2026 Home Colour Trends

After years of pared-back palettes and safe neutrals, colour is making a confident return. Not in a loud or fleeting way, but with intention, emotion, and depth. The 2026 Dulux Colour Forecast reflects this shift, highlighting a renewed appreciation for colour as a way to shape how our homes feel, not just how they look. Let’s take a closer look at each palette and how these colour stories can be brought to life.

Evoke

Artwork: Ellie Malin - 'Blue Light', Fenton & Fenton.

Expressive, layered, and unapologetically personal.

Dulux Evoke celebrates a renewed confidence in individual expression. Rooted in vintage aesthetics, this palette is inspired by the beauty of collected pieces, blending elements of the past and present to create spaces that feel layered, eclectic, and personal. Rich, comforting tones were selected over bright ones, creating depth, warmth, and a sense of lived-in character.

Earthy pinks such as Dulux Benhar, muted oranges like Dulux Ligar Bay, and warm mustard and gold tones including Dulux Desert Road form a versatile foundation. These are balanced by deeper, more dramatic shades such as Dulux Warkworth, Dulux Red Jacks, Dulux Wink, and Dulux Deep Aqua, which add contrast and a cultured edge.

When used thoughtfully, Evoke brings a sense of richness and individuality to interiors, particularly in spaces where colour can be layered with texture, materials, and light. In a well-designed home, these tones naturally enhance architectural details, adding depth and warmth without competing with the form and structure of the space.

Elemental

Artwork: Charlie White - 'Wall Work Medium', Bachli; Terri Brooks 'White Grid', Studio Gallery. Sculpture: Elvis Sabi '14 Ice Cream Cones.'

Calm, grounded, and beautifully simplistic.

Dulux Elemental offers a grounded, tonal approach to colour. Designed as a counterbalance to the pace and complexity of modern life, this palette reflects a desire for calm, clarity, and intentional simplicity. Inspired by brutalist design principles and anti-burnout culture, it focuses on stillness, structure, and emotional ease.

Warm whites and soft neutrals such as Dulux Whale Bay and Dulux Duvauchelle create a quiet base, enriched by golden brown hues like Dulux Kingsland and Dulux Herald Island. Subtle layers of warm grey, including Dulux Godley Head and Dulux Boulder Beach, bring balance and definition, while deeper charcoal tones introduce depth without heaviness.

Elemental is at its best when allowed to sit quietly within a space. In architecturally designed homes, these tones support the natural rhythm of light and its interaction with material, allowing the design to feel cohesive, calm, and enduring rather than overtly styled.

Ethereal

Artwork: Peter Summers - 'Lily Pond Pink The Goddess Spreads Her Love,' Studio Gallery.

Softly optimistic and light.

Dulux Ethereal introduces a lighter, more optimistic perspective. Inspired by nature and grounded in hope, this palette moves away from heavier, sombre narratives and instead embraces joy, softness, and emotional restoration. Its blend of gentle greens, mauves, and blush pinks feels playful yet refined.

Romantic tones such as Dulux Snowdon Forest, Dulux Different Pink, and Dulux Mask are complemented by subtle pastels including Dulux Wainui Beach, Dulux Lake Camp, and Dulux Waitiki Landing. Together, these hues create interiors that feel uplifting and serene, without tipping into sweetness.

Ethereal offers a playful softness when used with care, allowing colour to gently enhance light and openness rather than dominate it. Within thoughtfully designed homes, this palette adds warmth and emotion, creating spaces that feel restorative and effortlessly refined.

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The Dulux Colour Forecast 2026 highlights a shift towards homes that feel more expressive, grounded, and personal. From richer palettes to calm neutrals and softer, playful tones, colour is being used to create atmosphere and character within the home.

At David Reid Homes, colour is considered as part of the design from the very beginning, working alongside architecture, light, and materials. For inspiration on how colour can be thoughtfully integrated into a beautifully designed home, explore our Inspirational Gallery and see these ideas brought to life.