What Are the Top Home Interior Paint Trends for 2025?

December 23, 2024

Repainting is one of the most cost-effective and transformative ways to update a home’s interior. As we look ahead to 2025, several paint trends are emerging that promise to keep spaces fresh, modern, and visually appealing. These trends, highlighted by Sarah Bilotta, House Digest’s in-house design expert, offer a variety of options for homeowners seeking to refresh their interiors.

Contrasting Trim

Moving Away from Monotony

One significant trend in 2025 is the use of contrasting trim, which marks a move away from the monotony of white-on-white walls and trim that has dominated recent years. By pairing dark trim with light walls or vice versa, trim becomes a decorative feature rather than just a functional one. This technique ensures that trim stands out, adding a layer of visual interest to the room. Instead of blending into the background, trim highlights the room’s architectural features, making the overall design more engaging and sophisticated. This method also allows homeowners to introduce bold colors without overwhelming the room.

Examples of Contrasting Trim

Examples of successful implementation of contrasting trim include white baseboards against rich brown walls or white trim against vibrant blue walls. Such combinations provide a subtle yet effective shift from the homogeneity often seen in contemporary interiors. The contrasting trim trend is perfect for those looking to add a touch of sophistication and uniqueness to their spaces. Moreover, this trend can be adapted to different design aesthetics, whether one is opting for a traditional look or a more contemporary feel. It brings an element of surprise and elegance, making the room feel fresh and well-thought-out.

Natural Wood Trim

The Comeback of Natural Wood

Natural wood trim is making a strong comeback in 2025, reemerging within younger designer circles who favor modern farmhouse decor and Scandinavian-inspired aesthetics. Although it seemed like natural wood trim would be left behind in the ’90s, its recent resurgence signifies a shift from overly minimalist, all-white spaces to more vibrant and dynamic designs. The appeal lies in the organic textures and grains that natural wood offers, which enhances the warmth and character of a space. This trend isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about reconnecting with elements that bring a room to life.

Organic and Eco-Conscious Appeal

The resurgence of natural wood trim also appeals to those who appreciate an eco-conscious mindset and materials in their most natural form. This trend capitalizes on the growing desire for sustainable and ethically sourced design elements. Natural wood trim provides a unique grain and texture that other materials cannot replicate, thus adding authenticity and depth to the room. This trend aligns well with a broader movement towards environmentally friendly home decor, making it an appealing choice for modern, eco-conscious homeowners. The natural wood look also pairs well with various other design elements, offering versatility.

Color Drenching

Expanding the Color Drenching Trend

Color drenching involves using variations of the same color across multiple surfaces within a room, from walls and ceilings to trim and furniture. This trend carried over from 2024 into 2025, now expanding to include painting decor to match the walls, creating an even more cohesive and integrated look. This technique adds depth and narrative continuity to a space, ensuring that all design elements feel interconnected. It creates a more immersive environment where the eye can seamlessly transition from one element to another. Color drenching has become a favorite for those looking for a polished, designer feel.

Creating Depth and Continuity

Color drenching offers a unique opportunity to make a bold statement while maintaining a level of sophistication. For instance, painting picture frames or clocks to match wall colors enhances the unified visual effect and underscores the room’s coherence. This technique is ideal for those who wish to create a seamless and immersive environment. It also allows for a room to have a strong visual identity without the clutter of multiple contrasting colors. As the trend grows, we’re seeing more creative uses of color drenching, making it a versatile tool in the hands of designers and homeowners alike.

Cohesive Paint Palette

Maintaining Harmony and Flow

Bilotta advocates for maintaining a cohesive paint palette throughout a home, using variations of a particular color across separate rooms to create harmony and flow. This approach shifts away from the patchwork of different colors often seen in homes, favoring instead a continuous, flowing palette. For example, soft sage could be used in both living and dining rooms, combining sage with white paneling in the bathroom, and employing a darker pine green in the master bedroom. This method strikes a balance, satisfying both those who crave visually striking hues and those who prefer a serene ambiance.

Examples of Cohesive Palettes

Using a cohesive palette helps in tying different spaces together, creating an overarching theme that ensures balance and sophistication throughout the home. For instance, incorporating variations of green, such as soft sage and darker pine, across various rooms lends continuity and a serene mood to the living space. This method is particularly useful in open floor plans, where different areas need to be visually connected yet distinct. By selecting a palette that flows room-to-room, the overall design feels intentional and well-coordinated, which enhances the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the home.

