Valspar's 2025 Color of the Year Is Here—See the Deep, Inviting Hue

Last year, many paint brands selected blue as their 2024 color of the year; and it looks like this shade isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Leading paint and coatings company Valspar has chosen Encore—an anchoring, honest deep blue hue—as its 2025 Color of the Year.

This shade is a subtle, but notable, contrast to the brand's 2024 color selection, Renew Blue, a soothing blue with undertones of green and gray. "Last year’s blue was a continuation of the introspective mood people were looking to experience at home when they were seeking colors of healing, comfort, and relaxation that were rooted in nature and wellness," Sue Kim, director of color marketing at Valspar, told MarthaStewart.com. "The fog- and mist-inspired Renew Blue 8003-37D has rolled out to reveal the anchoring ultramarine Encore 8002-45G. This is a grounding and familiar blue full of joy."

Where Renew Blue acted as a beautiful accent color, Encore serves as a grounding shade that is versatile enough for any space or application. Its deep blue tones have the luxuriousness of Old World design without straying too far from modernity. "This makes it an ideal backdrop to ground a room, leaving space for spirited pops of complementary colors," says Kim. "Encore’s versatility means it also can shine on its own through playful applications inside and out, such as on wood, decks, or concrete pavers."

Encore can be used in many applications throughout the home. Achieve tonal maximalism through color-drenching by applying Encore to every detail in a room—including the walls, ceiling, trim, and baseboards. Or use Encore as an accent color on your home's exterior by combining it on siding with mid-toned woods, recommends Kim. "To help extend the interior styles to the outside, any Valspar paint product can be tinted to this color, staining concrete floors and painting siding and trim in this atmospheric blue," she says.