Design trends this year include bold statements in color—from using kaleidoscopic palettes to incorporating mood-boosting décor. The color purple is making a splash, with color king Benjamin Moore naming Cinnamon Slate its 2025 Color of the Year. This sophisticated blend of heathery plum and velvety brown is similar to Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal, its own seasonal hit. Other takes on the trend include Purple Basil by Glidden, Raku by C2, Violet by Minwax, Rumors by Behr, Mauve Finery by Sherwin Williams, and Amethyst by Richmond’s own Hound Paint.
Color drenching—all the rage in 2023—refers to painting a whole room the same color from top to bottom, including ceilings and trim. This year, it’s seeing a new lease with an offshoot known as double drenching, where a room is completely painted in two different colors, not just one.
Ombre walls continue to be a hot trend in interior design that adds drama and interest to walls by gradually blending or fading from one color into another—up or down a wall, from light to dark or vice versa. You can use different hues of the same color family or complementary colors, depending on the look you’re trying to achieve.
Named for the feel-good neurotransmitter, dopamine decorating is the use of brilliantly bold colors and patterns, eclectic prints, inviting textures, and a nostalgia-infused, unmissable vibe. With dopamine décor, there’s an emphasis on cheerfulness, self-expression, color, and creativity—the things that make you smile, boost your mood, and happy-up your home.
Similarly, candied tones are front and center this year, which translates to bright colors that feel electric in a room while also serving as a whimsical departure from the grays and midtones of years past. The playfulness is a way to give people the permission to take a little more risk with color. Sherwin Williams’ Paradox Palette, from their 2025 Colormix Capsule Forecast, exudes this trend with delicious shades like Dragon Fruit, a juicy pink hue, and Euphoric Lilac, a mesmerizing purple.
This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue.
