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Paints
For years, the design world told us that less was more. Cool grays dominated every mood board, white walls reigned supreme, and the safest choice was always the most minimal one. But something has shifted, and if you’ ve spent any time on a job site or walking a model home recently, you’ ve felt it. Homeowners aren’ t just asking for a fresh coat of paint. They’ re asking for a feeling.
At Dunn-Edwards, we’ re seeing that shift play out in real time across residential projects, new construction communities, and design consultations. The 2026 color landscape is warmer, richer, more emotionally charged, and frankly more exciting than anything we’ ve seen in a decade.
The return to heritage hues
The dominant thread running through this moment in design is what we’ re calling a return to‘ colors of heritage’- tones that feel timeless, storied, and deeply grounded. Leading this shift are warm neutrals, particularly ecru and parchment-adjacent shades that carry a soft richness white simply can’ t deliver. These aren’ t your grandmother’ s beiges. They’ re sophisticated, layered, and extraordinarily versatile, standing beautifully against stronger, more saturated accents without competing with them.
Paired with the materials homeowners continue to crave, including warm woods, handcrafted stone surfaces, woven textiles, and artisan finishes, these warmer neutrals create interiors that feel curated and collected rather than staged and sterile. It’ s a palette built for real living.
Beyond minimalism: Considered or purposeful interior
The design world is officially moving past the era of stark, uniform spaces. What’ s replacing minimalism isn’ t maximalism exactly; it’ s something more deliberate. We’ re calling it‘ considered or purposeful interiors’- those that are layered, personal, and expressive, but still architecturally clean. Think floral wall treatments
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