Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Color of the Year and Color Trends for 2026: A Return to Earthy and Familiar Comfort
- Joseph Szymczak
- Oct 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 24
Before launching into the virtues of the 2026 Color Trends I want to highlight Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Color of the Year, Silhouette AF-650, a 'perfectly balanced' blend of charcoal and warm espresso that is easy to work with. It's a perfect foil for contrasting light trim which emphasizes architectural detail. It's worth pointing out for those not inclined to use dark colors that saturated colored backgrounds will recede when layered by colorful artwork and light painted or light fabric-covered furniture and rugs are introduced. The contrasting 'positive/negative effect' actually expands the room visually, which may sound counter-intuitive considering the depth of a background color like Silhouette AF-655. It's value and hue coordinates seamlessly with the 2026 Color Trends palette, representing homey muted tones that are less dominant and compliment theatrical deeper shades and a variety of whites. It’s a direction that feels updated and approachable and I believe will hold up over time as classic in the ideal application.
What to Know About Working with Paint
Paint colors read relative to each other. As in adjacent paint colors reflecting light from each other in other areas, which could be opposite walls, trim, ceiling or even the floor. Reflecting spectrums of light infiltrate the paint causing a change in the reflection emitted from behind. The undertone is key to the correct 'read' of your desired color. Therefore, the base coat must ALWAYS be white or white tinted with the final finish color. Your painter will know the correct proportions.
Key considerations:
Every conceivable color is a composition of the 3 primary colors of red, yellow and blue in recipes that include additions of black and white to affect color, shade and hue.
The spectral temperature of natural light shifts by orientation and season which affects hues. North light cools, southern exposure warms. Lighting will cause underlying tones to reflect differently, thus potentially distorting the color you perceived on the paper sample.
Incandescent lighting sources such as lamps and ceiling light bulbs affects color rendering.
Every color reflects differently beside its adjacent colors in the area. Trim, floor, and ceiling colors all influence the resulting reflection.
Sheen affects depth: flat finishes absorb light by revealing darker undertones, while satin and glossier finishes reflect light, brightening walls and trim.
Understanding these relationships before sampling will make the process easier and color schemes like those below offered by Benjamin-Moore color scientists are a good start and can be adjusted according to the above considerations. The full 2026 palette and the entire color library can be explored at the Benjamin-Moore Showroom at the Chicago Merchandise Mart.
My Chicago Case Study: Trend Color - Paris Rain 1501
In one recent SLATE interior design project, I specified the 2026 trending color; Paris Rain -1501 in a semi-gloss finish overall on the base, crown moldings, and paneled walls. The room was so long that the room felt squished. This strategy quietly elongates the height of the ceiling. I was able to visually add 12" of height because the continuous color stretches from floor to ceiling without interruption of a contrasting trim color.
After sampling several options and observing lighting affects at different times of day, Paris Rain emerged as the clear choice, a balanced neutral that feels formal and sophisticated in both daylight and evening illumination, year-round. The client loves the understated refinement with the tonal accents of the furniture.
10 Pro Tips for Confident Color Selection
Every color is relative to its neighbor, so test in context.
Observe how day to evening light effects the color reflection.
Change ceiling and lamp light bulbs to full spectrum color-correcting.
Paint sheen changes the read—flat absorbs, semi-gloss reflects.
Always test colors on multiple walls, not just one sample card. See #6!
Prime or neutralize walls first—old color seeping through can distort your sample.
View samples under both daylight and artificial light.
Contrast trim color undertones should follow the wall tone.
For low ceilings, paint base, crown, and wall the same color to extend visual height.
Tint white ceilings with 25 % of the wall color for more expansive and coordinated effect.
Expert Help Goes a Long Way
Color selection is equal parts art and science. An experienced designer or color consultant can help interpret tone, light, and texture to achieve harmony that holds up in every situation.
SLATE interior design - Chicago
SID is a boutique design studio specializing in developing interiors that reflect sophisticated living. My work spans the U.S. and the Arab Gulf, where I have collaborated on high-end residential projects in culturally and architecturally significant locations. In the U.S. My contributions have earned recognition through award-winning collaborations on custom-built homes and transformative renovations. I enjoy contributing to industry supported charitable events including DIFFA Chicago -- Art for LIFE, the Grand Rapids Symphony Designer Showhouse and Lake Forest Infant Welfare Society Designer Showhouses, as well as other industry knowledge based engagements.
