Pantone's Color of the Year: A Guide to the 28 Annual Selections
Pantone’s Color of the Year selections date back to 1999 when the company named Cerulean the shade to lead the world into the new millennium. Now more than 25 years into the program, Pantone’s annual pick has become a seasonal staple that color lovers and industry experts alike eagerly anticipate. The chosen color consistently taps into our collective values, capturing a moment in time while also propelling us into the future.
Make no mistake: These colors are not picked at random. “In the studies that we've done at the Pantone Color Institute, we always look at how color may evolve over the years, how people change their attitudes,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, tells House Beautiful. “We don't simply come up with our thoughts about it; we look into our research and see what people are telling us they're looking for.”
With a database of thousands of colors at their fingertips, Pantone’s challenge is to narrow down a color family and reach within it to find a hue that best expresses a widespread feeling. “At Pantone Color Institute, it's our mission to understand what people are striving for, what their aspirations are,” Eiseman says. “So again, it's not off the top of our heads.”
While it's easy to recall the most recent selections, like 2024’s Peach Fuzz and 2023’s Viva Magenta, even the most loyal color trend followers may not remember, or ever have known, what came before the latest picks. So, we’ve gathered all of Pantone's Color of the Year selections from 2000 to 2025. Ahead, learn not only what the colors look like and are named but also the specific qualities of and meaning behind each shade. Join us as we pore over color history.
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2025: Mocha Mousse
A mellow brown, Mocha Mousse is all about thoughtful indulgence. The warm shade reflects a desire for nourishment in every facet of our lives, especially through simple pleasures like morning coffee, a chocolate treat, or taking a walk. And it's not solely about treating ourselves but also the possibility of sharing those sweet moments with others. Discover more about the color and how to bring it into your home here.
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2024: Peach Fuzz
Peach Fuzz is a light, delicate shade between pink and orange. The soft, heartfelt hue expresses the desire to nurture kindness, compassion, and connection. All of this helps foster a peaceful future and everlasting coziness. Plus, the color marks the 25th anniversary of Pantone's Color of the Year program. Find more about the meaning behind the momentous color here.
2023: Viva Magenta
Viva Magenta is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious, brightest natural dyes in the world. The crimson-red hue—a balance between warm and cool tones—is statement-making yet not overpowering. That means it leaves room for creative interpretation and exploration. Learn even more about the vivid color here.
2022: Very Peri
For 2022, Pantone dreamt up an entirely new shade called Very Peri. The dynamic periwinkle blue boasts a warm violet-red undertone. It's a futuristic-feeling color that illustrates how color trends in the digital world manifest in the physical world and vice versa—and it may look quite familiar to Microsoft Teams users. If you’re eager to incorporate Very Peri into your home, get designer-approved inspiration here.
2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray
For the second time in Pantone's Color of the Year history, the company chose two colors for a single year: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray.
Illuminating, described by Pantone as "a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power," radiates cheer. It's a bright but not off-putting yellow. When paired with Ultimate Gray, the combination signals resilience and hopefulness.
2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray
Ultimate Gray completes Pantone's duo colors of the year for 2021. The versatile color is reminiscent of pebbles on a beach. Pantone describes the hue as having "solid and dependable elements, which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation."
2020: Classic Blue
Classic Blue is exactly what you'd expect it to be: enduring and timeless. The dependable hue was selected for its constancy, confidence, and tranquility. It resembles a favorite pair of worn-in blue jeans, and what could be more reliable and classic than that? Dig deeper into the meaning behind the color here.
2019: Living Coral
An animated coral with a golden undertone, Living Coral is an energizing shade that offers warmth, comfort, and nourishment in a constantly changing environment. With a buoyant quality, the color also promotes playfulness and is connected to nature through the coral reefs in the sea.
2018: Ultra Violet
According to Pantone, Ultra Violet is a "dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade" that "communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking." The color evokes a hint of fantasy and is reminiscent of the limitless night sky. It symbolizes nonconformity and pushing boundaries, whether you incorporate it into a whimsigoth aesthetic or a classic interior. Learn how you can use it in your home without going overboard here.
2017: Greenery
Perhaps the brightest shade of green ever to be named a Pantone Color of the Year, Greenery represents refreshment, rejuvenation, and rebirth. The zesty, yellow-green shade is nature's neutral. Here, learn more about how the color was prevalent in everything from interior design to fashion circa 2017.
2016: Rose Quartz and Serenity
For the first time in Pantone's Color of the Year program history, the company chose two colors for a single year: Rose Quartz and Serenity.
