As we look ahead to the new year, it's the ideal time to start thinking about home decorating projects to give your space a new lease of life come January. To do so stylishly, knowing which paint colors may have fallen out of favor is key.
2024 has been a color-centric year, with many designers embracing joy-giving shades, while neutrals have as ever been central to so many homes and decorating styles.
Here, we explore which paint color trends are going out of style in 2025. We asked interior designers, whose views we've rounded up below – read on to ensure your room color ideas for 2025 are designer-approved.
3 paint colors going out of style in 2025
'Cool colors are on their way out – bright black and white combinations, cool grays, and primary colors. Colors that have a little muddiness to them, or warmth are gaining popularity: off-whites and creams, interesting color combinations (think burgundy and mustard), and warmer grays. In general, more color is trending and spaces that are all neutral are on their way out,' says interior designer Maren Baker.
White
This year, stark white paints have been replaced with warmer off-whites, and this shift is expected to only increase in 2025. While bright whites can feel sterile, the more favored warm white paints add subtle coziness to our homes, while maintaining a light and airy feel.
'White paint colors are heading out in 2025,' predicts interior designer Jamie Gasparovic, founder of Studio Gaspo. 'Warmer tones are in, and we'll see once stark-white walls trending toward taupes and beiges.'
Debbie Mathews, founder and principal designer at Nashville-based Debbie Mathews Antiques & Designs also sees a continued shift from bright white interiors, adding: 'I think that after years of sterile white and gray minimalist interiors, we are yearning for warmth and coziness that these colors cannot provide. Instead, I recommend creamier whites, tans, browns, greens and yellows. These colors in just the right shade can literally wrap you in warmth and provide a sense of well-being.'
While there are many popular warm white paints that can be used in place of true whites, such as Benjamin Moore's Alabaster or Simply White, designers also suggest going bolder and swapping white with richer shades:
'White paint, especially everything white, has fallen out of favor as homeowners increasingly opt for bolder, more expressive colors,' explains interior designer Betsy Wentz. 'In its place, warmer neutrals, and rich, saturated hues are go-to choices for adding depth and personality to a room. Some of my favorites are Benjamin Moore's Smokey Green, Beach Glass, and Wedgewood Gray.'
Gray
In a similar vein to bright whites, cool-toned grays can feel equally drab. While interior design trends in recent years have already begun to move away from gray room ideas, designers predict warmer neutrals will continue to endure next year.
'Gray might finally be heading out in 2025 – it’s been overdone and can feel cold and uninspired if not used carefully,' says Kevie Murphy, principal and CEO at KA Murphy Interiors. 'If you still love gray, try a version with a bit of sheen to add dimension and warmth; it’s a subtle upgrade that elevates the space.'
A move away from gray coincides with the current appeal for warm color schemes instead of cool color schemes, which generally feel cozier. When it comes to decorating with neutrals, warm neutral paints such as brown are an on-trend way to add depth and warmth.
Katara Cade, interior designer at Pearson Design Group elaborates: 'Cool colors are going out of style in 2025! This has been a couple of years coming, but we are seeing people move back towards warmer paint tones. For quite some time, cool gray was everywhere. People filled their homes with gray. But whether it be walls or cabinets, cool colors can feel sterile and unwelcoming. Warm paint colors are much more inviting. Even Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year is Mocha Mousse – a soft, mellow brown that exudes comfort and warmth.'
'Rich and warm colors are on trend in a big way, and we love using colors that are flattering to homeowners and offer them sanctuary,' agrees Ryan Kopet of Miles and Kirk Design. 'The more jewel-like versions of traditional colors are allowing schemes to feel elevated. We recently used a deep brown in Benjamin Moore’s Brown Sugar that added richness and gravity to a dining room while still feeling inviting and cozy.'
Designer Jessika Gatewood of Gatewood Designs also sees grays diminishing next year, in favor of warmer neutrals, adding: 'I anticipate that cool-toned grays, which have dominated for years, will continue to wane in popularity. Instead, I’d recommend earthy neutrals like taupe or warm greige, which feel softer and more organic.'
While warm neutral colors make for a welcomed alternative to gray, they can equally be replaced with more colorful hues such as rich blues and browns, suggests Chicago-based designer Elizabeth Taich:
'Wasn't pale gray supposed to be out in 2024? I still see it showing up, and I truly hope it makes its exit this year. Instead, I would like to see deeper shades of blues and browns used to create cozier spaces where someone can curl up with a good book and just get lost in the warmth of the space. I'm currently working on a room that will feature shades of brown, midnight blues, caramelly taupes, and burnt oranges; the name of this room has been aptly named the cozy room.'
Navy blue
While dark blue has gained plenty of popularity as an interior paint color in recent years, not least in kitchens where it's used on kitchen cabinets, it may be finally time to say goodbye to this deep and dark hue.
'I feel like blue paint colors are on their way out,' observes Charlotte-based interior designer Alexis Warren. 'Over the past four to five years we have truly exhausted all shades of blue in our clients' homes and it's time to warm things up. I am seeing a lot of green, brown, purple, and even yellow. Everyone is wanting warmth in their homes and is pulling away from blues and whites. If you are looking to change things up in 2025 try reaching for a green instead of a blue.'
In the space below designed by Alexis Warren Designs, Farrow & Ball's Beverly is used to color drench the space, making for an earthier alternative to navy blue.
Beyond trending dark greens, there are many other moody paint colors that make a stylish alternative to navy blue. Warming, sophisticated hues such as burgundy and chocolate brown will create an equally impact-adding scheme, but with more warmth.
If you do want to use dark blue, try going for shades like Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue which feels nuanced with its green undertones, or even the much darker Railings which reads as a deep blue-black.
While these three paint colors may not be the most on-trend in the eyes of designers, that's not to say you shouldn't use them. Each of these colors can look good in the right room, depending on the look you wish to create; but there are more up-to-date alternatives to consider for the year ahead.
