5 Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2025—None of Them Are Beige
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As Country Living’s Senior Homes & Style Editor, I spend a lot of time looking at paint colors and chatting with designers and homeowners about their favorite shades. Just this summer, I spent months combing through interviews and back issues to create Country Living’s Top 100 Favorite Paint Colors of All Time and chatting with designers about the best ways to use color in a country house, all in preparation for the August/September color-themed issue of Country Living. So, when consumer-favorite paint brands begin releasing their Color of the Year announcements each fall, I wait in anticipation to see if they match up with my own personal predictions.
The final announcement, though, typically comes from the renowned color institute, Pantone, which tends to dominate the color conversation. This year, the Pantone color forecasters chose a delightful pinkish-brown dubbed “Mocha Mousse.” And, not to get too in the weeds of the psychology behind picking a color of the year, but this choice makes a lot of sense. People are craving comfort and stability, and Mocha Mousse feels like a warm, sun-drenched hug and a cup of coffee all wrapped into one. This bold-yet-livable neutral, which I would call the best response to the plague that is millennial gray that color experts have offered in years, hits all of the marks needed to catapult it into the design ether.
Below, find more Color of the Year paint color selections we’re obsessing over for 2025, including new takes on old favorites.
Muddy Plum
Muddy shades, often associated with a more British approach to color, have been trending with country designers for quite some time. “Muddy tones, such as olive greens, deep chocolates, and plummy aubergines, reflect the countryside and bring the outdoors back in,” says New York-based designer Ariel Okin. As such, shades of purple with undertones of brown and gray made their way to the top of two paint companies’ lists this year, with Benjamin Moore naming “Cinnamon Slate” and Glidden naming “Purple Basil” as their Color of the Year selects for 2025.
“[Cinnamon Slate’s] depth and richness bring an air of approachability and sense of comfort throughout the home, making it a new favorite for years to come,” says Andrea Magno, the director of color marketing and design at Benjamin Moore. The love for purple doesn’t stop with paint, either. Minwax even got in on the trend, naming “Violet” its stain shade of the year.
Country Living’s Favorite Plum Paint Colors:
Cherry Red
One of the trend reports I look forward to most each year is Pinterest Predicts. It’s always full of fun, slightly kooky trends that end up dominating the design cycle. For 2025, Pinterest is signaling the return of deeply saturated cherry reds. They are “dark, sweet, and such a vibe,” according to Pinterest. (The company also shared that searches for “cherry bedroom” are up 100% in the last year. Is it finally time to add this cherry-shaped toilet brush that went viral on TikTok last year to my Amazon cart??)
Cherry red’s moment in the spotlight comes as no surprise given just how popular the unexpected red theory became in 2024. A pop of red also falls in line with the renewed interest in primitive country design we’ve been seeing this year thanks to tastemakers such as Audrey Gelman of The Six Bells. Much of the primitive aesthetic revolves around classic Americana with a thoroughly primary color palette. Behr even named “Rumors” their 2025 Color of the Year, which is a muddier take on the classic shade.
Country Living’s Favorite Cherry Red Paint Colors
Bold Blue
In case you haven’t noticed, bold tones will undoubtedly make waves in 2025. If you’re not ready to paint your walls purple or red, start with a shade you probably already have somewhere in your house: blue. The common refrain amongst designers and color experts alike is that blue is the universally approved “non-neutral” neutral. Want a color that won’t distract, but isn’t white or gray? Blue is the way to go. Want a shade that works in all seasons, no matter which way your house faces? That’d be blue. Love the idea of painting your ceilings but don’t want to make the space feel cramped? A light blue will do that for you. It’s so popular that various shades of blue dominate our paint recommendation articles—See the best blues for the kitchen, for your living rooms and bedrooms, and even the best dark blue paint colors.)
This year’s iteration, though, is a bit punchier. Valspar leads the bold-minded charge with “Encore,” its 2025 Color of the Year. “As we seek a joy-filled life, this approachable and livable ultramarine creates a perfect backdrop for happiness in the home,” says Sue Kim, Valspar’s director of color marketing. Bright sapphire blues and other similarly striking jewel-toned paint colors might seem antithetical to the easygoing approach country decorators typically take, but in reality they aren’t. In fact, rustic furnishings and boot-filled mudrooms are the perfect offset to prim and proper colors such as this.
Country Living’s Favorite Bold Blue Paint Colors
Earthy Mauve
Next on our list is the delightfully murky mauve that’s the driving force behind “Mocha Mousse.” As Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year, you’ll be seeing this hue everywhere this year. You might be surprised to know that we’ve actually been heading down this pinkish-brown trail for quite some time. In 2024, Pantone went with “Peach Fuzz” as their top color pick. Keen observers will see the same touches of slight pinks and browns in that shade as we see in “Mocha Mousse,” though this year they’re way moodier.
Last year, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams went with a similarly pinkish shade in their choice of “Persimmon.” And, in 2023, Sherwin-Williams chose another mauve in “Redend Point,” while Graham & Brown selected a reddish brown in “Alizarin.” The one thing they all have in common? An earthy approach to a neutral paint color, which feels wholly different than the stark white and grays that have dominated the design cycle for years.
Country Living’s Favorite Mauve Paint Colors
Cozy Brown
Rounding out the list, we’re taking the comfort of mauve one step further with deep, warm browns. Both Graham & Brown and C2 Paints chose a cozy shade for their 2025 Colors of the Year with “Elderton” and “Raku” respectively. “This rich hue, with its deep, earthy brown hue and sanguine undertones, embodies the art of revitalizing the old," says Philippa Radon, C2’s Paint Color Director of “Raku.” “[It’s] an echo of a timeless classic flourishing in a modern world.” It’s no secret we love brown, too, whether it be brown wood furniture or brown paint. We called its rise way back in May of 2024 in our roundup of the best brown paint colors, so it’s good to see everybody catching up to what we already know is an all-time classic color.
Country Living’s Favorite Brown Paint Colors
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