My color trend report for 2026 – Living room real estate

In the video Sherwin Williams released debuting their 2026 Color of the Year, a woman walks through a room with beige curtains. I waited excitedly for her to drop the cloth and reveal the color. Unfortunately the color of the drop cloth was the color of the year. Universal khaki is the color they think will encapsulate the coming year. Their ‘colour experts’ predicted that this color is an example of ‘simplicity, practicality and materials and finishes made to last’ (source). I don’t necessarily disagree, but how much more boring can you get?

I’m pretty strict on a color that’s generally not bad. It’s interesting how harmless a shade can be while making me so damn angry. As I think about the year ahead, I see how uncertain the world seems: the US economy is feeling unstable, we are engaging in and supporting acts of terror against defenseless populations abroad, student loans are crushing young people, the government is being shut down, ICE is looting homes and businesses and ripping people off the streets, peaceful protesters are being tear gassed… need I go on? When we turn to our larger institutions, I’m always looking for something more, well, hopeful. Something that gives us the tools to deal with the crushing weight of everything happening around us. Let’s have something we can control that helps us keep going. Non recession indicator beige.

That’s why I’m putting together my color trends and predictions for 2026 to hopefully inspire and guide you in making more exciting choices in the year ahead. We have a huge opportunity to bring color into our homes, which in turn will influence our mood. With everything outside of our control feeling uncertain and scary, I believe that by 2026, more people will invite color into their homes to feel bright, safe, welcoming and fun.

I’m glad I can imagine more people using the color yellow and other warm, saturated tones. I know that color drenching has had its moment, but I expect the same trend to transition to integrating tonal families into one space. So imagine houses with soft yellow, bright orange, rust and burgundy in one room. The colors will be rich, while still feeling light, as we forget the ‘dark and moody’ spaces of the past. I imagine upholstered furniture in different shades, with accent throws and pillows in a similar color family.

I especially love these homes that incorporate warm and cool tones together in the same space. I think a lot of secondary colors will play a big role in 2026, with more saturated greens and purples spending their time in the sun. Playing with shade will have a huge impact on the mood of a room, so consider choosing a fun tile or wallpaper and choosing the accent paint color from some of those hard finishes. I’d like to see the contrasting borders pop off the ground more – not every room needs to have white or cream border! Sometimes the finish can be a pop of color or the ‘moment’ that ties a room together.

I imagine many spaces that bring more warm wood tones into the space, as well as colorful curtains, upholstered furniture, rugs and bedding. Even if a room is quite neutral, I think more and more people are starting to bring brightness into the space through these changeable features. I’m also seeing a resurgence in farmhouse style cabinets with curtains, not only because of how cute and easy they are to create, but also because real cabinets are expensive to paint or replace! For example, I would rather see a beautiful fabric curtain in a kitchen than a cheap Ikea cabinet, that’s for sure.

So that’s what I *hope* to see more of in 2026. Interior design is always a mixed bag of opinions, and mine always appreciates bolder, fun choices. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Am I completely wrong, or will 2026 be the year of beige?

*All photo sources can be found on my instagram here under the ‘repost’ tab. There is much more inspiration!*

-Erica Goodfriend, interior designer and real estate agent in Portland at have-your-cake.com

Erica Good friend

Broker | OR

In another life I was a pastry chef, coming from Ava Gene’s in the city and Nopa in SF. Since starting in real estate in early 2020, I now bake and cook just for fun and for friends! But I always know a good place in town to have a bite to eat. If you’re new to the area, I’ll give you a list of all the good places to try, no matter what neighborhood you’re interested in. I bought my own house in 2019 and renovated the kitchen and upstairs, added a bathroom and created a very colorful master suite. I have many thoughts and opinions about your potential homes, and I always promise to tell you the absolute unfiltered truth. With a background in teaching, I promise to educate every new home buyer and seasoned veterans about every home I show in Portland. If you are looking for a real estate agent who will help you hands-on from start to finish, then I am your friend.

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