Color Trends 2025: Ideas to Elevate Your Design
Have you noticed how a single color can drastically change the look and particularly the feel of a design? Whether you want something playful and energetic, or elegant and refined, the right color choices can work magic. But here’s the real challenge: how do you choose colors that not only look good but also feel relevant? That’s where understanding the color trends of 2025 comes in.
Colors do more than just influence the aesthetics – they set the mood and connect with people on a deeper level. They help designs resonate across different age groups, reflect cultural shifts, and even spark emotional responses. And every year, trend analysts and color experts dig deep into these connections, identifying which hues will define the future and which ones might feel a little… outdated.
Curious about the color trends of 2025? You are in the right place. Let’s go.
The Power of Color Trends – Why They Matter & Where to Use Them
Every year we see a set of new colors being labeled as the trendiest to use that year. We see these colors dominating the fashion world, interior design sector and most importantly, graphic design. So, let’s first understan why these color trends matter and where brands can use them.
Why color trends matter
- By aligning your brand designs with the latest color trends, you make your brand look fresh and updated.
- Trending colors applied effectively can help align your designs with customer expectations.
- Trends of all sorts, when you choose the most relevant ones to your brand, get you noticed.
So, where do you use these color trends?
- Small scale local marketing designs like flyers and posters can be a great way to experiment with the effectiveness of color trends for your brand.
- Given that social media is a place where you cannot risk appearing outdated, integrating color trends into a few of your designs helps. But remember to switch back to your signature colors and find a way to preserve your brand colors even when using trending colors. This helps maintain your brand’s visual consistency on social media.
- Limited edition packaging featuring color trends help position your brand in the limelight. Besides, these can also be effective ways to drive the momentum for products. For example, when the Pantone Color of the Year is announced, we see brands announcing product bundles or even variants flaunting the Color of the Year. This is good promotion to drive conversions.
For example, the Pantone Color of the Year variants have helped push the Moto Razr Ultra lineup these past few years. Given that smartphones are everyday gadgets seen as symbols of status, variants released in trending colors like the Pantone Color of the Year are seen as a fashion statement.
Now that we’ve gotten the essentials sorted, let’s move on to discuss the color trends of 2025.
Color Trends 2025: What Colors Are Likely to Trend
Brown is the new black
Did you notice a lot of earthy colors appearing on runways and in home styling trends? Yes, neutrals are back and browns seem to be the most dominant among them.
So we think that grounded browns will be among the color trends in 2025. The fact that the “Color of the Year 2025” announcements from several color research organizations have been browns and their variations supports this prediction.
Firstly, there is Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230), the Pantone Color of the Year 2025. A luxe and down-to-earth brown that has quickly grabbed the attention of creatives around the world. From Motorola’s Mocha Mousse variant to the premium tea brand TEALEAVES’ Mocha Mousse edition black tea, the color trend has popped up in industries ranging from technology to food and fashion.
Then there’s Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2025, Cinnamon Slate (2113-40). As the brand describes the color is a blend of “heathered plum and velvety brown”.
Finally, there is Dunn Edwards’ Caramelized (DET687) which according to the brand is a soft “terracotta brown”.
All three colors of the year are close to nature and with unique textural dimensions. Hence nature-inspired browns derived from natural elements like mud and clay are very likely to dominate among the color trends of 2025.
Spread a little sunshine with Canary Yellow
This next color we picked for our color trends 2025 list is a vibrant contrast to the mellow neutral we discussed previously. Canary Yellow, or any bright and “summery” shade of yellow for that matter is predicted to be a trend in 2025.
Canary yellow is a bold and cheerful hue that infuses energy and optimism into any design. Bright yellows like this one tend to evoke a sense of warmth and liveliness. They work particularly well among young audiences. From web designs to social media graphics, this is one of those color trends of 2025 that you can use to evoke joy in diverse kinds of branding and marketing designs.
Let’s now talk about a few hero colors announced by brands with a strong authority in the world of colors and creativity.
To begin with, there is True Joy, the paint color picked as the Color of the Year 2025 by AkzoNobel that owns brands like Dulux. This sunny yellow was chosen by the brand as a “joyful leap into the unknown”.
In addition to this, we did see some Canary Yellow moments on the runway like Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection and Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 “Elkins” as pictured in the post below. Similarly, several fashion trends predictions for 2025 also cite yellow to be a color to look out for.
Indulge in the intensity of deep reds
We saw vibrant reds among the color trends of 2024 and now 2025 might see more of deep reds like ruby red. Intense reds tend to evoke strong emotions and have a distinct personality. Like earthy browns, ruby reds can also fit seamlessly into designs that call for a minimalist appeal as well as those that call for a sophisticated touch.
