Hidden Gem, the 2026 Behr Color of the Year, Is a Grounding Green Hue That Shines In Any Setting
When selecting the 2026 Behr Color of the Year, the team behind the paint company challenged themselves with a task most pros would find near impossible: to choose a shade that not only appeals to a wide range of tastes, but also predicts where trends will be in the future. In other words, the selector has to be a crowd-pleasing psychic.
Last year, the choice of Rumors—a rich crimson—was a bold departure from prior neutrals of 2024’s Cracked Pepper black and 2023’s Blank Canvas cream. The change from black-and-white to red all over highlighted the team’s understanding of what consumers were feeling at the time: the need to be more daring, more unexpected, and more carefree. Erika Woelfel, the vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint Company describes the selection process as surprisingly exploratory, since one color attempts to express a convergence of culture and design.
So what do people seem to be craving for the year ahead? Woelfel says that consumers want rooms that foster “comfort, clarity, and a strong sense of place.” That’s why the 2026 Behr Color of the Year is Hidden Gem, a calming blue-green built off a grounding gray undertone.
“Across the board, we’re seeing a demand for color that creates atmosphere—something that enhances the function of a space while also evoking feeling,” she tells AD. “We selected Hidden Gem as the 2026 Color of the Year because it embodies the grounded sophistication and quiet confidence that today’s homeowners and clients are seeking.”
This color pumps the brakes on the more divisive choice of Rumors without drifting into the more palatable selections of Cracked Pepper and Blank Canvas. It’s an assertive team player, the kind of color that can stand on its own just as easily as it can work with its predecessors. “Its smoky jade tone is an ideal companion for both warm and cool tones,” Woelfel continues. Below, two AD PRO Directory members share how they would use the shade in the year ahead.
How to use the 2026 Color of the Year
Katie Cunningham, principal designer at Light & Dwell, thinks of nature when she looks at Hidden Gem, and considers it to be a timeless choice. “There’s something classic and fresh about it, and as a designer who gravitates toward nature-inspired palettes, this announcement has me genuinely excited about the possibilities,” she says. Cunningham recently used similar shades of blue-green in two different projects, a mountain dwelling’s speakeasy and a California lounge, and notes that the color cultivates a feeling of intimacy.
Cunningham notes her desire to use Hidden Gem on kitchen cabinets in particular, especially against woods and whites.
Image courtesy Behr