Valspar’s 2025 Color of the Year Is Bold Yet Timeless

‘Tis the season for Color of the Year announcements and color predictions! It’s always exciting to see what’s on the horizon in the world of interior decorating, especially the paint colors we can expect to take over. One brand we’re particularly excited to hear from is Valspar, which just announced their 2025 Color of the Year. The winning hue, Encore, is a vibrant shade of deep blue with cool undertones, and it’s a refreshing twist on timeless navy.

The beautiful color is a big departure from Valspar’s 2024 Color of the Year, Renew Blue, a pastel green-blue, minty shade. The decision to shift to a deeply saturated color is indicative of where we are in interior design, and it’s definitely a transitional time when we want the best of all aesthetics. According to Sue Kim, director of color marketing at Valspar, “Encore is a color for any space or application. Its atmospheric deep blue tones emulate both the elusive luxury of Old World design and the futuristic blending of our physical and digital world, making it a color that feels familiar and unexpected at the same time.”

Kim adds that, “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.” This is excellent to note, because Encore is unique in that nearly every Valspar paint product, including interior, exterior, furniture, and stain formulas, can be tinted in the color, reinforcing its versatility.

Below, the brand shares all the ways you can play around with the Valspar Color of the Year 2025 in your home. 

On Trim and Built-Ins

Encore can provide beautiful contrast when it’s applied to built-ins and trim, creating a “sandwich effect” in a space that looks fresh and modern. Pairing Valspar’s Color of the Year 2025 with a soft white color on the walls, in addition to layering in warm, textured decorative accents like the rattan pendant and wood planter, keeps the room from feeling stark.

On Furniture

Layering Encore into a room with other complementary shades of blue creates something Kim calls “tonal color harmony.” According to her, while the base color provides personality when applied to all elements of a space, from the walls to furniture to decor, the textures in a room provide a restorative tactility. As shown in the above bathroom, Encore adds depth and dimension when it’s applied to furniture. Going for a mix of tones in the same color family is also a fun way to play with color without going overboard.

On Cabinetry and Doors

Two-tone kitchens are very in right now, and you can easily incorporate Encore into a cook space using this technique; just pair the hue with a complementary color like Sprig of Sage, as shown above. Making Encore the perimeter color coating the cabinetry and door, in addition to the window trim, is a smart way to anchor a room, and opting for mostly white walls prevents the design from feeling overwhelming.

On Flooring

As we mentioned earlier, you can tint almost any Valspar product to the 2025 Color of the Year, which means nothing’s off the table when it comes to paint projects. Encore is gorgeous and sophisticated when applied to flooring, as seen in this garage. Plus, because it’s a fairly deep shade, scuff marks and dirt will be easier to hide.