several spaces.

Watch for: the word flexible does not mean identical in every room. Benjamin Moore notes that Revere Pewter can behave as warm or cool depending on lighting. Green-gray undertones may show more strongly beside a clean white, blue tile, or cool daylight.

Whites and pale neutrals with real undertones

9. Pure White by Sherwin-Williams SW 7005

Sherwin-Williams lists Pure White SW 7005 at an LRV of 83.957 and describes it as a versatile white with a slight yellow undertone. Galey Alix recommended it as a dependable white that avoids strongly pulling yellow, pink, blue, or gray as lighting changes.

Pure White is a useful candidate for walls, trim, ceilings, kitchens, hallways, and open-plan transitions. Its high LRV can help maintain brightness, but it is not undertone-free. Against a bright cool white, creamy cabinet, or warm wood floor, its slight warmth may become more noticeable.

Use it when: you want a relatively clean white that can move through several rooms without making every space feel stark.

Watch for: contrast. If the existing trim is a warmer cream, Pure White may look cooler by comparison; if it is paired with a cool white countertop, it may appear warmer. Sample the wall and trim together rather than choosing each independently.

10. Alabaster by Benjamin Moore 876 / OC-129

Benjamin Moore Alabaster 876, also identified as OC-129, has a manufacturer-listed LRV of 85.08 and a slight pink influence. Leah Bailey recommended it as a soft, sophisticated white.

It can suit bedrooms, ceilings, trim, kitchens, and rooms where a bright but gentle backdrop is preferred. The pink influence may help it feel less cold than a blue-leaning white, but it can also become visible next to certain beige, taupe, stone, or pink-brown finishes.

Critical identification note: this list means Benjamin Moore Alabaster 876 / OC-129. Sherwin-Williams also sells a different color called Alabaster, SW 7008. Always give the brand and identifier when ordering or discussing the color.

11. Antique Pearl by Benjamin Moore 2113-70

Benjamin Moore lists Antique Pearl 2113-70 at an LRV of 72.43 and describes it as a muted shade with silver and lilac. Asler Valero described it as a silver-lilac that becomes a warmer gray at night and used a sponge application to create an aged, textured effect.

Rank #4

Benjamin Moore Collections Fan Deck

• Brand: Benjamin moore
• Container type: Box
• Finish type: Opa

$33.99

Buy on Amazon

Antique Pearl is a useful choice when a pale neutral needs more personality than beige or ordinary gray. It could support a bedroom, dressing area, powder room, hallway, or softly layered living space, particularly with aged metal, pale wood, plaster texture, or restrained color.

Use it when: you want a quiet pale color that reveals itself gradually rather than a completely blank white.

Watch for: its lilac cast. Warm white trim and golden bulbs may make the contrast more obvious, while the sponge-applied finish will reflect light differently from a smooth eggshell wall. Test the actual application method if texture is part of the plan.

12. Heron Plume by Sherwin-Williams SW 6070

Sherwin-Williams lists Heron Plume SW 6070 at an LRV of 75.374 and describes it as a creamy white. Arlene Angard recommended it for kitchens as a warm cream-gray foundation for a soft, modern space.

Heron Plume is not as high-reflectance or visually crisp as Pure White or Benjamin Moore Alabaster. That can be an advantage where a kitchen needs warmth and softness, especially with natural wood or muted stone.

Use it when: you want a gentle kitchen backdrop or a pale neutral that is less stark than a clean white.

Watch for: the fixed finishes. Compare it directly with the cabinet door, backsplash, countertop, flooring, appliances, and existing trim. A creamy white can look gray, beige, or pink depending on what surrounds it.

How to narrow the list to two or three candidates

Do not begin with a favorite photograph. Begin with the room’s permanent conditions and decide what kind of risk you are willing to take.