Inspiration from Existing Features

Drawing from Natural Elements

An innovative way to choose paint colors involves drawing inspiration from the undertones of the room’s fixed features, such as marble veining or wood knots. Bilotta suggests that by using colors complementing these natural elements, homeowners can create a harmonious and cohesive environment. This technique ensures that chosen shades not only blend well but also enhance the fixed features of the room. For example, selecting a wall color that matches the gray veins of a marble fireplace or the brown knots in pine flooring can make the space feel well-integrated and thoughtfully designed.

Enhancing Existing Features

Not only does this approach create a sense of unity, but it also draws attention to beautiful architectural or natural features already present in the home. This method transforms these features into focal points while ensuring that the entire room feels balanced and specifically tailored. The enhanced connectivity between paint and fixed elements results in a space that feels organic and meticulously put together. This trend works well in various settings, whether it’s a traditional or contemporary space, as it respects the inherent beauty of the existing materials.

Stencils and Patterns

The Return of Stenciling

A trend inspired by past practices, stenciling is making a robust return, especially for its ability to add personalized charm to spaces. In the ’70s, stenciling was popular among DIY enthusiasts, and it has now reemerged with contemporary twists. Bilotta notes that stenciling is particularly popular in children’s rooms for adding unique patterns. This revival isn’t limited to simple borders—it’s also being used to create full-wall patterns that mimic wallpaper, offering an accessible means to introduce intricate designs without the permanence or expense of wallpaper.

Customizing with Stencils

With stenciling, homeowners can customize their decor, infusing their personal touch into the design process. This technique offers a versatile way to add visual interest and character without committing to more permanent solutions like wallpaper or custom paint jobs. From whimsical designs in children’s rooms to elegant motifs in living spaces, stencils provide a range of options for every aesthetic. As the trend grows, we’re seeing more creative, intricate patterns that elevate the overall design, making stenciling a favorite amongst those who enjoy DIY projects and personalized interiors.

Double Drenching

The Bold Use of Double Drenching

As a more recent innovation, double drenching involves painting all surfaces in two closely related solid colors, such as navy blue and royal blue, or eggplant and orchid. This technique creates a dramatic impact by adding depth and distinction to elements within the room, including walls, doors, and ceilings. Although currently seen predominantly in high-end design publications, double drenching is expected to influence more mainstream home decor as homeowners seek to create bold, statement-making spaces. This approach highlights the room’s architectural features while maintaining a cohesive and sophisticated look.

High-End Design Influence

Double drenching allows for creative flexibility, transforming ordinary rooms into stunning visual statements. By carefully selecting and pairing closely related shades, homeowners can highlight specific architectural features and elevate the overall aesthetic appeal of their spaces. This trend offers a blend of drama and elegance, appealing particularly to those looking for more avant-garde designs. Whether used in living rooms, bedrooms, or even kitchens, this bold use of color emphasizes the uniqueness of each space, promising to be a standout trend in high-end designs and gradually trickling down to broader audiences.

Painting Non-Wall Surfaces

Innovating Non-Wall Surfaces

Finally, an intriguing trend involves painting non-wall surfaces, particularly in areas like bathrooms where one might not traditionally think to add color. Homeowners are increasingly painting elements like shower tiles and other bathroom features to introduce color and mask imperfections without undergoing complete renovations. Platforms like TikTok have popularized this trend, showcasing creative uses of epoxy paints designed to withstand wet environments, making them durable for applications in bathrooms and other moisture-prone areas. This tactic offers a cost-effective way to make dramatic updates without significant expense or labor.

Experimenting with Color in Unlikely Spaces

Repainting remains one of the most affordable and dramatic ways to refresh a home’s interior. As we gear up for 2025, a number of paint trends are coming into focus, promising to keep our living spaces stylish, contemporary, and visually engaging. Highlighted by Sarah Bilotta, the design expert at House Digest, these trends present homeowners with a variety of options to rejuvenate their interiors. Whether you’re looking to create a calm sanctuary with muted tones, inject energy with bright colors, or add depth with rich, bold hues, the paint trends for 2025 offer something for every taste.

Bilotta emphasizes that color is more than just a visual element—it can transform the entire feel of a room. Emerging trends point toward warmer neutrals, earthy shades, and jewel tones, which can be both soothing and invigorating. Accent walls and unique paint techniques are also gaining popularity, allowing for creative expression without overwhelming the space. With these trends, repainting is not only about updating a home’s appearance but also about reflecting personal style and creating a harmonious environment suitable for modern living.

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