We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
This year's paint trends are taking a decidedly muddy turn...
Autumn’s paint colour trends are taking a decidedly muddy turn. Gone are those chalky neutrals and gentle pastels, replaced by colours with more depth and earthiness.
On our radar are dirty beiges, olives, espresso browns and deep aubergines, all softened and muted to make them easier to live with. There is a distinctly retro quality to the palette too, particularly in those tobacco-tones that wouldn’t look out of place in a deeply romantic 1970s interior.
The way we’re using colour is shifting along with it. Tonal decorating is making rooms feel more immersive, while the underwhelming whites of skirting boards, doors and architraves have disappeared altogether.
And among all that softness, there is room for the occasional jolt – a glossy red bannister, perhaps, or a richly coloured kitchen.
'I think people are finally feeling confident enough to bring their personality back into their homes,' says Lisa Hensby, founder and creative director of the eponymous design studio. 'We've had years of very safe, neutral schemes, and while that will always have its place, there's a real appetite now for richer, more expressive colour.'
Ahead are six of the biggest paint trends that will shape our homes this autumn.
Dirty neutrals live in the hazy middle ground between beige, taupe and grey. Most of the magic is in their earthy undertones, which could be touches of clay, warming hints of olive or a slightly muddy cast.
They're soft and flattering, and plain enough to use across a whole room – this Folkestone bathroom uses Portland Stone by Little Greene.
'These warmer shades, with subtle yellow or brown undertones, help counterbalance cool natural light and create the inviting atmosphere people instinctively gravitate towards,' says Rob Abrahams, co-founder of COAT.
If 2025 celebrated confident colour, 2026 has been all about learning to live with a single hue.
Tonal decorating – layering varying strengths, tints and temperatures of the same colour across an entire room – creates a space that feels put together without being over-styled. It is most often employed with neutrals, but doesn’t have to be – sage can move into olive, rust into soft peach, navy into slate, all within a single palette.
Pictured: Room designed by Studio Duggan
This mood-boosting colour sits in the spectrum between yellow and green, but unlike its neighbouring primary colours, it has an earthy brown undertone. This muddying of the pigment – reminiscent of 60s and 70s colour palettes – is what makes it feel so retro.
'This muted, mid-tone green with subtle yellow undertones adds warmth without overwhelming a space,' says Georgia Metcalfe, founder of French Bedroom. 'This hue subtly shifts with the light, feeling soft and warm in the morning, becoming cool and tranquil by evening.'
Pictured: Fresh Olive and Lambskin by Benjamin Moore
'Aubergine, a deep and sophisticated iteration of purple, has emerged as key colour trend,' says Shelley Cochrane, accessories buyer at Furniture Village. 'It’s much more approachable than royal purple and it’s surprisingly versatile too.'
More unexpectedly, aubergine is making its biggest impact in the kitchen, with Pinterest recording a nearly 500 per cent increase in searches this year.
Interior designer Sophie Rowell of Côte de Folk, chose Myland's London Brown for her kitchen cabinets– 'It’s such a rich, complex shade, I was nervous it might feel too dark or heavy, but I absolutely love it,' she tells House Beautiful.
Lisa Hensby notes the importance of getting the whole palette right. 'Soft pinks, earthy greens, warm creams and muted browns all sit beautifully alongside it. The trick is balancing the depth of the aubergine with warmth and texture, so the finished scheme feels layered.'
Read more: The 'aubergine' kitchen trend designers love
Somewhere in the last century, brilliant white gloss became the factory setting for skirting boards, doors, architraves and bannisters.
Adding colour to your woodwork instead – a trend spreading wildly across social media – feels like something we should have been doing all along.
An audacious glossy red is our pick – à la this homeowner in Brighton who glazed her doorway in Farrow & Ball’s Incarnadine.
‘Due to the depth of the colour, it works well as a feature wall, or as an accent colour,' adds Lucy Steele, paint and interiors expert at V&CO Paint.
Brown was a core colour for 2025 and it shows no signs of fatiguing.
Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Colour of the Year, Silhouette, is a rich espresso brown with charcoal undertones. 'Browns have become very, very important… almost becoming a nice substitute to using black or charcoal,' Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore's director of colour marketing and development, tells House Beautiful.
Look for upholstery with the velvety depth of hot chocolate, or glossy mahogany accent pieces.
'Cocoa pairs beautifully with soft tonal neutrals for a calm, cocooning look, but comes alive when contrasted with brass, deep green or burnt amber,' adds Jason Wilary-Attew, director of home at John Lewis.
Pictured: House Beautiful Bonnie Peach Roller Blinds at Hillarys
Dulux's Colour of the Year 2027: Sage green
This old-fashioned rug trend is back with a twist
'Burrowcore' is the cosiest autumn trend
Everything to know about the new paint trend – cloud capping
