Behr's 2025 Color of the Year Is a Spicy Spin on a Timeless Shade
The paint brand named an earthy shade of ruby red its 2025 Color of the Year.
Behr's Color of the Year 2025, Rumors, covers the walls of a home office.
Rumor has it deep, earthy reds will dominate home design in the coming year — so say the creatives at Behr, who named a rich ruby hue called Rumors as the brand’s Color of the Year 2025.
In This Article
Why Ruby Red?
"Red is back,” says Sarah Fishburne, The Home Depot’s director of trend and design, but not in the way you’d expect. Rumors is a modern take on a classic shade. Not bright fire truck red, but a richer, more traditional and earthy shade of the hue that elevates, energizes, brightens and entices. (Yes, even lovers of neutrals have a home in Rumors!)
How to Use Behr's 2025 COTY at Home
When it comes to home design, red doesn't always ring approachable — it's bold and a little intimidating — but with earthy-brown undertones, Rumors is the exception. The inky maroon shade yearns to be paired with natural colors like chocolate browns, taupes, creams and even shades of blue. My favorite pairing from this year's palette is Ariel View (a let's-swim-in-the-ocean-under-an-afternoon-sky type of shade that, when in direct sunlight, appears almost pale purple).
Go Neutral
For neutral-lovers, hints of ruby ("on a floating shelf or the inside of a bookcase," suggests Sarah) can elevate colors like Even Better Beige, Cracked Pepper and Blank Canvas — while maintaining the bright and fresh ambiance many homeowners crave. Even queen of neutrals Christina Hall (Christina on the Coast) occasionally uses reds in her designs.
Go Bold
Color drenching (a technique where the walls, doors, trim and ceilings of a room are all painted in the same hue) is more than appropriate with Rumors — particularly with a flat finish. "Finish matters," Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint, tells HGTV. "A flat finish is great for a wall. For kitchen cabinetry, a satin finish is poppy and more durable. Conversely, a high-gloss finish on trim or molding can add dimension.”
Jasmine Roth, designer and host of Help! I Wrecked My House, included several subtle nods to ruby red in the main bedroom of her modern mountain home in Park City, Utah.
Modern Bedroom With Cozy Textures
Two major moments pair red with natural texture to create depth in Jasmine's main bedroom: Abstract red art hangs against a fluted wood accent wall and ruby-colored pillows rest on the boucle bed.
Photo by: Adam Albright
Adam Albright
Two major moments pair red with natural texture to create depth in Jasmine's main bedroom: Abstract red art hangs against a fluted wood accent wall and ruby-colored pillows rest on the boucle bed.
Go Outside
Go as big or small as you want with ruby red — or go the easy route and take some advice from Battle on the Beach's Taniya Nayak: "A red-orange door delivers an unexpected pop of color," she told HGTV Magazine.
More Red Inspiration From HGTV Stars
Sean Litchfield
Farmhouse Fixer host, Jonathan Knight, recently renovated a retro 1930's farmhouse (as seen on Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp) for him and his husband Harley Rodriguez. Amidst charcoal-colored plaid wallpaper and Jon's king-sized reproduction of a classic spindle bed, two subtle stripes of red sit slyly on a rocking chair waiting to be noticed. And once you do, it's impossible to imagine the moody space without a hint of the eye-catching hue.
Christina Wedge
HGTV designer Chip Wade went red, white and blue in the guest room of his family's lake home in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Rachael Jones
Lyndsay Lamb's (Unsellable Houses) living room in Snohomish, Washington features a bright pop of red in the form of a retro record player.
Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp
Farmhouse Fixer host, Jonathan Knight, recently renovated a retro 1930's farmhouse (as seen on Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp) for him and his husband Harley Rodriguez. Amidst charcoal-colored plaid wallpaper and Jon's king-sized reproduction of a classic spindle bed, two subtle stripes of red sit slyly on a rocking chair waiting to be noticed. And once you do, it's impossible to imagine the moody space without a hint of the eye-catching hue.
Photo By: Sean Litchfield
HGTV designer Chip Wade went red, white and blue in the guest room of his family's lake home in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Photo By: Christina Wedge
Lyndsay Lamb's (Unsellable Houses) living room in Snohomish, Washington features a bright pop of red in the form of a retro record player.
Photo By: Rachael Jones
