2026 Colors of the Year: Every Major Brand Compared

Every year, the biggest paint brands announce their Color of the Year — a single shade they believe captures the cultural mood. For 2026, the picks are strikingly aligned: earthy greens, warm neutrals, and nature-inspired tones dominate. Let's break down every major selection and find the closest matches across brands.

Sherwin-Williams: Universal Khaki

Universal Khaki(Sherwin-Williams) is a warm, sandy neutral with golden undertones. Sherwin-Williams chose this versatile shade as their 2026 pick — it bridges the gap between beige and gray, making it one of the most livable neutrals in their palette. With an LRV of 42, it works as a whole-house color in both traditional and modern settings.

Looking for this shade from another brand? Use our color search to find the closest Delta E match from any brand.

Benjamin Moore: Silhouette

Silhouette(Benjamin Moore) is a sophisticated dark gray-brown from the Affinity collection. It's warm enough to feel inviting but deep enough to add drama — think moody bedrooms, library walls, and bold exterior trim. Benjamin Moore's pick signals that dark, cocooning spaces are a major design force in 2026.

Browse all Benjamin Moore colors to find complementary shades for a full palette.

Behr: Hidden Gem

Hidden Gem(Behr) is a smoky jade green with an LRV of approximately 12 — dark enough to anchor a room without the harshness of near-black. It sits in blue-green territory, closer to teal than sage, making it a strong choice for color-drenching (walls, trim, and ceiling in the same shade) where you want depth without color clash. Works well on accent walls and exterior shutters.

Compare it against the full green color family to see how it stacks up against thousands of similar shades.

PPG: Warm Mahogany

Warm Mahogany(PPG) is a rich brown-red with an LRV of approximately 8 — the deepest, most saturated of all five 2026 picks. At this LRV, it absorbs most of the light in a room and creates strong visual contrast, so it's most effective in small spaces (front doors, cabinetry, accent walls) rather than as an all-over wall color in dark rooms. It pairs well with warm brass hardware and natural wood tones. Browse the brown color family to find similar earth-toned shades across every brand.

Valspar: Warm Eucalyptus

Warm Eucalyptus(Valspar) is a gray-green with an LRV of approximately 20, sitting between sage and olive without fully committing to either. The warm suffix matters: it leans toward yellow-green rather than blue-green, which keeps it from reading cold in north-facing rooms. Available exclusively at Lowe's. Pairs well with warm wood tones, natural stone, and cream or off-white trim — where a true white trim would create too much contrast.

The Common Thread

The 2026 picks tell a clear story: nature is the dominant inspiration. Three of the five selections are green-influenced (Hidden Gem, Warm Eucalyptus, and Silhouette's earthy undertone), while the remaining picks lean into warm earth tones. After 2025's bold reds and deep navies, the industry is pivoting toward quieter, more organic hues. For a look back at last year's selections, see our 2025 Colors of the Year comparison.

Want to see how all these colors compare scientifically? Use our color compare tool to calculate the exact Delta E 2000 difference between any two shades. Preview any of these trending shades on your walls with our room visualizer. For a deeper look at what's trending beyond the official picks, read our 2026 paint color trends roundup.