Behind the Colour Of The Year

A person applying various colour swatches on a white wall.

How does Benjamin Moore choose our Colour of the Year and the corresponding Colour Trends Palette?

Our annual celebration of colour is the result of a yearlong exploration into design, art, fashion, cultural and environmental influences around the globe. From Benjamin Moore’s library of over 3,500 colours, we carefully curate a Colour Trends palette that balances modern-day relevance with long-lasting appeal. At the centre is one special hue that defines the palette—and the moment: the Colour of the Year.

Colour of the Year: A Look Back

A living room with wall painted in October Mist CC-550, a sage green, with gray couch, green accent pillows, and a flowering indoor tree.

Colour of the Year 2022: October Mist CC-550

This gently shaded sage quietly anchors a space, while encouraging individual expression through colour.

October Mist CC-550 graces the wall of this elegant living space.

Paint: AURA® Interior
Sheen: Matte

Explore the full Colour Trends 2022 palette.

Download Brochure
A kitchen with walls and cabinets painted with the Colour of the Year 2021, Aegean Teal 2136-40.

Colour of the Year 2021: Aegean Teal 2136-40

An intriguing, balanced, and deeply soothing blue-green, Aegean Teal invites us to reflect and reset.

Aegean Teal 2136-40 envelopes this welcoming kitchen with its nourishing spirit.

Paint: REGAL® Select Interior
Sheen: Eggshell

Explore the full Colour Trends 2021 palette.

Download Brochure
A wall painted in First Light 2102-70, a soft pink, a pink console with gold handles and multiple vases.

Colour of the Year 2020: First Light 2102-70

A soft, rosy pink that blooms with potential.

First Light 2102-70, a refreshing alternative to white or beige, casts the perfect backdrop.

Paint: REGAL® Select Interior
Sheen: Eggshell

Explore the full Colour Trends 2020 palette.

Download Brochure
A wall painted in Metropolitan AF-690, a cool gray, cream-coloured silk curtains, and a formal gold chair.

Metropolitan AF-690: Colour of Year 2019

A stylish gray with cool undertones reflects modern sophistication.

Metropolitan AF-690 offers beauty and balance in this living space.

Paint: AURA® Interior
Sheen: Eggshell (wall), Semi-Gloss (trim)

Explore the full Colour Trends 2019 palette.

Download Brochure

Sign Up to be the First

Stay current on Colour of the Year 2023 and all of our colour and design happenings.

Join Our List

The Journey to the Colour of the Year and the Colour Trends Palette

Every year, our colour and design experts look at both domestic and global inpiration to select the Colour of the Year and the corresponding Colour Trends palette. Their work yields common threads across diverse disciplines, resulting in a thoughtfully curated colour palette—and one standout paint colour—that inspires us all.

Professionally hand-drawn furniture and pictures of different colours of fabrics and colour samples.

Design

We look at a range of design influences like furniture, lighting, fabrics, home accessories and more—and then consider the relationship that paint and colour has to each of them.
Professionally hand-drawn room interior and pictures of colour samples.

Art

From contemporary to classic, we look to art to help us see colour and colour pairings in a fresh, new light. Seeing how artists use colour always energizes and inspires us.
Professionally hand-drawn fashion sketches and different colours of fabrics on a piece of paper.

Fashion

Always changing, and consistently informed by colour, fashion is an expression of personality and style that gives us a snapshot of the moment.
A picture of dark green front door, a small bunch of purple flowers, and a picture of natural flowers displayed on a piece of paper.

Environment

Every setting offers its own unique natural landscape, distinct colour palette and architectural traditions. At home and when traveling, we take in all of these elements.
Pictures of an outdoor empty hallway and buildings, a passport, some coins, and a cup of coffee displayed on a piece of paper.

Culture

Clearly, people influence us as well. Consumer sentiment, entertainment, economics, and contemporary culture all give voice to our annual colour palette selection.
"Each year, we invite homeowners to use the Colour Trends palette as a point of inspiration to bring colour into the home in new ways."

-Andrea Magno, Director of Colour Marketing & Development

Unmatchable Colour


The richness and nuance of the Colour of the Year and Colour Trends palette can only be achieved with Benjamin Moore products. Our paint is available exclusively from 7,500 locally owned paint, decorating and hardware retailers.
Red orange dining room painted in Raspberry Blush 2008-30 with wooden table, gold tablecloth, tree branches, and a golden frame propped against the wall.

Colour of the Year 2023

Explore the Colour of the Year and the Colour Trends 2023 palette, curated by our colour and design experts.

A selection of Benjamin Moore paint colour samples.

Get Colour Samples

Test drive colours before you buy.