The Truth About The Popular “Color of the Year” Announcements

(And How to Actually Use Them in Your Home)

It's that time of year again. The paint companies are rolling out their Colors of the Year, design magazines are declaring what's "in" and what's "out," and suddenly everyone's wondering: should I paint my living room that exact shade of whatever-they're-calling-it-this-year?

Short answer? Maybe. But probably not.

Here's the truth: Color of the Year announcements are fun, inspirational, and genuinely useful—but not in the way most people think. Let me show you how to actually use this information to create a home you'll love for years, not just until next year's it-color drops.

What Color of the Year Actually Means

First, let's talk about what these announcements really are. Paint manufacturers spend months analyzing cultural trends, design movements, consumer behavior, and global influences. They're not just picking a pretty color out of a hat—they're identifying where design is heading.

So when Benjamin Moore announces their color, or Sherwin-Williams reveals theirs, what they're really saying is: "Based on everything we're seeing, this color family and mood resonates with what people are craving right now."

It's less about this exact paint swatch and more about the feeling, the direction, the palette it represents.

That's actually incredibly valuable information. But it doesn't mean you should rush out and paint your entire house that specific color.

The Problem with Painting on Trend

Here's what I see happen every January: someone gets excited about Color of the Year, paints their dining room that exact shade, and then, six months later, they're not sure how they feel about it. A year later, they're painting over it.

Why? Because they chose a color based on what's trendy rather than what works for their home, their light, their life, and their personal style.

Color trends are interesting. Color choices should be intentional.

The goal isn't to have an on-trend home. The goal is to have a home that feels like you—one that you'll still love when the net color is announced

How I Actually Use Color of the Year Announcements

When those color announcements come out, I pay attention. But not because I'm planning to use that exact color in every project. I'm looking for:

The color family and undertones. Is it leaning warm or cool? Are we seeing more greens, more blues, more earth tones? This tells me where the broader design conversation is heading.

The mood and psychology. Soft, soothing colors suggest we're craving calm. Bold, saturated colors suggest we're ready for energy and joy. The why behind the color matters more than the color itself.

Complementary palettes. Paint companies don't just announce one color—they build entire palettes around that color. Those supporting colors are often more practical for real homes than the hero shade, and when used together they create a beautiful color story.

How it works with other elements. I'm thinking about how these colors play with wood tones, with metals, with textiles. That's where color actually lives in your home—not in isolation on a wall. So that color of the year? Maybe it shows up in home accessories and accent decor.

The Real Rules of Color (That Never Go Out of Style)

Forget trends for a minute. Let's talk about what actually makes color work in a home.

1. Light Is Everything. The same paint color looks completely different in a north-facing room versus a south-facing room. It changes from morning to evening. It shifts depending on what's outside your windows.

I've seen a "perfect greige" look pink in one home and green in another—same paint, different light.

Before you commit to any color, paint large samples (at least 2'x2') on multiple walls. Look at them in morning, afternoon, and evening light. Live with them for a few days or weeks. See how they make you feel.

This is the step most people skip, but it’s also the most important one.

2. Undertones Are the Secret. Every color has an undertone—that subtle hint of another color beneath the surface. And undertones are what make or break a color scheme.

A beige with pink undertones will clash with a beige with green undertones. A white with blue undertones will make your warm wood floors look orange. A gray with purple undertones will fight with everything.

Learning to see undertones is like getting a superpower. Suddenly you understand why that "perfect neutral" from Pinterest looks terrible in your house, or why certain colors just feel off together.

Want to spot undertones? Put your paint sample next to pure white. The undertone will reveal itself. Or compare it to other colors in the same family—the differences will jump out. Promise.

3. Context Matters More Than the Color Itself. A bold navy can feel moody and dramatic in a dining room with brass fixtures and velvet chairs. That same navy in a room with stark white trim and no texture? It might feel cold or harsh.

Color never exists alone. It's always in relationship with everything else in the space—the flooring, the furniture, the light, the architecture, the textiles. This is why I never recommend a paint color without understanding the full context of the room. The "right" color depends entirely on what it's living with.

4. Your Home Should Have a Color Story. The most cohesive, beautiful homes have an intentional color story that flows from room to room. They aren’t matchy-matchy. Just connected.

