Finish Forecast: Bright Yellow, Blue and Variations of Violet

Color trends for 2025 span the spectrum. The major paint coatings manufacturers selected distinctively different hues this year compared to last year.

"True Joy" of yellow 

AkzoNobel presents a bright, bold yellow teetering toward safety signage. True Joy is a sunny shade that “brings optimism, pride and a splash of vibrant color to the metal architecture.” 

“There’s a desire to break free, press reset and welcome in the new. True Joy is a pop of color that puts a smile on your face. It’s created to inspire you to just leap out of your comfort zone, go for it and feel confident in doing so,” says Heleen van Gent, creative director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center. 

Encore in blue 

On the color wheel, Valspar’s rich blue Encore choice for Color of the Year is worthy of applause. It stands in direct contrast to True Joy, but is sourced from similar inspiration. 

“Encore allows us to reach for more as we reclaim our imaginations and embrace a more joyful version of adulthood,” says Sue Kim, director of color marketing at Valspar. "Encore is a color for any space or application. Its atmospheric deep blue tones emulate both the elusive luxury of Old World design and the futuristic blending of our physical and digital world. Encore’s versatility means it also can shine on its own through playful applications inside and out.” 

Passion for purple 

PPG’s fresh pick for 2025 is Purple Basil. This seems to move beyond saturation into an absorptive, immersive experience. PPG describes the color as “a perfect balance between the calming qualities of blue and energetic warmth of red. It is highly adaptable and easily paired with a wide array of palettes and colors, while offering a sense of rarity.” 

When used in commercial designs, the color can be reminiscent of historical architectural formats, “but with a completely contemporary expression. Hospitality, workspaces and retail all embrace aesthetics that balance earthen textures with refined elements of glamor.” 

While Purple Basil is uniquely by PPG, its purple tonality aligns with several other coatings manufacturers’ choices for Color of the Year. These include: 

• Benjamin Moore’s Cinnamon Slate, a plum-infused chocolate color 

• Behr’s Rumors, a ruby-forward hue with an undercurrent of blue 

• Minwax’s Violet, showing even woodgrain colors are embracing this hue 

Why choose one? 

Sherwin-Williams Colormix Trendsight Team curated nine colors as a “Capsule” of the Year. 

• Mauve Finery soft purple 

• Rain Cloud gray-blue 

• Chartreuse vibrant yellow-green 

• Bosc Pear, a golden shade 

• Malabar sandy beige 

• Clove spicey dark brown 

• Grounded rooted earthen tone 

• Sunbleached, an airy light neutral 

• White Snow, a reflective, bright white 

Be ready to see these trending colors specified on doors and entrances, curtain wall framing and cladding, storefronts and window systems. For architectural aluminum products, remember to specify 70% fluoropolymer resin-based coatings to meet our industry’s highest performance standard, AAMA 2605. With an experienced finishing service provider and these durable coatings, you can be confident the color stays looking its best for many years ahead.