6 min readEvery year, trendsetters crown a new color as the “it” shade, and usually there is one hue that pulls ahead of the rest. This year it’s purple, specifically plum. From the fashion week runways to interior design firms, experts say this color is not only taking over homes right now, but will also continue to be a dominating force in 2027.
“At Interior Define, orders for purple and plum furniture grew consecutively every quarter from Q3 2025 through Q3 2026, representing a 34 percent relative increase,” says Havenly’s Chief Commercial Officer Lee Anne Blake. “Plum and jewel-toned decor are surging in tandem with upholstery. Havenly designers sourced 53 percent more plum and jewel-toned decor items year over year.”
Blake also adds that customers shopping from Havenly’s brands are requesting white, cream, and beige pieces far less often. As customer design preferences shift to embracing color and moody interiors, especially with Art Deco trending right now, a deep shade of plum falls neatly into the desired vibe. “Because plum carries warm brown and red undertones, it reads more like an earthy, grounded neutral than an intimidating bright color. It offers the same versatility as navy or forest green while feeling fresh, layered, and inviting,” says Blake.
For design enthusiasts ready to dive in, purple paint, wallpaper, or sizable sectionals are a great way to embrace the shade, while for the noncommitted, a rug or smaller accent piece can be a nice way to add color without detracting from your existing home’s palette. An even easier approach is to start with fresh flowers. “Try styling plum or berry-colored dahlias in a glass vase. It’s such an easy way to see how a bolder color works with your existing palette, lighting, and decor before bringing in anything more permanent,” says Taniya Nayak, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx home expert.
Ahead, we spoke with several interior designers on how to incorporate purple into the home tastefully, if you’re ready to embrace this color with open arms.
Choose the Right Tone
While purple is considered by many to be a controversial color choice, plum is much more of a crowd favorite. The color is moody, darker, and leans more reddish-brown.
“I would stay away from grape purples, which can carry a lot of cultural associations with children's characters and products,” says designer Kamber Mason. “Choose a purple with complexity. I tend to gravitate toward plums with brown, red, or gray undertones rather than anything overly bright or blue-purple,” adds designer Isabel Clune. “Then ground it with materials that have character—aged brass, stone, patterned textiles, rich woods, or handmade tile.” A plum with real depth of color adds sophistication to your space.
Lean In Without Hesitation
Your first instinct when using a bold color in your home may be just adding a splash, but every designer we spoke with about plum says to just lean into it.
“Don't treat plum like a guest that needs to be carefully introduced to the room. Give it something equally interesting to play off of! I love pairing rich colors with other unexpected tones, whether that's a muddy olive green, a tobacco brown, or even a soft, dusty pink,” says Lindsay Angyus, principal of KSA Design Group. “The trick is to create a relationship between the colors rather than letting one bold piece sit awkwardly in an otherwise neutral room.”
Low-stakes rooms in which to color-drench or try out plum are your powder rooms, a library, or even a primary bathroom. “These are the spaces where you can be the most fearless with color, and fearless is exactly the energy plum requires. Do not dip a toe in; commit,” adds interior designer Amy Kartheiser. “Paint all four walls and the ceiling too if you are brave enough.” These smaller, intimate areas let you explore an aesthetic without it visually overtaking your home like a purple-forward kitchen or primary bedroom would.
Work in Plum-Colored Accessories
Commitment-phobes who aren’t ready for a room dedicated to purple can still ease into the look by thoughtfully incorporating accent pieces that nod to the shade.
“A beautiful plum velvet pillow, upholstered accent chair, or piece of artwork can instantly add warmth and interest to a neutral space. It's a wonderful way to experiment with color without completely changing your existing design,” says Lynn Berney, cofounder of LTA Interiors.
However, a few designers did warn that plum could look underwhelming in a space or feel disjointed from the rest of the room if the piece doesn’t play well with existing decor.
“Consider which side of the ratio feels like it's taking over, and perhaps that's what's throwing off the balance,” says Erika Johnston, founder of Tiny Lane Interiors. “It doesn't have to be 50/50, but sometimes [plum] needs to have a bigger part in the conversation. You can also introduce a third color into the color story to give it more versatility and make it feel more cohesive.”
Style Purple With Complementary Colors
Don’t just paint a room purple and call it a day. You have to incorporate other colors, textures, and metals into the same space to make the color feel sophisticated and purposeful. According to designer Cindy McKay, plum pairs well with jade and a warm cognac brown, as the space pictured above demonstrates.
“This great wallpaper [in a recent project of ours] held all of these colors so I could easily pull them out in various spots in the space,” says McKay. “Plum pairs equally well with warm whites and blacks and is a great way to add a little color to an otherwise more neutral space if you aren’t ready to go all in!”
Meanwhile, Johnston says she likes marrying muddy greens with plum to give it a garden-inspired quality. She also thinks this type of purple plays well with smaller doses of red and pink. A third designer we spoke with also mentioned a color in the green family to style with plum: olive green! Take this as your cue to go for a verdant pairing.
“There is something so rich and unexpected about both combinations. Plum has so much depth on its own, and pairing it with these earthy, grounded tones creates a really sophisticated palette,” says Heather Weisz. “Add in some aged brass, warm wood, or even a little unexpected chartreuse, and suddenly you have something incredibly interesting.” If you’re worried this is too much color for you, Berney says warm neutrals such as ivory, taupe, and camel work well too for keeping a space feeling sophisticated and balanced.
Pair Plum With Antique Brass and Gold Metals
If you’ve decided to commit to plum-colored cabinetry or a room swathed in this shade, not only do you need to work in some complementary colors, but you also need to pay attention to the metals you use.
“Warm antique brass and aged gold are plum's most natural companions. The warmth of the metal pulls the red undertones out of the purple, creating something genuinely luxurious. Think unlacquered brass fixtures, aged gold hardware, amber glass,” says designer Amy Kartheiser.
You can even lean into the Art Deco-ness of it all with the metals and jewel tones. “Plum already has this regal quality, so pairing it with touches of gold, silver, or even marble instantly gives a room that collected, Art Deco-inspired feel,” says Nayak. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it! The key is letting plum be the star and allowing the pieces you already have to support it rather than compete with it.
Pay Attention to the Texture
Materiality can make color look different thanks to the weave, fiber chemistry, and how light-reflecting properties interact with dyes. For instance, smooth surfaces reflect light evenly in a single direction, so it can make colors appear brighter, deeper, and more saturated. Meanwhile, textured or rough surfaces scatter light in many different directions, so the colors can appear more muted.
“Plum in velvet, mohair, or a beautiful woven fabric feels much more luxurious and intentional,” says Berney. Blake echoes this, saying, “Plum looks best in rich velvets, bouclé, chenille, or linen so the fabric catches the light naturally and brings out the warm undertones.” Kartheiser adds, “A deep plum wall with rough linen drapery and a worn marble counter does not look tacky for a single second. It looks like somewhere you would never want to leave.”
