Color is key in design — the colors we choose can significantly impact human behavior and emotions, so mastering color schemes is essential for designers and artists.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into the psychology of color, unveil cool color schemes, the hottest color trends for 2025 (so far and beyond), and explore the tools and technologies driving these changes.
The psychological power of color
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Color can influence mood and even drive decision-making, so you need to understand color theory and the psychology of color to create designs that evoke a desired response. For example, blue, often associated with stability and peace, and works well with corporate designs, while vibrant oranges and yellows can energize and attract attention, making them excellent choices for calls to action.
Technology’s role in color exploration
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The digital age has transformed how designers explore and choose color schemes. Tools like Playbook’s AI color palette generator make finding the perfect palette more intuitive and inspiring than ever
Today, you can access millions of colors and understand color relationships and harmonies that fit your specific project needs.
Industries at the forefront of color innovation
Color schemes can be a game-changer for brands in areas such as:
- Branding: Brands are leveraging color psychology to appeal to their target demographic, using coherent color schemes across all touchpoints for a unified brand identity.
- Marketing: Visual content with strategically chosen colors can increase engagement, making color a key player in marketing strategies.
- Fashion: The fashion industry pushes the boundaries of color innovation, with designers using color to express creativity and set the tone for seasonal collections.
- Interior design: Interior designers use color to create specific atmospheres within spaces, from calming retreats to vibrant areas for socializing, demonstrating the versatile power of color.
Color trends
Color trends refer to the popular or fashionable colors predicted to dominate industries during a particular season or year.
Forecasting color trends begins by monitoring influencers like Pantone and design shows to spot emerging color palettes. Factors like socioeconomic conditions, culture, art, travel destinations, movies, and even nature also determine which colors will resonate with consumers in the upcoming seasons.
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“To follow the newest trends, we must be aware of pop culture, music, fashion trends… For example, the color purple gained popularity after the release of SOUR, Olivia Rodrigo's first album, where she defined her visual aesthetic, featuring a color palette that prominently includes purple”, explains Sara Gutiérrez, Marketing Graphic Designer at Envato.
Overall, forecasting color trends is crucial for brands –and even public figures and popstars– to stay relevant and connect with consumers in various industries, from high-tech gadgets to the t-shirt market. It requires both data analysis and artistic intuition for cultural shifts.
The colors we surround ourselves with influence our moods and perceptions, so staying ahead of color trends allows industries to tap into these effects through thoughtful design.
Fashion industry color trends
Image source: Pantone
The fashion industry plays a major role in shaping color trends each season. Main fashion weeks offer a first glimpse at the colors defining upcoming seasons.
Leading color authority Pantone releases fashion color trend reports for New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week to forecast the most influential shades. Their team of color experts analyzes the runway shows to determine the next color stories.
Recent New York Fashion Week trend reports have highlighted shades like Tomato Cream and Fern as standout colors. The Autumn/Winter 2024/2025 New York Fashion Week report emphasized warm tones derived from natural pigments and shades of green. These color stories showcase the convergence of function and adaptability.
London Fashion Week has revealed Cherry Tomato and Rain Forest as key hues for upcoming color trends. The Autumn/Winter 2024/2025 report mixes saturated brights with rich neutral tones and retro influences.
Envato’s Digital Design Manager, Jorge Acosta, points out that clothing brands are using nature-inspired colors such as ochres, greens, and toned-down reds, all great combinations for the industry.
Home décor color trends
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The home decor and interior design industry also evolves with the latest color trends. Major industry events like Maison & Objet in Paris and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York peek at upcoming trends and help set the tone for colors in home furnishings and spaces. For the moment, these include:
- Earthy neutrals like beige, brown, and tan, as well as bold accent colors like emerald green and burnt orange. These warmer, natural tones help create a cozy, inviting atmosphere while punctuating colors add visual interest.
- Soft pastels like lilac, sage, and buttercream are also popular because of their soothing, uplifting effects.
Automotive color trends
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The automotive industry pays close attention to emerging color trends yearly to appeal to changing consumer tastes. Some recent concepts have featured matte hues, chrome finishes, color-shifting paints, and hand-painted designs.
For upcoming months, nature-inspired greens, blues, and earth tones –like the ones displayed above– are predicted to grow in popularity alongside futuristic grays and silvers. Vibrant oranges and yellows are expected to decline.
Increased environmental consciousness and sleeker, technology-focused vehicle designs will likely drive this shift.
Beauty industry color trends
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The beauty industry follows fashion color trends and adapts them for makeup, nail polish, and hair color collections. Runway looks are a primary source of inspiration, providing direction on the shades and textures that will define the seasons.
Makeup trends draw heavily on the hues showcased at fashion weeks. For example, New York Fashion Week's emphasis on earthy neutrals led to more natural, nude lipsticks and eyeshadows the following season. Vibrant purple eyeshadows also emerged after models walked the runway with bold purple lids.
Beauty brands rely on color forecasting agencies and their own internal teams to predict which shades will resonate each season. Believe it or not, forecasting the next big lipstick or nail polish hue is crucial for beauty brands to stay relevant and on-trend.
Food and beverage color trends
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The food and beverage industry utilizes color trends to capture consumer attention and appetite appeal. Vibrant, appetizing hues are often forecasted years in advance to allow brands ample time to develop new product designs and packaging.
Color is a critical factor in food and beverage product development. Researchers analyze current lifestyle trends, innovations, and consumer psychology to predict which shades will look fresh, healthy, or indulgent in the upcoming seasons. Popular forecasting firms like Pantone, WGSN, and TrendWatching routinely publish reports on emerging food and beverage color trends.
