If you want a home that looks unique, it would be better not to pay too much attention to the latest trends on social media while choosing the paint colors for your home. Instead, become a trendsetter yourself and turn to the professionals.
Designers spend their days immersed in all things color, and they always have the best pulse on which paint colors aren’t getting as much attention as they deserve.
To highlight some of these colors, we asked three designers to share which underrated paint colors they think you should try in 2025.
meet the expert
- Janelle Patton is the principal designer at Lark Interiors, a Dallas-based interior design and architecture firm.
- jodi peterman Elizabeth is the founder and interior designer of Erin Designs, where she works with clients across the country.
- alexandra peck Runs a full-service design studio in Los Angeles and creates designs for both residential and commercial projects.
deep teal
design by Lark Interiors / Photo by Nathan Schroder
The 2010s saw the rise of medium to dark teal shades in fashion and interior design. Since then, it seems like homeowners are shying away from this color altogether, but all three designers we surveyed say it’s time to change.
Designer Jodi Peterman of Elizabeth Erin Designs loves using the deep teal color in her projects, especially in dining rooms and powder rooms.
“Although teal had its moment only a few years ago, it has since been eclipsed by the popularity of dusty blues and navy,” she says. It works beautifully when paired with warm wood tones and other blue colors, creating a monochromatic look with great depth.
Janelle Patton is the lead designer at Lark Interiors. Although teal isn’t one of the go-to wall colors, she likes to use it on trim and cabinetry. She suggests pairing this underrated paint color with yellow, green, blue or pink.
Chartreuse
Sarah Ligoria-For Trump Emily Henderson Design
This color was definitely one of the most stunning underrated paint colors. Chartreuse is a mix between yellow and green, and Peck says not to sleep on it. She loves this vivid color as an alternative to wet palettes to add an unexpected pop of color to an already fun space.
lavender
It seems like light, dusty blue pastels have been in the news lately, but Patton encourages her clients to consider lavender as well. This color gives the same cozy look but adds a little extra warmth to the space.
“Purple is very underused in interior design,” she says. “Lavender is gorgeous on bathroom vanities or, if you’re adventurous, kitchen cabinets,
plum
Similarly, plum was another color that came up during our conversations with these designers. Alexandra Peck, a Los Angeles-based designer, believes plum is a jewel-tone color we should be seeing more of.
“I absolutely live for this jewel tone,” she says, “There’s something very charming about him. They are rich and full of depth.”
The plum looks amazing on the mudroom cabinetry and really matches the brass accents.
brown
One color family that Peterman expects to see more of in the coming months is what she refers to as mushroom colors, or the warm range of creams and browns.
“Whereas brown tones are really making a comeback, people may still be hesitant to use them in large areas,” she says. “However, mushroom tones look stunning on kitchen cabinets, providing a refreshing alternative to classic white and a Create a warm, welcoming environment.”
She also recommends brown for laundry room shelves, which she says looks especially beautiful with neutral mosaic floor tile.
saffron
If you’re not afraid of color and want to make a statement, Peck says to do it with ochre. This color gets its name from the natural earthy earth pigment, meaning it’s a beautiful earth-tone color to consider.
It’s a little more orange than your typical mustard yellow, and it matches well with colors like blue and green. Peck likes to use ocher monochromatically, not only on walls, ceilings and woodwork, but also on velvet or mohair upholstery.
