Behr Color of the Year 2026: Hidden Gem

It is that time of the year when every paint company and color institute starts revealing their color of the year 2026. It is a challenging task to choose a color that will be inspiring and trend-setting for the upcoming year. But the team behind Behr has selected a beautiful color.

After the bold and rich “Rumors” in 2025, and the more neutral shades “Cracked Pepper” and “Blank Canvas” in previous years, Behr Paint Company has chosen Hidden Gem as its 2026 color of the year.

Hidden Gem is a rich and dynamic hue that exudes quiet confidence. This smoky jade with an air of mystery and sophistication creates spaces that feel grounded and alive.

Behr’s color of the year is deep and rich, and the team behind Behr has opted to pair this rich hue with light neutrals, soft natural tones, and the occasional rich hue like mustard yellow or terracotta. With these colors, you can create a calm, natural, and warm interior.

This dining room uses Behr’s “Curtain Call” on the walls and cabinets paired with “Terra Cotta Urn” on the window frames.

This calm bedroom is painted in Behr’s “Dainty Lace” on the walls and the “Urban Nature” hue on the cabinet doors.

This entry hall uses Behr’s “Adirondack Blue” on the walls, “Ecological” for the storage cabinet, and “Blank Canvas” for the joinery and doors.

The walls in this interior space are painted in “Smoked Tan,” while the door is painted in “Terrace Cotta Urn”.

The walls in this classic bathroom are painted in “Iced Copper” paired with baseboards in “Blank Canvas” and sliding doors painted in “Smoked Tan.”

The kitchen cabinet doors are painted in “Cracked Pepper” paired with upper cabinets in “Blank Canvas,” and the walls are painted in “Wheat Bread.”

The walls in this living room are painted in “Blank Canvas” paired with “Wheat Bread” window frames and a “Baronial Brown” fireplace.

This home office is completely painted in Behr’s Color of the Year 2026, “Hidden Gem.”

Last year’s color of the year, “Rumors,” also makes an appearance in the 2026 color palette.

How to Use Hidden Gem, Behr’s Color of the Year 2026

Hidden Gem is a timeless and natural color that also feels fresh and classic. The color works great as a standalone color pop or in combination with other natural and neutral hues. In addition, this rich yet grounded color pairs beautifully with natural materials like wood or brass fittings, making it an ideal color for a kitchen.

In this small Swedish kitchen, the cabinets (painted in a similar shade to Hiddem Gem) are paired with a white countertop and backplash tiles, as well as natural materials like the leather handles and wooden shelves.

Paint your bedroom walls in “Hidden Gem” and pair it with natural materials like wicker and rattan, and light neutral tones in the art and bedding.

Go all out with rich hues, even in the smallest room of the house. This bathroom pairs a blue-green hue on the walls with emerald tiles and a terracotta bathtub.

Instead of painting the walls, you can take inspiration from this walk-in closet and paint the wardrobe doors. Pair it with a fresh yellow sofa for a bright color pop.

Even though the shade in this living room is more blue than Hiddem Gem, it does show what a wonderfully rich interior scheme you can create with a color like Behr’s Hidden Gem. In this fantastic home, it is paired with rich tones like ochre and terracotta as well as multi-colors decor.

In this Swedish apartment, they added a rich greenish hue, creating a cozy breakfast nook with a built-in bench and an antique wooden table.

The kitchen in a 19th-century Swedish apartment pairs a (lighter) blue-green shade similar to Hidden Gem with marble countertops, brass fittings, and a light pink hue on the walls.

Hiddem Gem is the perfect hue to pair with natural materials like wooden ceiling beams and a terracotta floor.

Stay up to date with the latest color trends by following the color of the year 2026 article on The Nordroom.