The major 2024 Paint Colors of the Year were not one single trend. They were a split between calm blue-gray tones, stronger blue-violet, soft black, deep olive, warm terracotta, and a honey beige neutral. For homeowners planning a repaint in 2026, the useful question is not which color won the most attention. It is where each color actually works, what it does under real light, and what it costs to execute without lap marks, flashing, or regret.
The confirmed 2024 colors covered here are Sherwin-Williams Upward SW 6239, Benjamin Moore Blue Nova 825, Behr Cracked Pepper PPU18-01, Valspar Renew Blue 8003-37D, Dunn-Edwards Skipping Stones DET567, Dutch Boy Ironside 422-7DB, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Persimmon HGSW6339, and Glidden/PPG Limitless PPG1091-3. On our job sites, we would not treat these as interchangeable trend colors. Some are safe whole-room colors. Some are better on doors, built-ins, vanities, islands, or one defined room. A few can be expensive mistakes if they go over rough drywall, vinyl siding, or the wrong lighting.
Before committing, paint at least 12-by-12-inch sample boards, preferably larger, and view them on more than one wall in morning light, afternoon light, evening light, and under the bulbs you actually use. Paint colors do not live on a screen. They live next to your flooring, cabinets, counters, tile, brick, roof, trim, ceiling height, and light temperature.
Quick Comparison: Every Major 2024 Paint Color of the Year
This table is the practical version: undertone, best use, risky use, and what we would watch for before writing the paint scope.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Color | Brand | Undertone | Best Rooms | Safest Use | Risky Use | Pro Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upward SW 6239 | Sherwin-Williams | Light blue-gray | Bedrooms, baths, offices | Full room with warm trim and good light | North-facing rooms with cool LEDs | Can turn chilly; sample near flooring and tile. |
| Blue Nova 825 | Benjamin Moore | Blue-violet | Dining rooms, powder rooms, built-ins | Accent room, cabinetry, feature wall | Whole-house neutral | Memorable color, but not the safest resale main wall color. |
| Cracked Pepper PPU18-01 | Behr | Soft black charcoal | Doors, cabinets, exteriors, accent walls | Front door, island, powder room, trim accents | Rough drywall or hot vinyl siding | Needs premium paint and careful prep to avoid flashing. |
| Renew Blue 8003-37D | Valspar | Grayed blue-green | Bedrooms, baths, laundry rooms | Calm whole-room color | Rooms with very cool light | Good for a spa feel, but test against white tile. |
| Skipping Stones DET567 | Dunn-Edwards | Steely blue with gray-green hints | Offices, bedrooms, baths, exteriors | Quiet room color or exterior body option | Dark hallways or gray flooring overload | More architectural than playful; works well with crisp trim. |
| Ironside 422-7DB | Dutch Boy | Deep olive | Studies, doors, cabinets, exteriors | Cabinetry, built-ins, front door | Small dark rooms without layered lighting | Hides some dirt better than black, but still shows poor prep. |
| Persimmon HGSW6339 | HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Earthy terracotta | Dining rooms, entries, living areas | Accent room or warm main-area color | Next to pink beige, red brick, or orange floors without testing | Can be excellent with wood and cream, awkward with the wrong stone. |
| Limitless PPG1091-3 | Glidden/PPG | Warm honey beige | Living rooms, halls, bedrooms | Main neutral, trim pairing, rental refresh | Over yellow flooring or yellow bulbs | Most flexible whole-house candidate, but undertones still matter. |
The 2026 Reality: These Colors Still Work, But Not Everywhere
The 2024 palette has aged better than many trend lists because it was not built around flat gray. By 2026, many homeowners are still moving away from cold gray interiors and toward warmer neutrals, muted blues and greens, charcoal accents, natural wood, and more personality in contained spaces. That makes colors like Limitless, Renew Blue, Skipping Stones, Cracked Pepper, and Ironside useful when they are assigned the right job.
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The mistake is using a color trend as the starting point for the whole remodel. Paint should usually come after the permanent finishes are known: roof, brick, stone, siding, flooring, tile, counters, cabinets, and major lighting. A gallon of paint is easy to change. A quartz countertop, roof shingle, stained floor, or exterior stone veneer is not.