1. Choose the mood. For grounded and enveloping, start with Vintage Vogue, Barnwood, or Cinnamon Slate. For natural and restorative, start with Gloucester Sage or Wellfleet. For warmth and energy, look at India Yellow or Havana Affair. For quiet elegance, consider Revere Pewter or Antique Pearl. For an airy, flexible foundation, compare Pure White, Benjamin Moore Alabaster, and Heron Plume.
2. Check the room’s light. If the room is dim, begin with higher-LRV whites or pale neutrals, but test them for unwanted gray or pink. If the room is bright, deeper greens, browns, reds, and plums may absorb light and create welcome depth.
3. Account for permanent finishes. Place samples against flooring, countertops, backsplash tile, cabinetry, brick, stone, upholstery, rugs, trim, and doors. A color that looks balanced on a blank white wall may clash with the undertone of a fixed material.
4. Pick one safe, one middle, and one expressive sample. For example, compare Revere Pewter, Gloucester Sage, and Cinnamon Slate; or Pure White, Heron Plume, and Benjamin Moore Alabaster. This makes the decision a room-specific comparison rather than an abstract question about which color is prettiest.
5. Decide how much surface will be painted. A strong shade may be manageable on a powder-room ceiling, island, cabinet, or one small room but overwhelming across an open-plan interior. Conversely, color-drenching can make a deep shade feel intentional by extending it over walls, trim, doors, and sometimes the ceiling.

As an editorial risk guide—not a manufacturer rating—the lowest-risk whole-home starting points are Pure White, Revere Pewter, Heron Plume, and Benjamin Moore Alabaster. Gloucester Sage, Antique Pearl, Wellfleet, and Barnwood require more attention to undertones and finishes. Vintage Vogue, India Yellow, Havana Affair, and Cinnamon Slate have the highest visual impact and should be selected because they suit the room, not because a trend list named them.

Light, orientation, and undertone: why the sample matters

A paint color is not viewed in isolation. Natural light changes through the day, and artificial light can make the same paint appear warmer, cooler, brighter, or duller. Sherwin-Williams advises evaluating room orientation and light sources rather than relying on a store display or a universal rule about north- or south-facing rooms.

• North-facing rooms: often need careful testing for coolness, especially with blue-greens, lilacs, and gray neutrals. Do not automatically assume a warm paint will solve the issue; test the room’s actual daylight.
• South-facing rooms: can amplify warmth and brightness. India Yellow, Havana Affair, Cinnamon Slate, and pink-influenced whites may look more intense at some times of day.
• Warm artificial bulbs: can emphasize yellow, red, brown, cream, and pink undertones.
• Cool LEDs: can make blue-greens, lilacs, and some grays appear colder or more washed out.
• Low light: may flatten color and make deep shades such as Vintage Vogue or Barnwood feel nearly black in corners, while a pale color may show an unexpected gray, beige, or pink cast.

For dark colors, the question is not simply whether a room is small. A darker surface can appear visually closer and make a space feel intimate, but that may be exactly right for a dining room, library, bar, or powder room. Ceiling height, window area, reflective surfaces, trim contrast, and lighting design matter as much as floor area.

How to sample these colors correctly

Digital swatches and editorial photographs are useful for identifying a color family, not for approving a final finish. Camera processing, monitor settings, print reproduction, sheen, surrounding colors, and room lighting can all alter what you see. Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams caution that on-screen color may differ from actual paint.

1. Start with chips. Compare several shades in the same family so you can identify whether you prefer a greener, grayer, browner, yellower, or pinker direction.
2. Buy a liquid sample or a large peel-and-stick sample. For a construction or remodeling project, use the actual manufacturer and product line whenever exact color fidelity matters.
3. Apply at least two coats if using liquid paint. Benjamin Moore recommends two coats for a more accurate representation of the finished color.
4. Use a large test area. Paint a substantial section of the actual wall or use a white foam-core board. Small chips cannot show how a dark green, plum, or warm white will fill a room.
5. Move the sample. Test it near a window, in a corner, beside the trim, next to flooring, against cabinets, and near countertops. A portable board is useful because it lets you compare several walls without painting the entire room.
6. View it throughout the day. Check morning, afternoon, evening, and the room’s actual artificial lighting. Sherwin-Williams also recommends viewing a sample at different times of day in the intended room.
7. Compare fixed finishes, not a blank screen. Existing stone, wood, tile, brick, rugs, and upholstery contribute reflected color. Sherwin-Williams specifically advises considering permanent elements such as cabinets, tile, brick, and wood undertones.
8. Wait at least a full day before ordering. If the color looks right only in one lighting condition, it is not ready for a whole-room commitment.

