Sorry Sage, but This Paint Brand Has Just Named a 'Deeper' but Equally as Timeless Green as Its Color of the Year

There's a chill in the air, the streets are paved with crisp, brown leaves, and our knits are finally out of retirement. All that's to say, it's officially autumn. And with the start of this season comes the start of the Color of the Year announcements, and Benjamin Moore is the latest brand to get involved.

The paint brand has just announced its official selection, and if this is what we can expect from the announcements to come, it's going to be a very good year indeed. Following up on a year absolutely dominated by shades of neutrality, Benjamin Moore's Webster Green is an extremely welcome change. Described as a 'quintessential green', this color is the perfect transition out of the neutrals-or-nothing design mindset. Think of it as the gateway to decorating with color. With its gently balanced hue, this shade is approachable enough for even the most color-shy among us. It's neither too bold nor too muted, with an earthy undertone that adds more warmth to your home than any off-white paint ever could.

As relevant as this shade feels to the current design conversation, in the selection process, the Benjamin Moore team found themselves looking to the past for inspiration. What they discovered was green's enduring presence in the design world. From the earthy hues of the early 1900s to the pastel seafoam tone beloved in the 80s, throughout the decades, green has always been at the forefront of design. It was exactly this quality of timelessness that inspired the choice for this year's Color of the Year. "A growing interest in colors with a timeless quality is making their way into the home," shares Benjamin Moore's color expert Helen Shaw. "Webster Green reflects this appeal by pairing reassuring stability with optimistic energy."

Reflecting our current fascination with anti-trend, timeless design choices, this color offers us a direct link back to the spaces and styles that came before, offering a comforting foundation for your design to flourish from.

How to Style It

This year, Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year award has been accompanied by a complementary palette in the shades they predict will dominate color trends this year, and they just so happen to look gorgeous alongside the timeless green.

Earthy colors take the lead here, with warm-toned browns and shades of golden beige at the forefront. The color palette skews towards tradition, with a similarly timeless feel to all the selected shades.

But this isn't the only way to use this shade. For something a little brighter, Livingetc's talented Design Lab stylist, Iokasti Sotirakopoulou, says, "I’d love to pair Webster Green with softer pastel tones, like pale pink or baby blue, to create a fresh contrast that keeps the green feeling playful rather than too traditional."

As beautiful as the muted, earthy approach can look, for those of us who crave a bit of freshness in our interiors, it can often feel a bit one-note, which is exactly why a pop of pastel pink can be such a welcome addition. It makes your whole space feel that bit less serious, something many homes can benefit from.

For added depth, Iokasti suggests "layering in lighter shades of green through patterned textiles, cushions, or upholstery," adding that "brushed gold accents, perhaps through a table lamp or mirror frame, bring a little warmth to the scheme."

Before we enter the full swing of shade announcements, why not take some time to look back at all of the selections for Color of the Year in 2026. It's a great opportunity to look back on the defining trends of the past year and think about what will be taking their place in the upcoming year.

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