Developer & creator of FacadeColorizer · Paris
Reviewed by Hugo Dumoulin, Founder of FacadeColorizer · Updated 2026-05-19
The 2026 Colors of the Year are finally out from every major US paint brand, and they tell a clear story: the market is moving from cool grays into warm, grounded, nature-inspired tones. Sherwin-Williams picked Universal Khaki SW 6150, Benjamin Moore went rich and moody with Silhouette AF-655, Behr chose the smoky jade green Hidden Gem, and Pantone named a warm earthy tone for its global Color of the Year. Below you will see what each color looks like, where it actually works on a real house, and how to test all three on YOUR house photo in 30 seconds, free.
Upload one photo. Preview Universal Khaki, Silhouette and Hidden Gem in seconds. No signup.
1. The 2026 Colors of the Year roundup
Every fall, the top US paint manufacturers, plus the global trend authority Pantone, announce a Color of the Year (COY) based on consumer research, retail color-sales data, and design-industry forecasting. The 2026 lineup leans warm, organic and earthy: no cool blue-grays, no stark whites, no acid brights. Here is the official slate.
| Brand | 2026 Color | Code | Family | Best exterior use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Universal Khaki | SW 6150 | Warm khaki neutral | Body color, trim accent |
| Benjamin Moore | Silhouette | AF-655 | Espresso / burnt umber | Front door, shutters, accent walls, modern body |
| Behr | Hidden Gem | N430-6A | Smoky jade green | Body color, front door, shutters |
| Pantone | Warm earthy brown (2026 COY) | Pantone 2026 | Warm brown / mocha | Trim, accents, soft-furnishing pairings |
Sources: Sherwin-Williams 2026 Colormix Forecast, Benjamin Moore Color Trends 2026, Behr 2026 Color Trends Palette, Pantone Color Institute 2026 announcement.
The common thread across all four picks: warmth, depth, and a clear pivot away from the cool greige dominance of 2018 to 2024. If you stood in a Home Depot or Sherwin-Williams store in 2026 and asked a paint associate which exterior color is selling fastest, the answer almost everywhere is warm-toned. The visualizer below lets you skip the guesswork.
2. SW Universal Khaki SW 6150: where it works (facade and interior)
Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki SW 6150 is a warm, slightly desaturated khaki with green-yellow undertones. Its Light Reflectance Value (LRV) sits around 31, which is mid-tone, dark enough to read as a confident statement on a body color but light enough to keep curb appeal high in shade and overcast light.
Where it works on the exterior:
- Craftsman bungalows and prairie-style homes. Universal Khaki echoes the original earth-tone palettes of the 1900 to 1930 Craftsman era. Pair with cream trim (SW Alabaster) and a deep stained wood front door.
- Modern farmhouses. A counterpoint to the white-on-white modern farmhouse cliche, Universal Khaki gives you the same architecture with grown-up gravitas. Add black windows and a natural cedar accent.
- Stucco and fiber-cement bodies. The khaki tone reads beautifully on textured stucco in Southwest and California light, where pure white can blow out in the sun.
- Cape Cod and Colonial homes with shutters. Use Universal Khaki on shutters or as a trim with a creamy off-white body for a soft, warm classic look.
Where it works inside: Universal Khaki is also marketed by Sherwin-Williams as an interior color of the year. It performs as a sophisticated dining room wall, a moody powder room, or a quiet study. In north-facing rooms it warms the cool light; in south-facing rooms its green-yellow undertone keeps it from going too dark.
Avoid it when: the house has heavy pink-beige brick (it can clash with the green undertone), or when the roof is a strong cool gray (the warm khaki and cool gray fight each other).
Upload a photo, get a photoreal preview of SW 6150 on your facade in 30 seconds.
3. BM Silhouette AF-655: where it works (espresso, dark moody)
Benjamin Moore Silhouette AF-655 is a deep, rich espresso brown with burnt umber undertones. Its LRV is approximately 6, which puts it firmly in the deep-color category, very close to black but unmistakably warm and brown rather than blue-black or charcoal. Benjamin Moore named it the 2026 Color of the Year specifically because consumers are moving from cool dark grays toward warm dark browns.
Where it works on the exterior:
- Front doors. The single safest first move with Silhouette. On a cream, white or warm gray body, an espresso front door reads luxurious and warm.
- Shutters and window trim. An alternative to true black, Silhouette gives the contrast of a dark accent without the harshness of jet black. Works especially well on Federal-style and Colonial homes.
- Modern full-body accent walls. On contemporary homes with mixed materials, Silhouette as a single accent wall behind a wood entry feels like a high-end residential architect choice.
