COLORS OF THE YEAR 2026

AkzoNobel’s Colors of the Year 2026 are set to bring the Rhythm of the Blues™ to the wood finishes market, with a trio of upbeat and versatile colors that are calming, connecting and creative. 

The Colors of the Year 2026 Rhythm of the Blues family comprises three eye-catching indigo shades: a light blue Mellow Flow™, a dark blue Slow Swing™ and the vibrant Free Groove™ – three different rhythms that offer endless scope for furniture, cabinets, building products and flooring.  

The collection has been specially created to inspire furniture designers and joinery manufacturers. The choice of colors makes it easy to choose shades and combinations for a timeless look that is also on-trend.

Rhythm of the Blues is the result of extensive research into the color, design, cultural, economic and social trends that shape our society. The colors, textures and special effects that take center stage in the collection have been designed to help designers and manufacturers find on-trend wood coatings to differentiate their projects, while making it easier for customers to choose colors and combinations that match their design preferences.

“Our Rhythm of the Blues family provides inspiration to create stylish color and finish combinations that reflect customer style preferences. They come with three palettes of harmonious colors. These enable us to personalize our environments to fit the times we live in, while bringing calm, comfort and vibrancy to projects and products,” says Henri Bijsterbosch, Color Product Marketing Manager for AkzoNobel’s Industrial Coatings business. 

AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center has been translating trends into desirable colors for more than 30 years. Its annual ColourFutures trend forecast meeting brings together in-house experts, international architects, designers and journalists to share insights into how our reactions to the world around us impact our color choices. 

Specially crafted finishes are required for different end uses, as wood coatings are often applied to highlight the natural beauty of the wooden substrate. “We help customers combine the trend colors with natural wood finishes, be it on smooth or distressed surfaces, from matt to high gloss and from translucent to solid colors with variation of possible finish effects,” says Bijsterbosch. AkzoNobel’s highly trained technical service team works closely with the Global Color and Design and technical team to ensure finishes are robust and can be industrialized for customers around the world.

For more information about our Colors of the Year 2026, visit: www.akzonobel.com/en/about-us/initiatives/color-of-the-year-2026 .You can also follow #COTY26 #ABlueForYou! #BelieveInblue #RhythmOfBlues and #AkzoNobel #SikkensWoodCoatings on social media.