For remodel projects, we prefer to select paint after drywall texture, cabinets, counters, flooring, tile, and lighting are installed or at least fully specified. If the schedule requires an early color decision, use large drawdowns or sample boards and keep the palette simple until the fixed materials are settled.
Color-by-Color Contractor Notes
Sherwin-Williams Upward SW 6239
Upward is a light blue-gray that works best where the homeowner wants a clean, calm room without going plain white. It is a good candidate for bedrooms, bathrooms, guest rooms, nurseries, and home offices. It can make a room feel fresher, especially with white trim, pale oak floors, nickel hardware, or soft warm lighting.
The risk is that blue-gray can turn icy. North-facing rooms, cool 5000K bulbs, gray plank flooring, and white tile can push Upward colder than expected. In a bathroom, test it beside the actual tile, vanity top, and mirror lighting. In a bedroom, test it behind the headboard wall and opposite the window.
Contractor reality check: Upward is not a difficult color to apply, but wall condition still matters. If you are moving from beige, tan, or yellow to Upward, plan on two finish coats over sound existing paint. If the walls have patching, smoke staining, water marks, or raw drywall, use the right primer first. For most adult bedrooms and living spaces, matte or eggshell is enough. In baths, laundry rooms, or kids’ spaces, move to a washable satin or a moisture-tolerant interior line.
Benjamin Moore Blue Nova 825
Blue Nova is a saturated blue-violet. It has more personality than the softer blue-gray group, which is why it works well in rooms where color is supposed to be noticed: dining rooms, powder rooms, libraries, built-ins, a bedroom feature wall, or a painted bar area.
We would be cautious using Blue Nova as a whole-house wall color. It can be beautiful, but it is not a quiet neutral. For resale-minded remodels, it is usually stronger as a contained statement: a powder room with brass hardware, built-ins around a fireplace, a home office, or lower cabinets paired with lighter walls.
Contractor reality check: saturated colors expose weak cut lines and inconsistent rolling. Use high-quality tape where needed, good angled brushes, and a roller cover matched to the wall texture. Keep a wet edge, avoid stopping in the middle of broad walls, and do not stretch the paint too far. If covering white or a very light neutral, a tinted primer can help the final color read accurately in two coats.
Behr Cracked Pepper PPU18-01
Cracked Pepper is a soft black, closer to charcoal than a harsh black. This is one of the most useful 2024 colors for doors, kitchen islands, bathroom vanities, built-ins, accent walls, stair rail components, and modern exterior details. It can make standard materials look more intentional when the surface is prepared correctly.
Dark paint is unforgiving. It shows drywall ridges, roller texture, dust, dents, lap marks, and flashing more than mid-tone paint. If a wall already looks wavy in afternoon light, Cracked Pepper will not hide it. On cabinets, it requires a cabinet-grade process, not a quick wall-paint approach.
Contractor reality check: for walls, use premium paint, good rollers, consistent spread rate, and a wet-edge workflow. For cabinets, plan on degreasing, labeling doors and drawers, removing hardware, sanding or deglossing, bonding primer, and a hard enamel or urethane coating. Cabinet painting is a premium project because the prep is the project. For exterior use, be careful on vinyl siding. Dark colors absorb more heat, and some vinyl products can warp if the coating is not vinyl-safe and manufacturer-approved.
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Valspar Renew Blue 8003-37D
Renew Blue is a blue with a grayed sea-green character. It is one of the easier 2024 colors to live with when used in the right light. It fits bathrooms, bedrooms, laundry rooms, guest rooms, and relaxed home offices. It can feel clean without being sterile.
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- Package Includes: this set includes 5 paint color test boards, allowing you to evaluate multiple color options at once, improving your color selection efficiency, and enabling you to choose colors for spaces such as the living room, bedroom, and kitchen
- Moderate Size: measuring about 12 x 9 inches, these paint sample boards provide a larger color display area, allowing you to judge the visual effect of paint on the actual wall surface, and can also be placed side by side for direct color comparison
- Quality Polystyrene Material: these color tester sample boards thickness about 1 mm crafted from polystyrene material, resisting warping after it dries, and you can use it multiple times
- Portable Design: after painting, you can place the sample in different rooms, on different walls, and facing different directions to observe it, helping you to evaluate the color effect under various lighting conditions
- Versatile Uses: except home painting projects, this polystyrene sheet is also an ideal paint sample board for artists who need a color tester sample board for practice; Use it to test color mixtures before applying to final canvases
Like Upward, Renew Blue can shift under cool light. In a room with blue-white LEDs, white tile, gray counters, and little natural light, it may read colder or flatter than expected. In warmer light, with natural wood, woven textures, or off-white trim, it becomes more comfortable.
