The start of 2025 is just around the corner, and with the new year comes an endless list of exciting interiors trends to try out. The best starting point for your redecorating moodboards? 2025’s colors of the year, which our favorite paint brands have been releasing for a few months.
While many of 2024’s shades leaned into a soft, sweet, and cheerful pastel look (we’re looking you, Thermal by C2, Peach Fuzz by Pantone, and Limitless by Glidden), we’ve noticed a majority of this year’s hues have taken a turn towards the dark and moody.
Designers aren’t surprised by this shift, though, and they’re here to spill about why these tones are trending, plus how to get the cozy-chic look in your own space.
Meet the New Moody Hues
C2 Paint
Relaxing and soothing in their own way, deep, rich, warm tones are set to be one of 2025’s biggest paint color trends thanks to the comforting, cocooning, and almost nostalgic feeling they envelop a room in.
From dark burnt red shades like C2’s Raku and Rumors by Behr to jewel-toned purples like Violet by Minwax and Glidden’s Purple Basil—or dialed-back yet delicious shades of brown such as Elderton by Graham & Brown and Mochi by Little Greene—the atmospheric, intimate mood can be achieved with a paint as bold (or as neutral) as you’d like.
“Moody colors inherently add a sense of warmth and sophistication, inviting us to slow down, get comfortable, and fully immerse ourselves in our surroundings,” says designer Nina Lichtenstein. “They allow for an emotional connection with the space, making a room feel like more than just a backdrop—it becomes an experience.”
Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!
A Snuggly-Yet-Sophisticated Shift
Behr
Light and breezy neutral tones have dominated the fashion and interiors scene for a couple of years now, and according to Inara Tirkkoneninterior architect and art team lead at Redecor, this has largely been due to trending aesthetics like the “clean girl” and “old money” looks.
But as clothing takes a turn towards cherry reds and luxurious shades of chocolate brown and burgundy, our interiors are now doing the same.
“Styles are evolving, and we are looking for something deeper, warmer, and more comforting,” Tirkkonen says. “These rich, moody colors bring a feeling of calm and make a home feel more personal and cozy, almost like a retreat. Darker tones help us slow down and feel more grounded, which is perfect for where interiors are heading now.”
The New Nostalgia
Graham & Brown
A big reason why these moody colors feel so comforting is because we’ve seen them before in the homes we grew up in—or at least a version of them. Dan Mazzarini, creative director of BHDM Designsees the 2025 colors of the year as a modern take on some of the nostalgic shades of decades-old interiors.
“[These new colors are] different from the jewel tones of the nineties, in that they feel a bit more organic and evoke a more cozy, nurturing feel,” he says.
Peter Spalding, co-founder and chief creative officer of Daniel House Club agrees, and traces the roots of these trending hues even further back in time.
“People seem to be remembering the beauty of old English countryside homes and Italian villas in a way they haven’t for a while,” Spalding adds. “These places rely heavily on robust color palettes to deliver their potent aesthetics— which is a welcome change from the years of cooler, more restrained palettes.”
Why Designers Love Moody Interiors
Glidden
“These hues are definitely moody, but for me, the bigger draw is in their biophilic appeal,” Mazzarini explains. “They pack a punch, but with a more natural feel.”
Lichtenstein, who specializes in nature-inspired home design, agrees—and especially loves the contrasting aesthetics that a moody shade can give depending on their context. Whether her clients want a dramatic and luxurious dining room or a soothing and grounding bedroom, she sees 2025’s colors of the year as her new go-tos.
“Moody tones allow me to play with texture and lighting in ways that lighter colors simply don’t,” she adds. “They highlight a room’s architectural elements, bring out the character in natural materials, and can transform how a space is experienced throughout the day as light shifts.”
How to Use 2025’s Colors of the Year
Little Greene
Whether your interior design style is a neutral-focused, minimalist Japandi or bold, colorful, and eclectic, there’s a new moody hue that will suit your space.
Not sure where to start? Pick your favorite 2025 Color of the Year and follow our designer-approved guide to create a cozy corner of your home for the new year:
- Behr’s Rumors is a beautifully bold brick red, which our designers are excited to use in a studyon furnitureor on wood panel walls.
- Graham & Brown’s Elderton is a versatile rich brown, which can range from rustic to opulent. This color would give a dining room a cabin-like feel when paired with wooden furniture, or a sophisticated and contemporary look with brass or brushed hardware accents.
- Mochi by Little Greene is a mid-toned warm brown, perfect for a calming and cozy bedroom or a relaxing yet invigorating home office. Lichtenstein recommends pairing this paint color with natural materials such as wood, leather, and linen for a nature-inspired look.
- C2’s Raku is a burnt shade of dark red, similar to mahogany. It’s perfect for making an impact both both indoors and out, on a front door, in an entryway, or in a hallway.
- Glidden’s Purple Basil is a more saturated jewel-tone purple, which our designers would love to see on an accent wall in a living roomor all over in an impactful dark academia library.
- Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin Moore is a romantic, in-between shade that combines plum and brown. It’s a near-neutral that would work perfectly on kitchen cabinets or bathroom walls.
