These Will Be the Most Popular Paint Colors of 2026, According to Sherwin-Williams

Sure, one Color of the Year is great—but what about 48? Sherwin-Williams has just announced the latest edition of its Colormix Trend Forecast, which dives deep into the future of color in 2026; rather than simply showcasing one hue, the brand has selected almost 50, grouping them together into four distinct palettes.

This trend report has become a biennial tradition for Sherwin-Williams, with its last incarnation looking toward 2024. "It's a resource and a handbook," Emily Kantz, the brand's color marketing manager tells decorvow. "We're not just saying 'here's the fan deck, good luck!'"

Instead, consumers can peruse four curated palettes: Frosted Tints, Sunbaked Hues, Restorative Darks, and Foundational Neutrals. Some groupings are the next chapter of a story that began with the first iteration of Colormix; others remain on the same, timeless page.

Take Frosted Tints for example, which bears similarity to the Delicate Tints from 2024—with a few key changes. "We're seeing a shift toward a more complex, soft, sophisticated pastel," says Kantz. "We have blues and greens in this palette, but we also incorporated purple and lilac."

Restorative Darks, however, stayed within the same mood. Burgundies and dark plums remain popular selections as homeowners lean toward cozy, familiar aesthetics. The neutral palette, naturally, also feels consistent. "Gray is just never going to go away," adds Kantz. "People want to say we're done with it—but we're not!"

Perhaps the biggest evolution for Colormix Volume Two is the addition of Sunbaked Hues. However, if you've spent time on Instagram or Pinterest and seen all of the butter yellow cabinets and terracotta-lined walls, it shouldn't come as a total surprise.

"It's rooted in biophilia," adds Kantz. "People usually think about blues and greens as biophilic colors, but they don't always think of these desert hues, which can also have benefits."

Altogether, the hope isn't necessarily that Colormix will fuel your entire home from top to bottom—although that's always an option. "It's more like taking a neutral as your starting point, then building upon it," she says. "You can lean into darks ... it's like choosing your own adventure."