Contractor reality check: Renew Blue is a good candidate for walls, but do not skip sampling. Use 12-by-12-inch boards at a minimum, and bigger is better. Move the sample around the room for two days. If it is going into a bathroom, check it after the vanity lights are on and after the shower area is lit, because those two conditions can make the same paint look different.
Dunn-Edwards Skipping Stones DET567
Skipping Stones is a steely blue with green and gray hints. It feels more architectural than beachy. It can work in bedrooms, offices, bathrooms, mudrooms, and some exterior palettes, especially where the home has crisp trim, stone, or muted roofing.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe main risk is stacking too many cool gray elements. If the floor is gray, the sofa is gray, the counters are gray, and the light is cool, Skipping Stones may make the room feel heavier than intended. It performs better when balanced with warm wood, off-white trim, natural fiber rugs, or warmer metals.
Contractor reality check: this is a color where sheen can change the read. Matte will look softer. Eggshell or satin can make the gray-blue character more apparent because of light reflection. On exterior surfaces, sample on the actual siding or trim plane, not just a loose board lying flat. Vertical exterior color reads differently in direct sun, shade, and cloudy weather.
Dutch Boy Ironside 422-7DB
Ironside is a deep olive. It is one of the strongest colors in the group and one of the most useful for homeowners who want depth without going black. It can look excellent on built-ins, lower cabinets, mudroom storage, front doors, studies, powder rooms, and certain exterior accents.
Deep olive pairs well with cream, warm white, brass, leather, walnut, oak, soapstone-looking counters, and natural stone. It can fight with some cool gray floors and certain blue undertones. It also needs enough light. In a small room with one overhead fixture, Ironside can feel heavy unless the design includes sconces, lamps, or lighter surrounding finishes.
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Contractor reality check: treat Ironside like a dark color, because the application issues are similar to Cracked Pepper. Prep the surface carefully, prime where needed, use high-quality coatings, and plan for two finish coats. On exterior trim or doors, use an exterior-rated product and confirm compatibility with the substrate. On cabinets, use a cabinet coating system, not leftover wall paint.
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Persimmon HGSW6339
Persimmon is an earthy terracotta. It brings warmth back into interiors that have been dominated by gray, white, and black. It can work in dining rooms, entries, living rooms, bedrooms, and accent spaces where the homeowner wants a grounded, sunbaked color.
The risk is undertone conflict. Terracotta can look rich next to cream walls, warm white trim, wood floors, handmade tile, and aged brass. It can look wrong beside pink-beige carpet, orange-toned floors, red brick, or stone with competing warm undertones. This is one of the colors where the permanent finishes must lead.
Contractor reality check: Persimmon may need primer when covering cool gray or white walls if you want the color to land evenly. Do not judge it from a tiny chip. Warm colors expand visually, especially in afternoon light, so sample a large area before painting an open living space. In a dining room, eggshell is usually a practical finish. In a high-traffic entry, satin may be smarter.
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Limitless is a warm honey beige neutral. It is the most flexible whole-house candidate in the 2024 group because it can act as a main wall color instead of only an accent. It works in living rooms, hallways, bedrooms, rentals, spec remodels, and spaces where white feels too stark.
That does not mean it is foolproof. Warm beige can go too yellow beside yellow oak, amber bulbs, creamy trim, or warm carpet. It looks more current when balanced with clean trim, natural wood, black or bronze hardware, muted greens, charcoal accents, or stone with compatible warmth.
Contractor reality check: Limitless is a practical repaint color because it is more forgiving than dark shades and usually easier to touch up. It can still require primer if you are covering dark walls, bright accent colors, stains, or patched drywall. For resale, this is the safest broad-use color in the set, provided it coordinates with the fixed finishes.