These forecasts influence everything from the aesthetic design of food and drinks to the packaging and branding selected to convey a product's taste profile. Warm, saturated hues suggest fun, playful flavors, while clean, minimalist colors like white and green create perceptions of natural, healthy ingredients.
Digital design color trends
Image source: NSC Digital Color Trends
The digital world is not immune to color trends. Website, app, and graphic designers must pay close attention to emerging color palettes to create fresh, modern, and engaging designs.
UI and UX designers rely on color forecasting to select hues that resonate with users and enhance usability. Vibrant, saturated colors tend to promote action and capture attention. Cooler, softer hues can have a calming effect and improve focus.
Accessibility is also a key consideration in digital design. Strong color contrasts –like those forecasted by NSC– between text and backgrounds make content more readable for those with visual impairments, and avoiding certain color combinations reduces issues for people with color blindness.
Sustainable color trends
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The fashion and design industries are emphasizing sustainability more, and color trends are following suit.
Brands seek plant-based dyes like indigo, madder root, and cutch rather than synthetic options. These natural dyes often create soft, earthy color palettes reminiscent of the natural world.
Sustainable production processes are also critical.
Typical textile dyeing and printing generates substantial water pollution from chemical runoff. In response, innovations like digital printing and waterless dyeing are gaining popularity. For example, digital printing applies dye only where needed on fabric, reducing over 60% of the water used in conventional techniques.
Looking forward, sustainability will likely play an even greater role in color stories.
Color trends for 2025 (and beyond!)
As we advance into the end of 2025, five color schemes stand out, each telling a story about our world and our place within it.
These trends reflect our collective mood and anticipate the upcoming preferences in design, fashion, and consumer products.
Below is an overview of these color trends, including insights from industry-leading sources.
1. Conscious greens
Image source: Envato
Forecasting agencies emphasize sustainability's role in shaping consumer preferences, with a particular nod toward rich, nature-inspired greens.
The increasing focus on sustainability and environmentalism will inspire these greens. These aren't just any greens; they are vibrant and deep, representing growth, renewal, and vitality.
From forest greens to rich emeralds, these colors suggest a commitment to eco-friendly practices and a celebration of nature's resilience. These shades will surface in everything from home interiors to fashion runways, advocating a connection with the natural world.
2. Sunset pastels
Image source: Envato
Trend forecasters have started to draw attention to the soft, comforting range of sunset pastels, which mix pink, peach, and lavender hues.
Sunset pastels offer a sense of calm and nostalgia, evoking the peace and beauty of dusk. These hues cater to a growing demand for softness and warmth in our surroundings.
3. Terracotta tones
Image source: Envato
As minimalism continues to trend alongside our need for calm and uncluttered spaces, earthy neutrals will take center stage. These colors, which include sandy beiges, warm greys, and soft browns, serve as a versatile and comforting base, allowing other design elements to stand out or blend harmoniously.
Earthy neutrals —such as Terracotta–— work well in sophisticated branding, soft goods, and interior spaces. They offer a timeless aesthetic that appeals to a desire for simplicity and authenticity.
4. Bold monochromatics
Image source: Envato
Adobe insights underline the emergence of bold monochromatic color schemes, which use singular hues in varying shades to create impact.
Bold monochromatics offer a fresh approach to simplicity and minimalism, focusing on depth and texture within a single color family. This trend signifies a move towards simplicity and focus in our fast-paced world.
5. Digital metallics
Image source: Envato
With the continuous rise of technology and futuristic designs, metallic tones with a digital feel —such as iridescent silvers and metallic blues— are expected to trend. These colors align with high-tech gadgets and with the segment of virtual reality.
Digital metallics lend a modern, sleek look to user interfaces, gadgets, automotive design, and fashion accessories, seamlessly linking the digital and physical worlds.
The future of color forecasting
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The world of color trends constantly evolves as new technologies emerge and consumer preferences shift. Here's a look at what the future may hold for color forecasting across industries:
New technologies and innovations
Digital dye technologies allow designers to create intricately patterned textiles with unlimited color options, like smart materials that can change colors in response to heat, light, or other stimuli. New pigments and dyes are enabling a wider and more sustainable color palette.
Augmented and virtual reality will also impact color trends. They will allow designers to visualize colors and palettes in immersive 3D environments, enhancing trend forecasting and color selection processes.
Adapting to consumer preferences
With greater personalization and customization, consumers are seeking more tailored color palettes. Generational preferences are also shifting color trends as younger generations come of age. Brands must adapt their color stories to align with emerging consumer desires.
Data analytics will play a bigger role in predicting regional and demographic color preferences. This data-driven approach can complement intuitive trend forecasting.
Potential industry disruptions
The tradition-bound world of color forecasting could see disruptions from tech-driven startups.
While the future is uncertain, color forecasters can proactively adopt new tools and strategies. A willingness to embrace change will keep color trends relevant, fresh, and exciting.
Color trends for the future!
Color schemes are more than just beauty. They can boost engagement, uplift moods, and even influence the success of products and campaigns.
Understanding these color trends and the psychological underpinnings of color choices will be key for artists and designers who intend to stay ahead of the curve. Incorporating the latest tools and technologies for color selection can also provide a competitive edge, making your work not just a visual feast but a psychologically resonant masterpiece.
Whether you're revamping a brand, planning a marketing campaign, or designing the next trend-setting fashion collection, remember: the right color scheme can be your strongest ally.
Go ahead and explore the world of color to create impactful and visually stunning design pieces and works of art.
If you’re juggling multiple color palettes across different tools, Playbook's smart storage space offers a centralized hub for all your color creations. Easily save, organize, and access your palettes whenever you need them.