Neutrals May Be Easy to Live With, but Behr’s 2027 Color of the Year Proves ‘Calm No Longer Has to Mean Colorless'

September has arrived, which means yes, cozy fall days are upon us, but more importantly, the color of the year season has returned. A time when leading paint brands share the shades set to define the year ahead, insight into next year's color trends begins now.

A few names have taken the lead, and next to launch their color choice is established American paint brand Behr, announcing 'Grounded', an earthy, mossy green hue, as its color of the year.

'Grounded is a reminder that the most meaningful spaces are the ones that help us connect with the rhythms of everyday life,' said Kayla Kratz, Head of Color at Behr Paint Company. 'The shade's organic warmth creates a sense of calm and renewal, making every room feel inviting and effortlessly livable.'

The best olive green paints set the tone of a scheme without dominating it. 'Grounded works as a living neutral, anchoring a room without disappearing into the background,' explains Kayla in an interview with Homes & Gardens. 'The balance of moss, olive and subtle brown gives the color the flexibility we associate with a neutral, but with far more character.'

'Our definition of calm in the home is changing. For years, serenity was often expressed through crisp whites, cool grays and restrained neutrals,' Kayla continues. 'Today, people still want that sense of ease, but they’re looking for more warmth, character and life in the spaces around them.'

'Calm no longer has to mean colorless. Organic colors bring a restorative connection to nature while still allowing a home to feel expressive and deeply personal. Colors with nuance and variation also have an inherently lived-in quality. They feel less pristine and more human, which is increasingly what people are looking for from their homes.'

Consider the colors that go with olive green when introducing shades like Grounded into your home. 'I’d pair Grounded with materials that have natural variation,' Kayla advises, 'including warm wood, stone, linen, leather, brass and aged metals. Grounded brings particular richness to cabinetry and millwork, while an entire room allows the moss, olive and brown undertones to create a more immersive, enveloping effect.'

'Light also becomes part of the color’s character,' she adds, 'Brighter daylight brings the moss and olive forward, while softer evening light reveals more of the brown undertones and creates greater warmth and depth.'

To help you choose a palette that feels cohesive, Behr has curated a full 2027 Color Trends Palette, which features a collection of complementary hues inspired by nature. A mixture of warm neutrals, earthy tones, and a few light and breezy blues, the palette couldn't be more balanced. The colors include: Coastal Beige, Wheat Grass, Environmental, Denim Light, Smokey Claret, Sarsaparilla and Mozart – designed to work beautifully with Grounded.

'Earthy color is evolving beyond the pale sages and quiet beiges that have defined the last several years,' Kayla says. 'We’re seeing a shift toward colors with more depth and personality – deep olives, clay and terracotta tones, warm browns, muted reds and atmospheric blues.'

'What makes this next generation of earthy hues so appealing is their ability to be expressive without becoming overwhelming. Grounded is a great example: it has the presence of a true color, while the brown undertones give much of the versatility and ease of a neutral.'

'Earthy doesn’t have to mean muted or safe,' she adds. 'The next evolution is about bringing richer, more dimensional color into the home while maintaining that underlying sense of comfort and ease.'

Grounded-Inspired Shopping

If repainting your walls isn't on your decorating agenda right now, bring the beauty of this relaxed color trend into your home with these chic shopping buys.

Behr's Color of the Year balances liveable and luxurious. Rich and cocooning yet quietly grounding and gentle, expect to see plenty more complex olive greens like Grounded in 2027 interior design trends.

For more inspiration, we have gathered designers' favorite colors of the year from the past ten years in our dedicated piece.

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