---
title: "Top Paint Colors to Spruce Up Your Home This Season"
url: "https://servingsandiegocounty.com/top-paint-colors-to-spruce-up-your-home-fall-2026/"
post_type: "post"
date_published: "2026-10-21T06:00:55+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-10-20T23:29:02+00:00"
categories: ["Home Improvement"]
---

# Top Paint Colors to Spruce Up Your Home This Season

 
Fall in San Diego County may not mean snow and sweaters, but the softer light and earlier evenings still make us want our homes to feel warm and layered. This season’s colors are richer and more personal than the usual pumpkin palette. Homes & Gardens reports that designers are decorating with everything from chocolate brown and oxblood to deep navy, and that color is increasingly treated as part of a room’s architecture rather than something limited to pillows and accessories.
 
Here are the shades we’re seeing most this fall season.
 
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Pinterest
 
Chocolate Brown
This is the standout of the season. A 1stDibs survey found that 33% of designers named chocolate brown the top trending color for 2026. Designer Uns Hobbs told Homes & Gardens that brown is a natural next step after years of soft beiges, and designer Zoë Feldman calls it a neutral with character. Their advice is to treat it as a grounding neutral and pair it with cream, ochre, green, or natural wood.
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Era Decor
 
Maroon and Oxblood
Philadelphia designer Michelle Gage says maroon is having a moment, and she likes it on cabinetry, built-ins, or woodwork if four maroon walls feel like too much. Oxblood leans browner, and the designers at KOBEL + CO recommend it as a backdrop for libraries, bars, and bedrooms.
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Kitchen Seer
 
Terracotta
Cath Beckett of Yellow London Interior Design describes terracotta as a warming color for a cozy room, and notes it looks more earthy with plaster, linen, and timber and bolder against saturated greens and blues.
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Pinterest
 
Bottle Green and Smoky Blue-Green
Chicago designer Andrea Goldman says deep green creates a sense of grounding when paired with natural materials, and this fall’s greens are moving darker, toward forest and bottle tones rather than sage. Repaint Studios points to Behr’s Hidden Gem, a smoky blue-green, and Valspar’s Warm Eucalyptus, a calm earthy sage, as two of the season’s paint-brand picks.
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Pinterest
 
Navy and Smoky Violet
Designer Rebecca Letwin says rich navy is returning to fall interiors, and she pairs it with oak, walnut, brass, and cognac leather. For something less expected, Rayman Boozer of Apartment 48 likes blues that drift toward purple, layered with neighboring tones for a calm, moody look.
			
				
				
				
				
				
			
				
				
				
				
				Image from Pinterest
 
Warm Neutrals
Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki (SW 6150) their 2026 Color of the Year, calling it a warm, grounded neutral. Repaint Studios adds Benjamin Moore’s Silhouette (AF-655), a rich espresso brown with a cool charcoal cast, to the list of this season’s neutral picks.
			
				
				
				
				
				How to bring fall color home

Start with one moment. Repaint Studios notes that a single accent wall delivers the mood without repainting a whole room.
Test big swatches. Repaint Studios suggests painting a poster-sized swatch and checking it at different times of day, which matters most with deep, saturated colors.
Layer in smaller ways. Homes & Gardens suggests that a tomato-red lampshade or dusty-yellow cushion is an easy entry point before committing to paint.
Think neutral if you’re selling. We usually suggest keeping the main living areas warm and neutral and adding fall color through decor, so buyers can picture themselves in the space.

Thinking about listing this fall, or curious what small updates could help your home stand out? Reach out to us anytime. We’d love to share what we’re seeing in the local market.
 
Sources:
Asmus, Billie. “Fall 2026 Paint Color Trends (And How To Make Them Bold).” Repaint Studios, 21 Sept. 2026, repaintstudios.com/blogs/news/fall-2026-paint-color-trends.
Frost-Smith, Chloe. “Forget Pumpkin Spice, These 10 Fall Color Trends Are Set to Define Homes This Season.” Homes & Gardens, updated 27 Aug. 2026, www.homesandgardens.com/decor/fall-color-trends-2026. 
“Sherwin-Williams Names Universal Khaki 2026 Color of the Year.” Kitchen & Bath Business, kbbonline.com/?p=164517.
“2026 Interior Design Trends: 1stDibs Survey Identifies Maximalism, Chocolate Brown, and Vintage Antiques as Top Designer Choices.” Business Wire, 17 Nov. 2025, www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251117050937/en/2026-Interior-Design-Trends-1stDibs-Survey-Identifies-Maximalism-Chocol.