As a soft, light pink, Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that symbolizes compassion and composure. The delicate color is like a warm embrace. When paired with Serenity, it promotes peace and balance.
2016: Rose Quartz and Serenity
The other Pantone Color of the Year in 2016, Serenity is a cool blue color that, the company said, "comforts with a calming effect, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times." When paired with Rose Quartz, the combination challenges traditional perceptions of color related to gender.
2015: Marsala
Like a robust, earthy red wine, Marsala is a universally appealing red-brown color. It can be incorporated into a range of interiors, whether you're after a sophisticated look in a butler's pantry or a laid-back atmosphere in a tea room.It encourages creativity and experimentation.
2014: Radiant Orchid
Radiant Orchid is a blend of fuschia and purple. Said to inspire confidence, happiness, and love, the enchanting color is uplifting, bold, and hard to resist. Radiant Orchid is especially nice when paired with olive, deep hunter greens, turquoise, light yellows, and neutrals. Use it as a pop of color, or make a statement by color drenching an entire room with the shade.
2013: Emerald
A vivid green, Emerald enhances well-being through balance and harmony. Reminiscent of the coveted gemstone, Emerald is perceived as luxurious. But it also represents beauty, new life, growth, renewal, and prosperity. For centuries, the color has also been used to symbolize unity.
2012: Tangerine Tango
As the best color in a really good sunset, Tangerine Tango provides the energy boost that's needed to recharge and move forward. The fiery red-orange has a lot of depth to it, making it magnetic and welcoming.
2011: Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a dynamic reddish pink that uplifts spirits and instills confidence. An attractive color found in nature, Honeysuckle also evokes a rush of nostalgia for the carefree days of spring and summer. When used as a wall paint, the color is a conversation starter. As an accent color in fabrics, kitchenware, or small appliances, it'll infuse any space with optimism.
2010: Turquoise
Serene and invigorating, Turquoise is the best of blue and green. Similar to tropical waters, the soothing color inspires a comforting escape from the troubles of everyday life. Possessing both warm and cool tones, the hue pairs nicely with a range of colors from neutrals and reds to deep blues and yellow-greens.
2009: Mimosa
During a time of economic uncertainty, Mimosa expressed hope and reassurance. The warm, engaging yellow possesses the nurturing characteristic of the sun while speaking to enlightenment and sparking the imagination. It's nearly impossible to look at the yellow and not feel a sense of joy.
2008: Blue Iris
Blue Iris combines the stability and tranquility of blue with the mystical qualities of purple. The blue-purple balance brings reassurance and excitement, but it's also strong and dependable. Pantone suggests artfully complementing Blue Iris with deep plums, red-browns, yellow-greens, grapes, and grays.
2007: Chili Pepper
A deep, spicy red, Chili Pepper is bold, sophisticated, and enticing. The color embodies a variety of moods including the spirit of adventure, love, passion, and even danger. But no matter what it signals, the hue can't be ignored.
2006: Sand Dollar
A natural neutral, Sand Dollar is a warm shade that relaxes and soothes the nerves. It recalls beaches where the soft sand, soothing waves, and warm sunlight create the perfect outdoor atmosphere to unwind.
2005: Blue Turquoise
Like a true turquoise, Blue Turquoise takes inspiration from the sea. But this shade has less green in it, making it a cooler tone. The calming, reassuring color transports the imagination to a seaside paradise on a nice, summer day.
2004: Tigerlily
Tigerlily is inspired by the flower it's named after. A mix of red and yellow, the color encourages boldness and creativity. While the fiery color is statement-making, it still has a welcoming quality to it.
2003: Aqua Sky
In 2003, blue-green Aqua Sky was chosen to inspire serenity and hope. While soft and calm, the hue exudes just enough energy to be exciting. It's the color of fresh, clean ocean water that makes you want to jump right in.
2002: True Red
Following the tragic events that took place on September 11, 2001, True Red was chosen as a patriotic remembrance. The vivid red is strong and powerful, representing all of the courage that was shown that day. The color also signals love and passion.
2001: Fuchsia Rose
A bright, feel-good color, Fuchsia Rose is daring and intense, yet warm and enduring. Found in flowers, the vibrant pink hue is dynamic. It's eye-catching in everything from interior design to fashion.
2000: Cerulean
Cerulean, a powdery blue, was selected as Pantone's first-ever Color of the Year, which also set the tone for the new millennium. Blue was chosen because the color is widely popular. This particularly welcoming shade also promotes relaxation.
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