In the video Sherwin Williams released debuting their 2026 color of the year, a woman walks through a beige curtained room. I excitedly waited for her to drop the cloth and reveal the color. Unfortunately, the color of the drop cloth was the color of the year. Universal Khaki is the color that they believe will encapsulate the coming year. Their “color experts” predicted this color exemplifies “simplicity, usability, and materials and finishes that are made to last” (source). I don’t necessarily disagree, but how much more boring could you get?

I’m being pretty hard on a color that is overall not bad. It is interesting how unoffensive a shade can be while making me so fucking mad. When I think about the year ahead, I see how uncertain the world seems: the US economy feels unstable, we are engaging in and supporting acts of terror against a defenseless population abroad, student loans are crushing young people, the government is shutting down, ICE is raiding homes and businesses and snatching people off the street, peaceful protesters are being teargassed….should I go on? When we turn to our bigger institutions, I always am looking for something a little more, well, hopeful. Something to give us the tools to deal with the crushing weight of everything going on around us. Let us have something we can control that helps us keep going. Not recession indicator beige.

So, I am putting together my 2026 color trends and predictions to hopefully inspire and guide you to making more exciting choices in the coming year. We have a huge opportunity to bring color into our homes that will, in turn, influence our moods. With everything outside of our control feeling uncertain and scary, I believe more people in 2026 will invite color into their homes in order to feel bright, safe, welcoming, and fun.

Color Predictions

Tonal Families

I am excited to envision more people using the color yellow and other warm, saturated hues. I know color drenching has had its moment, but I anticipate this same trend to fall over into incorporating tonal families in one space. So envision homes having soft yellows, bright oranges, rust, and burgundy in one room. Color is going to be rich, while still feeling light as we forget the “dark and moody” spaces of the past. I imagine upholstered furniture in varying shades, with accent throws and pillows in similar color family.

Warm and Cool Tone Mixing

I especially love these homes that incorporate warm and cool tones together in the same space. I think a lot of secondary colors are going to play a big role in 2026, with more saturated greens and purples having their time in the sun. Playing with shade is going to have a huge impact on the vibe of a room, so consider choosing a fun tile or wallpaper and picking the accent paint color from one part of those hard finishes. I would love to see contrasting trim take off more—not every room has to have white or cream trim! Sometimes, the trim can be the pop of color or the “moment” that ties a room together.

Wood Accents and Colorful Textiles

I envision a lot of spaces bringing more warm wood tones into the space as well as colorful drapery, upholstered furniture, rugs, and linens. Even if a room is quite neutral, I think more and more people are going to bring brightness in the space through these changeable features. I also see a resurgence of curtained farmhouse-style cabinets, not only from how cute and easy it is to achieve, but also because real cabinets are expensive to paint or replace! I, for one, would rather see a nice fabric curtain in a kitchen instead of a cheap Ikea cabinet, that’s for sure.

So that’s it for what I *hope* I see more of in 2026. Interior design is always a mixed bag of opinions, and mine is always appreciative of more bold, fun choices. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Am I completely off the mark, or will 2026 be the year of beige?

*All sources for photos can be found on my instagram here under the “repost” tab. Plenty more inspiration is there as well!*

-Erica Goodfriend, interior designer & Portland realtor with have-your-cake.com