Color trends for 2026 offer a contemporary take on natural neutrals, richly earthy hues, warm wood tones and cozy blues. The leading coating manufacturers each chose a unique color family for their Color of the Year selections, ranging from light to dark and fresh-cut green to drinkable deep burgundy. Considered together, they favor collective expression above individuality, and forego upfront boldness for a comfortingly familiar, safely retro curation updating past palettes.
Color choice facilitates recognition and connection, transforming a property to a place – a destination contributing to the community within and outside of its walls. For commercial environments, color can enhance a cohesive identity, create a positive atmosphere and facilitate wayfinding.
This year’s color stories reflect a broader, intentional shift in emotionally and functionally attuned spaces. Educational buildings embrace emotional belonging and cognitive comfort. Health care facilities prioritize restorative, biophilic environments. Hospitality and mixed-use settings lean into warmth and experiential character. Government and civic facilities continue to balance timelessness with contemporary expression.
Across all sectors, finish choice for façade and fenestration systems also must support performance durability, environmental sustainability and adaptable longevity, while contributing meaningfully to the building’s overall identity.
Grounded, warm, architectural neutrals from Sherwin-Williams
The Sherwin-Williams Company’s 2026 Coil and Extrusion Color of the Year, “Universal Khaki,” introduces a warmer, more grounded alternative to the cool neutrals that have dominated commercial exteriors for more than a decade. Described as possessing “timeless elegance,” this refined neutral balances sophisticated restraint with subtle warmth. Its versatility lends appeal to both interior and exterior applications, making it ideal for aluminum windows, curtain wall, storefront, wall panels, and other fenestration and façade systems.
A long-time Linetec partner, we provide Fluropon architectural coatings by Sherwin-Williams in nearly any color, including Universal Khaki. Along with the color code LT444868, remember to specify 70% fluoropolymer resin-based coatings to meet the industry-leading AAMA 2605 standard for high-performance exterior aluminum building products.
Transcending traditional styles and approachably modern palettes, Universal Khaki pairs easily with our anodized and specialty finishes. Explore combinations with copper and bronze metallics, terra cotta, light marble, aged wood, warm grays and natural greens.
“Khaki is more than just a neutral, it’s a timeless, go-anywhere shade that brings a sense of grounded elegance to any space,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.
Inspired by vintage design palettes, Sherwin-Williams Consumer Brands Group, Valspar®, also announced “Warm Eucalyptus” as its 2026 Color of the Year. Suggested supporting colors include the soft shades of “Degas Blue” and the deep brown “Groundbreaking.”
“Warm Eucalyptus is more than just a beautiful shade of green; it’s a reflection of the comfort we crave in our homes,” added Kim. “Its warm undertones create a grounded, welcoming mood while drawing inspiration from nature and the familiarity of retro design. This is a color that encourages restoration and resilience.”
Colors rooted in nature and history from PPG
Related to Valspar’s Warm Eucalyptus color family, PPG Industries shared “Secret Safari,” a midtone yellow-green with subtle lime undertones as its 2026 Color of the Year. In daylight, Secret Safari appears calm and botanical; in shadow, it deepens and becomes more contemplative. This dynamic quality makes it well suited for surfaces and spaces where natural light and shadow play across the building envelope throughout the day.
“Secret Safari is a versatile shade that adapts to its surroundings,” said Irina Hanhisalo, PPG’s color category lead for architectural coatings. “It evokes a sense of calm in natural daylight and reveals layered depth in shadowed or low-light settings, making it a versatile choice for both residential interiors and commercial spaces.”
The refreshing hue seamlessly blends with modern biophilic design strategies and with historical building projects. For Linetec, Secret Safari reminds us of the soft green finish color selected for the 1865 cast-iron façade’s replacement windows on Macy’s New York.
Secret Safari can be specified in PPG’s Duranar® as 70% fluoropolymer resin-based architectural coatings for extruded aluminum. Linetec is certified at PPG’s highest level as a finishing services provider.
PPG’s former architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada, now owned by The Pittsburgh Paints Co., chose its 2026 color of the year from the opposite side of the spectrum – a hearty red “Warm Mahagony.” The rich earthy color conveys hand-crafted luxury, human connection and architectural heritage, steering into hospitality-driven aesthetics.
Warm Mahogany signals a shift toward burgundy-tinged, red-brown colors for nonresidential environments. It offers a contemporary update to bronze or black – still elegant, yet more connected to the natural landscape.
Specified as Warm Mahogany (129211), Linetec can provide this as a painted finish. Alternatively, select from our specialty options for a more authentic wood-look with the benefits of aluminum or more Bordeaux-forward flavor with the durability of anodize.
Rhythm of Blues – an indigo trio from AkzoNobel
AkzoNobel debuts its “Rhythm of Blues” collection for the coil and extrusion coatings market. This chorus for 2026 is composed with three color notes: light blue “Mellow Flow,” dark blue “Slow Swing” and vibrant “Free Groove.” A distinct counterpoint to the prevailing warmth of 2026, these expressively cool tones can be leveraged for a heavy, double-duty lift in nonresidential environments seeking to restore and calm, and to invigorate and inspire.