- Garage doors. Painting only the garage door in Silhouette grounds a tall, monotone facade and breaks up bland color blocking.
Where it works inside: Silhouette is the moody-dining-room and library color of the year. With satin or eggshell finish and warm brass hardware, it reads as a deeply layered, classic interior. In a small powder room it transforms the space into a jewel-box.
Avoid it when: the home has very little natural light and the room is also small (LRV 6 can swallow light), or when the existing roof shingle is a cool gray-blue (the brown will read muddy next to it). Test before committing.
Test Benjamin Moore Silhouette on your front door, shutters or accent wall, free.
4. Behr Hidden Gem N430-6A: where it works (smoky jade)
Behr Hidden Gem N430-6A is a smoky jade green, more muted and grounded than the bright sage greens that trended in 2023 to 2025. Its LRV is approximately 17, which makes it a mid-deep tone, dark enough to feel modern and confident, light enough to keep architectural details readable. Behr describes the color as inspired by mineral-rich stone and forest depth.
Where it works on the exterior:
- Body color on Craftsman, Cottage and Cape Cod homes. Hidden Gem on the body, white trim, and a black front door is one of the most-saved 2026 combinations in design-platform Pinterest data.
- Front doors on white, cream or pale-gray body homes. A smoky jade front door is more interesting than navy, more grounded than emerald.
- Shutters on Colonials. Hidden Gem shutters on a creamy off-white Colonial give a soft, weathered, New England feel.
- Wooded lot homes. If the house is surrounded by mature trees, Hidden Gem helps the home settle into the landscape rather than fight it.
Where it works inside: Hidden Gem is excellent in a home office (calming, focused), a primary bedroom, or a kitchen island front. It pairs beautifully with brass hardware, natural wood floors, and creamy whites like Behr Swiss Coffee.
Avoid it when: the home has a strong red-orange brick (the green undertone will clash), or when the homeowner wants a high-contrast modern look (Hidden Gem is moody, not crisp).
Preview Behr N430-6A on your facade, shutters or front door, no signup.
5. How to test all 3 on YOUR house in 30 seconds
A 2-inch fan-deck chip in a brightly lit store does not predict what a color looks like on 1,800 square feet of siding in afternoon shade. Sample pots cost roughly $8 to $14 each, take 24 to 72 hours to dry to true color, and only show you a 12-inch patch (see our how to test paint colors virtually walkthrough for the full method). Comparing the three 2026 COYs the traditional way would cost $24 to $42 in samples and a full weekend of painting and re-painting test patches.
The free FacadeColorizer AI visualizer does it on a photo of your actual house in 30 seconds:
- Take one daylight photo of your house from the street, full facade in frame, no harsh midday shadow, no obstructing cars.
- Upload it at facadecolorizer.com/us/exterior-paint-visualizer. No account, no email needed for the free tier.
- Pick the colors. Search Universal Khaki SW 6150, Silhouette AF-655, Hidden Gem N430-6A, or browse the curated 2026 COY palette.
- Get the preview. The AI applies each color photorealistically to only the painted surfaces (body, trim, shutters, door) without touching the roof, windows or landscaping.
- Compare side by side. Save and download three renders (one for each COY) and decide before buying a gallon.
According to our 2026 internal data, 73% of homeowners change their color pick after seeing 3 to 5 HD options on their own house, and the average self-reported saving from avoiding the wrong color choice is about $4,200 in repaint regret (paint, labor and time). The 2026 COYs are bold, warm and committed colors. Test them before you commit.
6. Combo palettes: trim colors that work with each 2026 COY
A 2026 COY rarely lives alone. The body color needs a trim color, a door color and sometimes a shutter accent. Below are battle-tested combinations sourced from designer-led 2026 mood boards and from facades we have rendered on the visualizer.
Universal Khaki SW 6150 (body) combinations
- Classic Craftsman: Body Universal Khaki + Trim SW Alabaster SW 7008 + Door SW Tricorn Black SW 6258.
- Warm modern farmhouse: Body Universal Khaki + Trim SW Pure White SW 7005 + Door BM Silhouette AF-655.
- Soft transitional: Body Universal Khaki + Trim SW Creamy SW 7012 + Door Behr Hidden Gem N430-6A.
Silhouette AF-655 (door or accent) combinations
- Cream-bodied Colonial: Body BM White Dove OC-17 + Trim BM Chantilly Lace OC-65 + Door BM Silhouette AF-655 + Shutters BM Silhouette AF-655.
- Warm gray contemporary: Body SW Anew Gray SW 7030 + Trim SW Alabaster + Door BM Silhouette AF-655 + Garage Door BM Silhouette AF-655.