Maybe it's a consistent undertone throughout (all warm neutrals or all cool grays). Maybe it's a signature accent color that appears in different intensities throughout the home. Maybe it's a progression from light to dark as you move through the space.

When I'm working with clients, we develop their home’s color story together. It makes every individual color decision easier because we have a framework to work within.

5. Test, Test, Test (And Then Test Again). I cannot stress this enough: do not skip the testing phase!

Buy sample pots. Paint poster boards or large pieces of foam board (so you can move them around the room). Look at them in different lights and at different times of day. Hold fabric samples up to them. See how they interact with your furniture.

Yes, it's tedious. Yes, it takes time. But you know what's more tedious? Repainting because you rushed into the wrong color.

How to Actually Use This Year's Color Trends

So back to those Color of the Year announcements. Here's how to use them intelligently:

Use them as inspiration, not instruction. Love the color but not sure about using it on your walls? Try it on a ceiling, in a powder room, or as an accent through accessories and textiles.

Look at the supporting palette. Often the secondary colors in the collection are more livable than the hero shade. These are the colors I actually use in client projects—they're on-trend without being overwhelming.

Identify the feeling you're drawn to. If this year's color is a soft sage green, maybe what you're really craving is calm, connection to nature, and organic warmth. You can create that feeling in lots of ways beyond one specific paint color.

Consider where bold color actually works. Small spaces (powder rooms, hallways, closets) are perfect for trend-forward colors. They're easy to change, and the impact is high without the commitment.

Think about accent walls strategically. An accent wall can be gorgeous—if it makes architectural sense. I use them to highlight a focal point, define a zone, or draw attention to great features. Don’t paint an accent wall because you think you need a pop of color. If you ahve to talk yourself into it, the color isn’t right for you.

My Approach to Color in Client Projects

When clients come to me wanting to refresh their home with color, we start with questions:

• How do you want to feel in this space?

• What colors have you loved in the past? What have you hated?

• What's your lifestyle like? (Kids? Pets? Do you entertain?)

• How long do you plan to stay in this home?

• What's working in the space already? What's not?

From there, we build a palette that's personal, practical, and beautiful. Sometimes it includes trendy colors. Often it doesn't. But it always feels right—because it's designed for my client, not for Instagram.

I create mood boards that show how everything works together: wall colors, trim, furniture, textiles, art. We test in the actual space. We refine until it's perfect.

And here's the thing: when color is done right, it's transformative. It changes how a space feels, how you feel in it, and how others respond to it. Color is one of the most powerful tools in design—which is exactly why it deserves careful, thoughtful attention.

The Colors I'm Excited About Right Now

Want to know what I'm actually using in projects? Here are the color directions I'm loving (regardless of what the trends say):

Warm, earthy neutrals. Think clay, terracotta, warm taupe, soft mushroom. These colors feel grounding and cozy without being boring.

Moody, sophisticated darks. Deep charcoals, rich navies, bold teals . Used strategically, these create intimacy and drama in the best way.

Soft, nature-inspired greens. From sage to olive to eucalyptus. Greens are having a moment, and for good reason—they're calming, versatile, and surprisingly neutral.

Creamy, complex whites. Not stark white. The kind of whites that have warmth and depth, that feel cozy rather than clinical.

Unexpected accent colors. bright violets, daring pinks, golden yellows. Colors that feel collected and personal rather than decorator-chosen.

Notice what these all have in common? They're timeless but not boring. They work with lots of different styles. And they create feeling—which is what color is really about.

Ready to Get Your Color Right?

If you're staring at paint swatches and feeling overwhelmed, or if you've repainted the same room three times and it's still not right, let's talk.

Color is my love language. I geek out over undertones, I test obsessively, and I love the moment when a client sees their space in the perfect color and everything just clicks.

Whether you're doing a whole-home color refresh or just need help with that one tricky room, I can help you land on colors that you'll love not just now, but for years to come. Because the best color for your home isn't the Color of the Year. It's the color that makes you happy every single time you walk in the door.

Schedule a Color Consultation or email me at kyra@firstdistrictdesigns.com. Let's create a color story that's uniquely yours.

Want to see how I use color in real projects? Check out my portfolio or follow along on Instagram @firstdistrictdesigns for before-and-afters and color inspiration.