For Sherwin-Williams colors, Color To Go samples are quart-sized test products covering approximately 75 square feet. That is enough to evaluate a meaningful area, but it is still important to confirm that the sample’s product and sheen match the finish you intend to purchase.

Color-drenching: when to use it and when to stop

Color-drenching means carrying one color across multiple architectural surfaces—usually walls, trim, doors, and sometimes the ceiling—instead of stopping the color at the wall plane. Vintage Vogue and Wellfleet were specifically recommended for this approach, and Cinnamon Slate and other deep shades can also create an enveloping result.

The method is useful when a dark or saturated color would look disconnected as a single accent wall. Extending it over trim and doors reduces abrupt contrast and lets the architecture read as one composition. It can be especially effective in libraries, studies, dining rooms, powder rooms, and compact transitional spaces.

Best Value

Gadpiparty Paint Color Sample Cards Paint Samples for Color Matching Standard Sample Card Set for Diy Projects Floor Hardware Portable 3.74 X 1.57 X 1.18 in

• Core Color Matching: Paint color sample cards include 83 standard colors to support paint color sample cards, color matching cards for painting, and paint chips standard samples, helping users compare shades before selecting a final finish for floor paint, hardware, and other project needs
• Reliable Reference: Paint samples are made with color matching materials designed to support accurate color comparison, giving painters and DIY users a practical paint and paint color samples reference for selecting tones that fit the project surface and intended look
• Portable Format: Measuring 3.74 x 1.57 x 1.18 in and weighing 3.88 oz, this paint samples set is compact for a toolbox, work bag, or travel use, making it easier to carry color test card paint and check shades on site when planning paint work
• Wide Project Use: Paint sample cards are suitable for floor paint, paint hardware, and related color selection tasks, offering a useful paint chips samples reference for contractors, decorators, and home improvement users working on color coordination across different surfaces
• Simple Set Package: Each package includes 1 set of paint sample cards, giving users a straightforward paint sample standard cards option for daily work, project planning, and quick shade comparison when choosing among paint color cards and paint chips sample cards

$15.89

Buy on Amazon

The trade-off is visual weight. Architectural Digest’s 2025 color report included designer warnings that color-drenching can become visually overloaded without restraint. Use lighting, a lighter floor or ceiling, reflective hardware, artwork, or a controlled contrast in furnishings to keep an immersive room from becoming oppressive.

Choose the right sheen for the surface

Color and sheen are separate decisions. A flat or matte finish minimizes reflection and can disguise minor wall imperfections, but it is generally harder to clean. Eggshell or low-lustre finishes provide moderate reflection and are practical for many walls. Satin is more washable and reflective, while semi-gloss or gloss is commonly reserved for trim, doors, and architectural details.

Sherwin-Williams notes that higher-sheen finishes are generally easier to clean but highlight surface flaws, while flat finishes conceal imperfections but can be difficult to clean. Do not assume every designer uses matte paint for dark colors. Choose according to wall condition, traffic, moisture, cleaning needs, desired reflectivity, and the specific product line.

For a construction project, finish samples should be evaluated on properly prepared surfaces. Patching, sanding, primer, substrate texture, and the number of coats can change the apparent depth of a color just as much as the wall’s orientation.

Brand matching and specialty-finish cautions

A local paint store may be able to produce a close match, but a cross-brand match should not be described as exact. Benjamin Moore cautions that other brands cannot simply reproduce the full behavior of its proprietary color technology. For nuanced colors such as Vintage Vogue, Cinnamon Slate, Antique Pearl, and Revere Pewter, buy the original brand when color fidelity is important.

This matters even more when the finish changes. Portola’s Wellfleet appears in its acrylic sample-color list, but Portola also sells specialty finishes such as limewash and Roman Clay. A sample of conventional acrylic paint should not be used as a guarantee of the appearance of the same color in a textured or mineral finish. Confirm the product, substrate preparation, application method, sheen, and sample format before installation.

The same principle applies to Havana Affair and other colors used on cabinetry, doors, or built-ins: verify that the selected product is appropriate for the surface and that the color is available in the required base and sheen.