- Black-and-brown moody: Body SW Iron Ore SW 7069 + Trim SW Alabaster + Accent wall BM Silhouette AF-655.
Hidden Gem N430-6A (body or door) combinations
- Pinterest-favorite Cottage: Body Behr Hidden Gem + Trim Behr Ultra Pure White PPU18-06 + Door SW Tricorn Black.
- Cape Cod soft: Body Behr Swiss Coffee 12 + Trim Behr Ultra Pure White + Shutters Behr Hidden Gem + Door Behr Hidden Gem.
- Wooded lot grounded: Body Behr Hidden Gem + Trim Behr Creamy White PPU7-15 + Door BM Silhouette AF-655.
For trim color theory in more depth, see our top 20 exterior paint colors 2026 guide and our two-tone exterior paint ideas guide. For the brand-by-brand product comparison behind these picks, our Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore exterior comparison covers durability and price head to head, and our test 5 paint brands on the same house photo experiment shows side-by-side renders.
Universal Khaki, Silhouette, Hidden Gem, side by side on your own house photo.
7. Frequently asked questions
What is the Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year?
Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki SW 6150 the 2026 Color of the Year, a warm, mid-tone khaki neutral with green-yellow undertones and an LRV of about 31. It works equally well as an exterior body color on Craftsman, Cape Cod and modern farmhouse homes, and as an interior wall in dining rooms or studies.
What is Benjamin Moore Silhouette AF-655?
Silhouette AF-655 is Benjamin Moore's 2026 Color of the Year. It is a deep, warm espresso brown with burnt umber undertones and an LRV of about 6. It excels as a front-door color, a shutter color, a moody dining room or library wall, and as a single architectural accent on modern facades. It is a warm alternative to traditional black.
What is Behr Hidden Gem N430-6A?
Hidden Gem is Behr's 2026 Color of the Year, a smoky jade green at LRV approximately 17. It is more grounded than the bright sage greens of 2023 to 2025. It performs as a body color on Cottage, Craftsman and Cape Cod homes, as a front door on white or cream facades, and as shutters on Colonials. It also reads beautifully as a calming interior wall in home offices and bedrooms.
Did Pantone announce a 2026 Color of the Year?
Yes. Pantone Color Institute announced its 2026 Color of the Year as a warm, earthy brown / mocha tone, part of the broader 2026 shift toward grounded, organic neutrals. Pantone is a global trend authority, not a paint manufacturer, so the color is most often used in interior design, fashion and product palettes; for paint, Behr, Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore publish formula matches close to the Pantone reference.
Can I try the 2026 Colors of the Year on my house photo for free?
Yes. The free FacadeColorizer AI visualizer lets you upload one photo of your house and preview Universal Khaki SW 6150, Silhouette AF-655 and Hidden Gem N430-6A photorealistically on your real facade in about 30 seconds, no signup required for the free tier. Compare all three side by side before buying a gallon.
Which 2026 COY is best for a small or shaded house?
On smaller homes or heavily shaded lots, Universal Khaki SW 6150 (LRV 31) is the safest pick because it keeps the body bright enough to read in low light. Hidden Gem (LRV 17) and especially Silhouette (LRV 6) work better as accent or trim colors on small or shaded homes, used on the door, shutters, or a single accent wall, rather than as a full body color.
Where can I buy the 2026 Colors of the Year?
Universal Khaki SW 6150 is sold at any Sherwin-Williams store (4,300+ US locations). Silhouette AF-655 is sold at any Benjamin Moore independent dealer. Hidden Gem N430-6A is sold at Home Depot and on homedepot.com (Behr is Home Depot exclusive). All three can be color-matched in another brand's base for free with a spectrophotometer, though brand-original formulations are typically the most accurate.
Universal Khaki, Silhouette, Hidden Gem on your own house photo, side by side, in 30 seconds.
Preview the 2026 Colors of the Year on your actual home photo before committing to gallons. Sources: Sherwin-Williams 2026 Colormix Forecast (Universal Khaki SW 6150), Benjamin Moore Color Trends 2026 (Silhouette AF-655), Behr 2026 Color Trends (Hidden Gem N430-6A), Pantone Color Institute 2026 announcement, FacadeColorizer 2026 visualizer telemetry.
Trademark notice: Sherwin-Williams®, Universal Khaki®, Benjamin Moore®, Silhouette®, Behr®, Hidden Gem®, and Pantone® are registered trademarks of their respective owners. FacadeColorizer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, or Pantone. Color names, codes and 2026 Color of the Year designations are used here for informational and editorial comparison only, consistent with nominative fair use under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125). On-screen color renders are AI-generated approximations and may not perfectly match physical paint chips; always confirm the final color with an in-store fan deck or sample pot before purchase.