What It Costs to Use These Colors in 2026
Paint cost depends less on the color name and more on scope, prep, access, sheen, substrate, number of colors, and whether trim, doors, ceilings, cabinets, or exterior repairs are included. A simple walls-only repaint is a different project than a full interior repaint with ceilings, trim, doors, stairwells, drywall repair, and three accent colors.
| Project Type | Typical 2026 Cost Range | What Changes the Price |
|---|---|---|
| 12-by-12 room, walls only | $300-$800 | Wall height, patching, furniture moving, color change, number of coats |
| Interior wall painting | About $2-$6 per sq ft typical; broader home painting ranges around $4.79-$9.04 per sq ft depending on scope | Prep level, ceilings, trim, doors, stairwells, occupied-home protection |
| Exterior painting | About $1.50-$4 per sq ft; many homes roughly $1,800-$4,500, with averages around $3,177 | Stories, siding repairs, access, scraping, caulking, lead-safe work, weather windows |
| Interior paint materials | Budget $25-$40 per gallon; mid-grade $40-$65; premium $65-$100+ per gallon | Brand, line, sheen, washability, hide, designer colors |
| Coverage planning | Often 250-400 sq ft per gallon per coat | Texture, porosity, primer, dark-to-light or light-to-dark changes |
| Cabinet painting | Premium project, commonly priced separately from wall painting | Degreasing, sanding, bonding primer, enamel or urethane, spraying, door removal |
Dark colors like Cracked Pepper and Ironside can cost more in labor if the wall needs extra prep, tinted primer, or additional finish coats. Blue Nova may also benefit from tinted primer when going over very light walls. Light blues such as Upward, Renew Blue, and Skipping Stones may not require special primer over clean, sound walls, but they still need primer over patches, stains, raw drywall, or high-contrast colors.
Trim and doors are often underestimated. Semi-gloss trim requires cleaner sanding, caulking, and brushwork than broad walls. A room that is $500 for walls only may become a much larger project when the ceiling, baseboards, window casing, crown, closet doors, and entry door are included.
Sheen Selection: Where Homeowners Get Burned
Color gets the attention, but sheen often decides whether the finished room looks professional. Higher sheen reflects more light and shows more wall defects. Lower sheen hides more texture but may not clean as easily. The right answer depends on the room and the household.
For adult bedrooms, formal living rooms, and low-traffic spaces, matte or eggshell usually gives the best balance. For halls, kids’ rooms, pets, stairwells, and mudrooms, washable eggshell or satin is safer. For kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms, use a moisture-tolerant satin or semi-gloss depending on the paint line and ventilation. For trim and doors, semi-gloss remains the standard because it handles fingerprints, cleaning, and impact better than flat wall paint.
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A careful homeowner can handle many paint projects. A 12-by-12 bedroom with 8- or 9-foot ceilings, sound drywall, one wall color, no major patching, and simple trim is a reasonable DIY job. Plan one day for prep and first coat, another day for second coat and cleanup. Add time if you are painting ceilings, trim, doors, or closets.
Hire a pro when the project involves stairwells, tall foyers, exterior second-story work, extensive drywall repair, smoke or water staining, cabinets, lead paint risk, masonry coatings, multiple dark colors, or occupied-home protection. Also hire when the finish quality matters enough that lap marks, flashing, or rough cut lines would bother you every day.
For DIY, buy better tools than the cheapest kit in the aisle. Use quality roller covers matched to wall texture, a good angled sash brush, canvas or heavy-duty drop cloths, painter’s tape where appropriate, patching compound, sanding blocks, caulk, and primer. Respect dry times. Do not apply the second coat while the first coat is still soft. Many interior latex paints are ready for recoat in a few hours, but humidity, temperature, film thickness, and product line can change that.
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Safety, VOC, Lead Paint, and Permit Notes
Most interior repainting does not require a building permit. Exterior repainting usually does not require a permit either, but homeowners associations, historic districts, condo boards, and local design review rules may control exterior colors. Check before painting siding, trim, shutters, or a front door in a regulated community.
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Lead paint is the bigger safety issue. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. When paint is disturbed during scraping, sanding, demolition, window work, or exterior prep, lead-safe practices matter. For pre-1978 homes, do not dry-sand old painted surfaces casually. Contractors performing covered renovation work in older homes generally need to follow EPA lead-safe requirements. This can add labor, containment, cleanup, and documentation cost, but it is not optional when the rule applies.
