Warm Colors Dominate American Home Design Preferences
Data reveals a surprising shift toward deep warm tones over cool palettes in US homes.
1Samplize's unique data approach
The Samplize American Paint Color Report analyzes millions of paint samples ordered from Benjamin Moore, Farrow Ball, and Sherwin-Williams during 2024-2026. Unlike traditional surveys, this method tracks colors homeowners actually consider before purchase. The data reveals complete shortlists, brand comparisons, and color combinations tested against each other. This approach provides more accurate insights than declared preferences or final sales data alone.
2Warm colors growing dominance
Warm tones grew nearly three times faster than cool colors over three years, now representing 69.4% of all samples tested. In 2024, warm colors accounted for 64.3% of samples. Half of all American shortlists contain no cool colors at all, up from 43% at the study's start. The shift isn't toward pale neutrals - deep warm tones grew six times faster than deep cool tones. This challenges assumptions that warming trends would manifest as lightening.
3Surprising depth trends
Contrary to expectations, the warming trend appears across all color depths. Deep warm tones like Benjamin Moore's Classic Burgundy grew as rapidly as lighter warm shades. Farrow Ball's Setting Plaster and Sherwin-Williams' Malted Milk represent the lighter end, while deep reds show equal popularity growth. This indicates Americans aren't abandoning dark interiors but prefer them in warmer temperatures. The data suggests temperature preference may be more significant than specific color families.
4Brown's unexpected evolution
Brown shades grew faster than any other color family, now appearing in 13.4% of shortlists (up from 9.2%). However, the popular browns aren't traditional chocolate or terracotta tones. Instead, muted greiges and warm grays like Sherwin-Williams' Warm Stone and Urbane Bronze dominate. Benjamin Moore's Smokey Taupe and Farrow Ball's London Clay represent this stone-like, sophisticated brown spectrum. These shades blend warmth with subtlety rather than bold saturation.
5Green's stable position
Green has stabilized as a significant part of the American palette after initial rapid growth. It now appears in 34.6% of shortlists, spanning sage, moss, and deeper botanical shades. Unlike more volatile color families, green maintains consistent popularity across the study period. This suggests it may have transitioned from trend to staple in American home design, offering natural warmth without dramatic temperature associations.
6Temperature over individual colors
Two-thirds of shortlists contain colors from only one temperature group, with half being entirely warm. Only about one-third mix warm and cool shades. This strong temperature consistency suggests homeowners prioritize cohesive warmth or coolness over specific color families. The data implies that when Americans explore new colors, they're more likely to stay within their preferred temperature range than experiment across spectrum extremes.
7Emerging color families
Pink and red represent the fastest-growing color families from smaller bases. Warm-and-deep was the fastest-growing combination of temperature and depth. While these colors aren't approaching neutral popularity, their growth indicates expanding color exploration within warm palettes. This counters assumptions that warming trends would lead to safer, more conservative color choices in home design.
8Implications for design industry
The findings challenge several industry assumptions about color trends. The growth of deep warm tones contradicts predictions of lightening palettes. Temperature consistency across shortlists suggests homeowners approach color selection more systematically than previously thought. For paint brands and designers, this data indicates opportunities in sophisticated warm palettes that satisfy both dramatic and subtle preferences while maintaining temperature cohesion.