Moreover, deep reds can be timeless and versatile. Unlike bright and vivid reds that often resonate with the young audience, deep reds can connect with diverse demographics. So remember to add this to your list of color trends to explore in 2025.
The popular paint company Behr’s Color of the Year 2025 pick is a color called Rumors which is a statement-maker, a ruby red hue which adds a touch of drama to designs.
The other trend color that aligns with this prediction of deep reds gaining momentum in 2025 is C2 Raku, C2 Paint’s choice for the Color of the Year 2025. This is a distinct brown-red which feels rich and elegant.
Tap into the glamor of jewel-toned purples
Purples, particularly chic jewel-toned ones like aubergine and eggplant hues are among the predicted color trends for 2025. We are talking about the kinds of purples that exude a sense of royalty and luxury.
When designs call for a touch of opulence, these are the hues that work. And they have a distinct way of making your designs look grounded. Besides, a combination of rich hues of purple, and deep reds look harmonious in various kinds of designs. That’s one way to creatively combine a few of the color trends of 2025.
Now, about the annual color trend announcements that indicate the possibility of deep purples ruling the creative game. First there is PPG Paint’s Color of the Year 2025 pick, Purple Basil (as seen in the image below). Purple Basil is a muted deep purple that the brand describes as something “not too bold or too bright”.
And then there is the popular wood stains brand Minwax’s Color of the Year 2025, Violet which is a slightly lighter yet a muted and dusty purple.
Color picks like these strongly hint at purples taking the center stage in the creative space in 2025.
Embrace the serenity of whispery blues
Shades of blue are the next interesting predictions for color trends of 2025. Not the bright and vibrant blues but some soft and whispery. Think of the mild ones like powder blue or Chambray blue.
Perfect for creating designs that feel fresh, clean, and effortlessly refined, whispery blues are ideal for creative projects where calm and focus are key. Again, these feel organic and close to nature. Besides, these hues look well balanced with other earthy colors like caramel or even Mocha Mousse.
Furthermore, there are various creative takes on calming blues depending on the undertones. For instance, there is Dutch Boy Paints’ One-Coat Color of the Year 2025, Mapped Blue. This is a soothing matte blue that the brand recognizes as a great choice for calming spaces promoting well-being.
Secondly, there is HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year 2025, Quietude. This unique hue is a blend of sage green and subtle blue and balances sophistication and serenity.
So, if you wish to align your designs with the color trends of 2025, experiment with such varied shades of soothing blues to give your designs a more calm and composed vibe.
Find tranquility in soft mossy greens
Nature-inspired earthy hues are pretty dominant in the anticipated color trends of 2025. Next on that list is mossy green. Think greens that evoke images of deep forests and moss-covered landscapes.
Deep mossy greens have a grounding effect which can be a fresh diversion from the explosively evolving tech world. In a world where eco-consciousness continues to influence design choices, this earthy green offers a connection to the environment.
As for the color combinations, deep mossy greens look well-rounded when combined with earthy neutrals and soft blues.
To support this prediction, we did spot a few shades of organic greens in the Spring/Summer 2025 Fashion Month collection.
Moss green was also part of the Lakme Fashion Week.
Mossy green or deep green resonates well with wellness brands, food and beverage brands as well as craftily executed campaigns for premium brands looking to exude luxury. It has got a distinct authentic trait and is quite a rare color in marketing. Which means that when thoughtfully integrated, it can make your brand stand out.
Capitalize on the comfort of burnt orange
Another rustic hue among the color trends for 2025 is burnt orange. As a grounded deviation from bright and energetic orange burnt orange appears mellow and comforting.
According to the popular home decor brand Lick, burnt orange is a rich tone with a unique peaceful quality. And the brand predicts this color to be among some of the biggest trends in interior styling and other segments in 2025.
Burnt orange makes a brilliant addition to the color palette if your design calls for a touch of warmth and creative depth. There is also a cozy feel it carries.
Finally, burnt orange is also considered to be one of those colors that combine elegantly with neutrals like beiges, creams, and earthy wood hues and grays. We also did see diverse shades of orange pop up in the NYFW Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
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From graphic design trends to color trends there are various trends to explore in order to stay ahead and ensure that you do not lag behind your competitors. For all these quick creative experiments, working with a dedicated design team makes a world of difference. With the new year fast approaching, now is a good time to choose your dedicated design team. Now is a good time to sign up for an unlimited design service like KIMP!
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