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There is no independent ranking proving which paint colors will be the most popular in 2026. But brand announcements point to a clear set of directions worth watching: nuanced browns, warm khaki, a deep blue-green, softened eucalyptus, and earthy red. These seven picks are an editorial selection from paint-company Color of the Year choices and forecasts—not a ranked list or a sales prediction.
Seven paint colors to watch in 2026
Each pick below is tied to a named shade in a brand’s 2026 announcement or forecast. Color descriptions reflect how the companies characterize their own shades; a screen image cannot reliably show how paint will look in your room.
| Color | Brand and code | What the brand or forecast signals |
|---|---|---|
| Silhouette | Benjamin Moore AF-655 | Color of the Year; an espresso brown with charcoal notes, according to Benjamin Moore. |
| Universal Khaki | Sherwin-Williams SW 6150 | Color of the Year; a mid-tone neutral with a slight yellow undertone, according to Sherwin-Williams. |
| Hidden Gem | Behr; code not stated on the cited official Color of the Year page | Behr’s 2026 Color of the Year. |
| Warm Eucalyptus | Valspar 8004-28F | Valspar’s 2026 Color of the Year. |
| Henna Shade | Sherwin-Williams SW 6326 | A named shade in Sherwin-Williams’ Anthology: Volume Two forecast. |
| Silhouette palette companion: First Crush | Benjamin Moore 063 | A companion shade in Benjamin Moore’s Color Trends 2026 palette; a softer, lighter counterpoint to the deeper headline picks. |
| Silhouette palette companion: Batik | Benjamin Moore CSP-270 | A companion shade in Benjamin Moore’s Color Trends 2026 palette; another option for extending the palette beyond its deeper anchors. |
Silhouette: a brown with charcoal depth
Benjamin Moore selected Silhouette AF-655 as its 2026 Color of the Year and announced seven companion hues. The brand describes Silhouette as espresso with charcoal notes, giving the brown family a more tailored, shadowed character than a straightforward warm beige. Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Color of the Year announcement links the choice to renewed interest in suiting, classic silhouettes, and brown.
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Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki SW 6150 its 2026 Color of the Year. The company describes it as a mid-tone neutral with a slight yellow undertone. It is a more restrained option than the deep browns and saturated blue-green elsewhere in this selection, while still leaning warm. Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year page includes its styling description and links to color chips, peel-and-stick samples, and paint samples.
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Hidden Gem: Behr’s 2026 choice
Behr’s 2026 Color of the Year is Hidden Gem. The official page and Axios’ cross-brand trend coverage corroborate the name. The available evidence does not establish a specific code or support more detailed claims about its undertone here, so check Behr’s current product information when looking for the exact paint.
Warm Eucalyptus: Valspar’s softened green
Valspar selected Warm Eucalyptus 8004-28F as its 2026 Color of the Year. Its official Color of the Year page provides a color chip and links to buy online through Lowe’s. Valspar Director of Color Marketing Sue Kim framed the brand’s direction around a broader idea of neutral: “In the coming year, we will redefine our notion of neutral hues. Going beyond the classified color term, neutral refers to colors that set a grounding and inviting mood with the warmth that calms our senses.” That is the company’s design perspective, not evidence of a general consumer preference.
Henna Shade: an earthy red in a wider forecast
Henna Shade SW 6326 is one of the named shades in Sherwin-Williams’ Anthology: Volume Two, a four-palette forecast for 2026 and beyond. It is a forecast selection, not the brand’s Color of the Year—that distinction belongs to Universal Khaki. The Sherwin-Williams forecast page presents the broader palette framework.
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Two Benjamin Moore palette companions for lighter contrast
First Crush 063 and Batik CSP-270 are two named companion colors in Benjamin Moore’s Color Trends 2026 palette. Including them gives this list alternatives beyond the deeper brown, khaki, and red directions: consider them when you want to work with the announced palette without choosing one of its darkest anchors. Benjamin Moore’s palette announcement identifies them as part of the same seven-color collection accompanying Silhouette.
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Why these colors are forecasts, not proven winners
Paint companies publish their own annual picks and trend outlooks; those announcements are not a shared, independent ranking of what homeowners will buy or paint in 2026. Sherwin-Williams’ Colormix forecast was reported as a 48-shade lineup by Homes & Gardens and Axios. That number describes the forecast’s size, not popularity.
Past sales evidence should not be mistaken for a 2026 result. Axios reported that Behr’s 2025 Rumors was its top-selling non-neutral color in four states, according to data Behr shared with Axios. That historical, company-attributed figure says nothing definitive about which shades will sell best in 2026. No independent survey or sales dataset establishing the most popular 2026 paint colors is identified in the sources cited here.
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How to choose one for your room
- Decide how much visual weight you want. Silhouette and the darker forecast shades make a stronger statement than a mid-tone neutral. If you want an easier starting point, compare Universal Khaki with a lighter companion such as First Crush.
- Check the room’s fixed finishes. Hold the candidate against flooring, cabinetry, counters, tile, and upholstery. Look for whether its warmth or depth works with what will stay in the room.
- Get a physical sample. Use a color chip, peel-and-stick sample, or paint sample rather than relying on a phone or monitor. Sherwin-Williams lists all three sample formats; Valspar offers a chip for Warm Eucalyptus.
- View it in the intended room and lighting. Place the sample near the largest fixed surfaces and check it at different times of day before buying enough paint for the project.
- Confirm the exact name and code before purchase. Names and codes matter when ordering; for Hidden Gem, verify the current code directly with Behr because one is not stated in the cited official Color of the Year page.
What the 2026 palette signals
The most useful way to read these announcements is as a spread of directions rather than a single prescribed look. Silhouette and Henna Shade bring depth; Universal Khaki offers a warmer neutral; Hidden Gem and Warm Eucalyptus add color without defaulting to a conventional beige. Benjamin Moore’s companion hues show that a trend palette can also include lighter supporting options.
Benjamin Moore’s Andrea Magno, director of Color Marketing & Design, described the inspiration this way: “The connection between fashion and interiors has always been a source of inspiration but this year in particular, we’ve noticed a renewed interest in suiting and classic silhouettes; the resurgence of timeless pieces; and the growing interest in the brown color family.” It is a useful explanation for the brown emphasis in the brand’s palette, but not a guarantee that brown will suit every room or outlast every other color.
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