6 Outdated Paint Colors Designers Don’t Want to See in 2026

We talk a lot about the trends interior designers predict will be big in the new year, but it’s also important to consider the looks that pros feel have had their moment and are no longer trendy.

Between a cold start to the year and saving money by staying home, now might be the perfect time to evaluate the color of your walls. If you’ve been thinking about switching up your walls, here are the six specific paint colors pros are so ready to say goodbye to for good.

Butter Yellow

Most of our experts are ready to say goodbye to butter yellow, a sweet hue that’s just a bit too reminiscent of the ’90s.

Jennifer Jones, the founder of Niche Interiors, enjoyed seeing butter yellow make a resurgence in the fashion world, but doesn’t have a desire to weave it into her interior projects.

In her opinion, the shade “instantly dates a space and gives off unmistakable ‘granny vibes,'” she says.

But you don’t need to move away from yellow as a whole, though.

Instead, we’re just moving toward yellows “with more complexity—muted ochres or wheat tones that feel sun-washed and grounded,” interior designer Ali Burgoon Nolan says.

Bright Red

Bright red is always a head turner, but Nolan isn’t a huge fan of the color, preferring moodier reds to the classic fire engine color.

“It lacks the dimension and depth that today’s interiors call for,” she says.

Her top picks for what to turn to instead include burgundy and oxblood.

Plum Purple

Not too far off from red is plum purple, a paint color that interior designer Dijana Savic-Jambert is not looking forward to seeing used in the near future.

“While this moody hue has been buzzing as a trendy color, it tends to dominate a space rather than enhance it,” she says.

Cool White

Cool white just doesn’t do it for Nolan, who finds the shade to be a bit too severe.

“It can come off stark and one-note, especially in spaces meant to feel warm and lived-in,” she says.

That said, you don’t have to write off white entirely, just try one that’s a bit less bright; a chalky off-white can be a great option.

“There’s a world of difference between a warm, inviting white and one that feels like bleached paper,” Savic-Jambert says.

Gray

To Jones, gray is also a dated hue that had its time in the sun decades ago and is now out.

“It’s time to move on to either using actual colors or choosing lighter, warmer neutrals,” she says.

Greige

Before you think about saying goodbye to dark gray and opting for greige instead, think again.

“It’s become the default choice for everything, and in doing so, it’s lost its soul,” Savic-Jambert says, adding that a different warm neutral will have a much nicer effect on your space.