AD Pro's Color Trend Report 2025 Is Here: Say goodbye to neutrals and Hello to color!
September 4, 2025
If there is one takeaway from AD PRO’s Color Trend Report 2025 Report it’s this: color is the trend of the year. Yes, that’s right they have offically declared, “The neutral reign is ending—color now rules the room.”
For nearly two decades various shades of beige, gray, and white reigned supreme in home design. It’s safe, clean, and predictable; thus the go to choice in mass produced homes where neutrals are easy to apply in “production mode”. The results? Thousands of indentical homes that don’t reflect the personality of people who live in them. But if AD PRO’s 2025 Color Trend Report tells us anything it’s this: people are craving color and aren’t afraid to make a bold statement with it.
Designers and homeowners alike are embracing bold hues and decorative finishes as a way to add personality and create spaces that feel uniquely their own. Here’s what’s trending and how you can bring it home.
1. Color Blocking: Structrue Through Shade
Think of color blocking as architecture with paint. Instead of one safe wall color, designers are carving out visual “zones” with multiple hues. Sometimes they’re bold and contrasting (like crimson and cobalt), other times subtle and tonal (layering different blues or greens together).
Designer Ross Cassidy calls it “a wonderful shock tactic–you build a harmonious base, and then you upend it with an unexpected jolt.”
At BOLT Builders, we’ve seen this strategy work beautifully in pantries and kitchens. One of our favorite pantry we build features blue cabinetry paired with blue and white chekered flooring. The layered palette unified the space and gave it personality without overwhelming the rest of the room.
2. Trending Shades of 2026
AD PRO’s panel of colorists see a clear shift toward rich, earthy tones:
- Soft Browns and Camel: “Clients aren’t shying away from color,” explains London designer Matilda Goad, “but are instead favoring a cleaner palette that allows bolder accents to shine.”
- Oxblood & Bordeaux: Ashton Jones of Blu Dot says, “Berry is proving to be a standout as it’s sophisticated and flattering agaisnt all wood tones.”
- Mulberry & Aubergine: “It’s rich, luxe, and a unique alternative to black, navy, or chocolate browns,” adds Missy Hulsey of The Urban Electric Company.
- Dark Olives: “We see deep olives and rich rusts becoming more important as an evolution from neutrals,” says Director of DWR, Omar Nobil.
We see those soft browns used refquently in warm woods: walnut counters and shelving, white oak vanities and cabinets. Homeowners are continually drawn to wood accents to add warm and color to their home.
Decorative Painting
“Decorative painting can define a space in a way that is entirely unique and refreshingly human,” says Xavier Donnelly of Ash. Hudson Valley muralist Wally Whitehurst agrees: “There’s definately beige fatigue out there. People are craving personality instead of the same safe neutrals.”
At BOLT, that craving shows up in powder rooms and dining rooms, where clients feel free to experiement. It’s common to have bold wallpaper with floral motifs in powder rooms. While a small room it’s an easy space to dip into color for those who are still skeptical.
4. Color Drenching is Here to Stay!
Covering every surface: walls, ceiling, trim, even furniture, in a single color is undeniably bold. Some designers swear it’s timeless; others say it’s best in small does.
“It’s a chance to present a significant point of view,” says AD100 designer Sara Story.
In the right context, color drenching is an easy way to add a big statement in your home. From moody vintage offices to show stopping living rooms, this trend can make a room feel more cohesive.
Recently our BOLT team color drenched a client’s dining room black. While many would shy away from a dark color, this client was willing to risk it all. Because the room had a vaulted ceiling and three walls with windows, the natural light kept it from feeling overwhelming while the bold color makes it an unforgetable part of the home.
5. Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Home
Even if you’re not ready for a drenched dining room or aubergine sofa, AD PRO reminds us that color doesn’t have to be permantent.
An Italian designer Elga Ancona puts it, “It is always a dialogue with the space, one that balances harmony with rebellion.”
If you’re just dipping your toe into the world of color, start small. Experiment with bolder colors in secondary spaces: powder rooms, mudrooms, built-ins, or kitchen cabinets. It keep the main living spaces versatile while adding personality where you want a special moment.
Color Your Home
Color in 2025 is about more than trends, it’s about personal expression. Whether you’re ready to block, drench, or simply accessorize, this era of design invites homeowners to step beyond safe neutrals and build rooms with mood, personality, and depth. As Chromastudio’s Giuseppe Albanese puts it best: “For us, the first rule is courage.”
And at BOLT we believe trends come and go, but the right use of color can transform a house into a home that feels alive and uniquely yours.
