2025: A Symphony of Color

Last spring at The Inspired Home Show in Chicago, the Pantone Institute made its annual predictions about home color trends for 2025. The trends for the year are encapsulated in seven color palettes, each with a unique focus. The overall theme of the palettes is “A New Harmony,” referring to consumers’ current desire to be surrounded by colors that infuse their lives with a sense of balance and wellness.

Lee Eiseman, Pantone’s executive director, unveiled the palettes during her keynote address. She described how Pantone chooses colors for their forecast based on design trends as well as cultural influences such as film, food and fashion. Rocks, flowers, plants and other “earthly elements” can be a source of harmony and a respite for those overwhelmed by technology, so nature is another important inspiration for Pantone’s color predictions.

According to Eiseman, “Harmony is a beautiful word that conjures up certain pictures in your mind. Being in tune with ourselves, in tune with others within our immediate surroundings, and in tune with the greater world around us. It also conveys a sense of balance and a much-sought-after sense of equilibrium…When it comes to design, much of the harmony that is created is certainly because of the educated and creative use of color.”

The seven palettes offer a wide range of color options for home design, providing something for everyone’s taste. The names of the palettes are inspired by music, reflecting the common association between music and harmony.

Here are descriptions from Pantone of the harmonious color selections.

Blended Notes
Described as “healthful and tranquil,” this palette features cool naturals, icy tones and refreshing blue greens. It’s gently stimulating, like a breath of fresh air. Soft blue greens are always a consumer favorite, but here they are renewed when contrasted with cool neutral shades of navy, gray and yellow.

Easy Listening
According to Eiseman, this palette is all about serenity. It features a variety of soft and light-hearted pastels that say, “Let’s relax and unwind.” Since the eye tends to gloss over soft shades that lack excitement, these shades provide a gentle fizz. Designers know that a little bit of drama will make the eye linger a bit longer.

Perfect Pitch
This palette has a touch of Gothic, but Eiseman prefers to describe it as “smokey and highbrow with colors that appear to have a powdery finish.” It’s romantically dark, rich, refined and dramatic, feeling cinematic and mysterious while conveying a sense of sophistication and luxury.

Staccato
The colors in this palette are described as sweet and sour, bright and bold. The palette incorporates bright colors that can be used in color blocking and evokes feelings of design as play. The idea is catching consumers’ attention and making them see color mixing in a new way. This helps them integrate colors and products they may already have, important in today’s economy.

Stage Presence
Retro 1970s stylings and smooth jazz are influences in this earthy and eclectic palette that easily lends itself to bold patterning. It features intense colors such as a tan mixed with orange. It also includes Denim Blue, since the Western fashion influence appears to be here to stay.

Tempo Timing
Inspired by youthful athleticism, this palette is polished and crafted but still has kinetic energy. Eiseman explained that darkness conveys a sense of power, so this palette includes several dark tones. But it also has a few lighter tones, such as off-white and peach, providing good balance.

Crescendo
As its name conveys, Crescendo includes colors that seem to make noise. Though Eiseman called it “not quite as bold as Staccato,” this palette also features vibrant tones that seem to build toward a joyful journey. It has influences in both technology and music, carrying a sense of playful modernity and pop opulence. Every color in the rainbow is represented, but these shades are anything but basic.

The Pantone Color Institute has long been the color authority in fashion, design and trend forecasting. Founded in 1963, Pantone plays a crucial role in various industries, including fashion, home decor and graphic design, through its standardization of color definitions. Each year, the institute analyzes cultural trends, social movements and design innovations to predict the colors that will resonate in the upcoming months. Their annual predictions significantly influence product development and marketing strategies worldwide, reflecting the mood and aspirations of society while guiding designers and brands in their creative choices.

Lee Eiseman is a professional color specialist who plays the role of international color guru as executive director of Pantone. She is recognized worldwide for her expertise in color design and the psychology of color.

Sources: theinspiredhomeshow.com and pantone.com.