VOC rules also affect coating choices. Architectural coatings are regulated at the federal level, and some states and air districts have stricter rules. California, for example, has architectural coating regulations that can affect available products and VOC limits. For homeowners, the practical move is simple: use compliant products sold for your market, ventilate during painting, follow label instructions, and choose low- or zero-VOC options when odor and indoor air quality are priorities.
Best Whole-House Strategy for These 2024 Colors
The smartest way to use these colors is as a palette system, not as isolated favorites. Start with one main wall color, one trim color, one ceiling approach, one or two accents, and a plan for doors or cabinetry if included.
For a calmer whole-house palette, Limitless can serve as the main neutral, with Upward or Renew Blue in bedrooms or baths and Cracked Pepper on selected doors or a vanity. For a cooler, more architectural home, Skipping Stones can work in a defined room, with warm white trim and Ironside on built-ins or a front door. For a warmer home, Persimmon can carry a dining room or entry while Limitless handles adjacent open areas.
For resale, avoid painting every room a bold Color of the Year. Buyers respond better when personality is contained and the main spaces are easy to furnish. Use Blue Nova, Cracked Pepper, Ironside, and Persimmon where they look intentional: powder rooms, islands, vanities, built-ins, dining rooms, studies, front doors, or one strong bedroom.
Color matching across brands is possible, but it is not exact. Bases, pigments, sheen, tint systems, and store equipment vary. If you want a specific color, specify the original brand and color or approve a drawdown before committing to multiple gallons. A near match that looks fine on a chip can drift on a full wall.
Our Bottom Line
The most livable 2024 Paint Colors of the Year are the ones used with restraint and construction sense. Upward, Renew Blue, and Skipping Stones are strong choices for calm rooms, but they need lighting checks so they do not turn cold. Limitless is the safest broad neutral, but it still needs undertone testing. Blue Nova, Cracked Pepper, Ironside, and Persimmon are best when they are given a defined role instead of being forced across the entire house.
Good paint work is not just picking a color. It is surface prep, primer judgment, sheen selection, dry time, lighting, substrate compatibility, and clean execution. Spend the extra time on samples and scope before the first gallon is opened. That is where most paint regrets are prevented.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the major 2024 Paint Colors of the Year?
The major 2024 Paint Colors of the Year included Sherwin-Williams Upward SW 6239, Benjamin Moore Blue Nova 825, Behr Cracked Pepper PPU18-01, Valspar Renew Blue 8003-37D, Dunn-Edwards Skipping Stones DET567, Dutch Boy Ironside 422-7DB, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Persimmon HGSW6339, and Glidden/PPG Limitless PPG1091-3.
Which 2024 Color of the Year is best for a living room?
For most living rooms, Glidden/PPG Limitless is the safest whole-room choice because it works as a warm neutral. Persimmon can work in a warmer, more expressive living room, while Upward, Renew Blue, or Skipping Stones need careful lighting tests so they do not read too cool.
Are 2024 paint colors still in style in 2026?
Yes, many still work in 2026 because the broader market has moved away from flat gray toward warm neutrals, muted blues and greens, charcoal accents, and more personal color choices. The key is using bold colors in defined roles instead of forcing them through the whole house.
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A typical 12-by-12 room repaint often runs about $300-$800 for walls only. Interior painting commonly falls around $2-$6 per square foot for typical wall painting, with broader home painting scopes ranging higher. Exterior painting often runs about $1.50-$4 per square foot, with many homes landing around $1,800-$4,500 depending on access, prep, siding, and repairs.
What sheen should I use for walls, trim, kitchens, and bathrooms?
Use matte or eggshell for adult bedrooms and lower-traffic living areas, washable eggshell or satin for halls, kids, and pets, satin or semi-gloss in kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms, and semi-gloss for trim and doors. Dark colors may look smoother in lower sheen but need a premium washable product in high-touch areas.
Can I use dark colors like Cracked Pepper or Ironside outside?
Yes, but only with the right exterior-rated coating and substrate approval. Dark colors absorb more heat, which can be a problem on some vinyl siding unless the paint is vinyl-safe and approved by the siding or paint manufacturer. Surface prep, caulking, primer, and weather windows also matter.
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