Linetec offers AkzoNobel’s TRINAR 70% fluoropolymer architectural coatings in a symphony of colors suitable for exterior aluminum applications, such as decorative accents, large-format panels, and framing for colorful grand entrances and views.
“Over the last decade, the popularity of warm natural tones has been continually rising, complemented recently with growing interest in palettes of versatile blues,” explained Heleen van Gent, creative director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center. “With everything that’s happening in the world, we see that people are reacting in various ways. They’re either slowing down and recharging their batteries, wanting to feel in tune with others and celebrate kinship. Or they’re choosing to be bold, have fun and feel carefree.”
Setting the stage to create the intended vibe, AkzoNobel’s team also recommends eight additional colors to support the leading blue hues. These palettes contain soft shades of tan, sage and chocolate, reminiscent of others’ 2026 Color of the Year picks.
Additional Paint Predictions
Getting a jump on the New Year, homeowners, builders and interior designers already are making plans for paint manufacturers’ 2026 Colors of the Year.
Closely related to Pittsburgh Paints Co.’s “Warm Mahagony,” the high-end fabric and wallcovering manufacturer, Graham & Brown, choose a luscious Bordeaux-ish color named “Divine Damson.”
In the green family shared by Valspar’s “Warm Eucalyptus” and PPG’s “Secret Safari,” we have:
- California Paints’ “Cactus Valley” – inspired by desert landscapes and garden greenery
- Behr’s “Hidden Gem” – a smoky jade
- Dunn-Edwards’ “Midnight Garden” – a deep, muted green with earthy undertones
For the dark to light range of trusty neutrals alongside Universal Khaki from Sherwin-Williams, we see:
- Benjamin Moore’s “Silhouette” – a luxurious blend of burnt umber and delicate charcoal undertones
- Dutch Boy’s “Melodious Ivory” – a soft, creamy beige
- C2 Paint’s “Epernay” – a refined, earthy soft ochre with hushed mineral undertones, named after the French village known for its rolling vineyards and limestone architecture
Color for consumers
Guiding design trends across many industries, the Pantone Color Institute™ flipped from a dark “Mocha Mousse” in 2025 to a standard white for 2026. With the aspirational name, “Cloud Dancer,” the Pantone Color of the Year is described as “a refuge of visual cleanliness that inspires well-being and lightness.” Revealed with global fanfare, its partners followed with monochrome applications for fashion, beauty, packaging and consumer products including home décor and interior design.
Interestingly, Pantone’s and paint manufacturers’ naturally inspired, comfort colors for buildings and homes contrast with other color trend forecasts for luminescent, bright 2026 colors shaping consumer packaging and marketing materials. VistaPrint’s most interesting brand palettes include “Mermaidcore” shimmering hues, “Sunwashed Soft” pastels, “Clubroom Contrast” in black and gold, “Neon Shock” chemically enhanced colors, and “Thermal Glow” with a radiant heat signature of chilly blues, incandescent reds and fiery oranges.
The automotive industry’s 2026 vehicles color trends more closely resemble those in architecture.
- BASF Coatings’ Automotive Color Trends feature “refined faux solids with smooth surfaces and subtle sparkle effects, alongside a transition toward warmer, emotionally resonant hues like reddish shades, mauves and nuanced browns.” For the Americas, BASF Coatings highlighted a brown-based “Auxetic Neutral – where neutrality becomes identity.”
- Ford introduced the “Sinister Bronze” package for its Bronco Sport, to accessorize its 2026 exterior colors: “Oxford White,” “Shadow Black,” “Carbonized Gray,” “Velocity Blue,” “Space White” and “Azure Gray Tri-Coat Metallic.”
For 60 years, Color Marketing Group has forecasted color trends for multiple industries and global geographies. Its 2026 Color of the Year for North America is “Bio-Graphing.” The group describes this as a “fragile and nonchalant, pale blue cast with a refreshing dash of natural green. …The color symbolizes a transferal towards sustainable and regenerative design practices that integrate advanced technology with nature. It balances scientific precision with imaginative design, making it ideal for various interior and exterior applications, such as home décor and accessories, furniture, paints and fashion.”
Other fashion and décor manufacturers are indicating sunny shades. The 2026 Wedding Color of the Year according to Minted and BRIDES, is “Island Citrus,” reflecting the growing trend toward bold, destination-inspired hues. Searches for “yellow” are up 46% year-over-year on Minted, underscoring bright, optimistic tones.
Guiding the global fashion, beauty and other consumer industries, WGSN and Coloro announced the aquatic green-blue “Transformative Teal” as its 2026 Color of the Year “bringing a sense of freshness, calm and restoration.” Looking ahead to 2027, its forecast team already has unveiled “Luminous Blue” as an optimistically inclusive color that bridges genders, generations and geographies.
Color trend research continues to guide the direction across commercial, residential and consumer spaces. Whether your project follows these cues or holds true to personal preference, Linetec offers high-performance finishes in nearly any color to meet your specification.
