Repainting in 2026? These Sherwin-Williams Shades Will Be Everywhere

Emily Kantz knows that paint colors can be overwhelming, both to designers and homeowners alike.

But Kantz, Sherwin-Williams’ color marketing manager, hopes that the paint company’s second installment of their Colormix Trend Forecast Anthology will help making those paint color decisions a little bit easier.

The 2026 color forecast includes four distinct color palettes and 48 hand-selected hues, all of which can be combined and mixed and matched to match your design style—or help you embrace something new.

“What I keep hearing back is that people want more and more color,” Kantz tells The Spruce.

But Volume II, like Volume I, helps you narrow it down to the perfect color—and one that will be long-lasting.

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Test Out Some New Neutrals

The most neutral of the four color palettes, Foundational Neutrals, takes a fresh spin on the traditional neutrals we’ve been used to in the past.

While we still see classics like gray and creamy white, the overall palette has a very warm feel which reflects changing design tastes and a return to more nature-inspired hues.

And according to Kantz, these neutrals can actually add some color to a space.

“Passive is more of a silvery blue undertone to it,” Kantz says. “Rare Gray has a more kind of green undertone to it, so it does introduce a slight bit of color in a more muted sense.”

And new to this year’s neutral Colormix palette, are a couple of darker options like Inkwell and Armory.

“Homeowners, designers—they know that neutrals are kind of the basis of their design within their homes and it kind of helps tie everything together.”

Embrace Your Darker Side

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Restorative Darks, a collection of colors that really help you embrace you darker side.

It includes coppery red, bronze, and teal, for a sophisticated and stylish look that creates a cozy feeling in your home—which Kantz says could be ideal for bedroom spaces.

“We’re embracing those deep, rich tones,” Kantz says. “I think people are really leaning into them. There’s that cocooning effect that they have.”

Anthology Volume I also included a range of darker shades, but Kantz says this iteration involves more saturated colors.

Try a Delicate Tint

If you like to play with color but still lean more neutral in your design style, furniture, and decor, Frosted Tints could be the right palette for you.

These tones are essentially pastel colors, with greens, blues, yellows,

“This is a great way to introduce color without being, like, over [the top],” Kantz says. “It’s going to make a statement—a subtle statement—but it’s definitely a way to add that kind of…softened, subtle color.”

While it may feel slightly coastal-inspired on first glance, Kantz says the beauty of each palette is that you can adapt it to any design style.

Soak Up the Warmth

The butter yellow trend has taken the world by storm—especially in fashion—but that’s making its way into our homes as well this summer, Kantz says.

Sunbaked Hues feels playful, and almost bridges a gap between the darker tints and the lighter shades in the Anthology.

Together, they reflect all of the various shades of a sunset or sunrise, from corals to light yellows and even some bolder reds, to make your home feel sunkissed.

Kantz says this palette is a great option for those looking for something more retro-inspired.