Ventilation, VOC, and older-home safety

Follow the paint label and provide fresh-air ventilation during and after painting. EPA guidance notes that most paints emit VOCs and recommends ventilating when painting. A low-VOC or zero-VOC label should not be treated as proof that a product is harmless: the EPA explains that these labels do not necessarily account for every potentially harmful indoor chemical.

Keep children, pets, and sensitive occupants away from fumes, check the product’s technical data and certifications, and follow the manufacturer’s re-entry and ventilation instructions.

In a home built before 1978, surface preparation can disturb lead-based paint. EPA guidance recommends treating existing paint as potentially lead-based unless testing shows otherwise. Do not aggressively sand, scrape, or disturb old layers until the required lead-safe assessment and controls are in place.

What designer-loved should mean

The phrase should describe traceable editorial evidence, not a profession-wide vote. In this list, each color is connected to a named designer or design professional and a specific use: Galey Alix recommended Vintage Vogue, Gloucester Sage, and Pure White; Mikala Kuchere recommended India Yellow; Jessica Nicastro recommended Wellfleet; Emily Rand recommended Barnwood; Michelle Jacobson recommended Havana Affair; Vyanca Soto recommended Cinnamon Slate; Leah Bailey recommended Benjamin Moore Alabaster; Isabel Byrnes recommended Revere Pewter; Asler Valero recommended Antique Pearl; and Arlene Angard recommended Heron Plume.

The source roundup was based on interviews and recommendations from the designers it cited, not a statistically representative survey. None of the colors should be called the best 12, the top 12, or universally approved. The most defensible conclusion is narrower: these were shades that specific design professionals recommended or wanted to use during the 2025 trend cycle.

For a renovation, that distinction is helpful. A manufacturer’s Color of the Year can show where a brand believes the market is heading. A designer’s room-specific recommendation explains how a color might actually be used. Neither eliminates the need to test paint against the real room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these still current paint colors in 2026?

They are best understood as colors associated with the 2025 design cycle. Some are established favorites that remain available and useful, while others were highlighted as 2025 trend signals. The list does not claim they are the newest or most popular colors in August 2026; confirm current availability with the manufacturer before specifying them.

Which Alabaster paint color is included in this list?

The list refers to Benjamin Moore Alabaster 876, also identified as OC-129, with a manufacturer-listed LRV of 85.08. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster SW 7008 is a different color. Include the brand and identifier whenever ordering.

Can a paint store match these colors exactly?

A local store may produce a visually close match, but cross-brand matching is not guaranteed to be exact. For nuanced colors and important renovation work, use the original manufacturer and test the actual product in the intended sheen.

Will a dark paint color make a small room look smaller?

A dark color can make surfaces appear closer and make a room feel more intimate, but that is not automatically a disadvantage. Window area, ceiling height, lighting, reflective surfaces, trim contrast, and the room’s purpose all affect the result. Dark color-drenching can be especially effective in powder rooms, libraries, dining rooms, and studies.

The Bottom Line

The strongest lesson from the 2025 palette is not that every home needs a deep green, plum, brown, or warm white. It is that paint works best when its undertones are chosen deliberately. Start with the room’s fixed finishes and lighting, narrow the options to two or three, apply two-coat samples on large movable boards or actual walls, and view them from morning through artificial light. The shade that looks most compelling online is less important than the one that remains balanced in the finished room.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Mighty Board Minis Polystyrene Paint Color Test Panels, 12" x 9", Set of 5, White

$18.12

SaleBestseller No. 2

Sherwin Williams Colors collection Deck Complete Paint Colors

$35.00

Bestseller No. 3

KILZ TRIBUTE Paint & Primer, Interior, Color Sample, Calm Forest, 8 Ounces

$10.38

Bestseller No. 4

Benjamin Moore Collections Fan Deck

Brand: Benjamin moore; Container type: Box; Finish type: Opa

$33.99

Bestseller No. 5

Gadpiparty Paint Color Sample Cards Paint Samples for Color Matching Standard Sample Card Set for Diy Projects Floor Hardware Portable 3.74 X 1.57 X 1.18 in

$15.89

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.