Color Discovery Journey
Let me take you back to last December—picture this: me, insomnia, doom-scrolling through Instagram at 1:17 a.m. (sound familiar?). Out of nowhere, this Montreal designer’s feed pops up—full of amber glazed hallways, chunky caramel velvet sofas, and not a drop of white in sight. It literally stopped me mid-scroll. Where were the icy grays and blinding, Pinterest-y whites? Everything was earthy, sun-warmed, cocooning. I probably stared at that grid for ten minutes, heart racing, and thought—wait, are we finally… done with white?
It’s everywhere now: earthy browns, golden ochres, toasted camel, even olive greens and moody, enveloping blues. Every color-palette-loving soul on TikTok and in my DMs is talking about it—the move towards cozy, wellness-first, nature-inspired paint colors for 2025. Designers, brands, even my own group chat (love you, Megan, but stop recommending ‘Simply White’) are over cold whites. This felt like a collective exhale. Why now? Maybe it’s post-pandemic comfort-craving, maybe it’s TikTok’s eternal cottagecore moment, but the market’s feverishly buzzing about all things warm and neutral, craving calm and depth.
And honestly? I get it. My living room felt like a sterile freezer with white walls. There, I said it. So when I saw this shift toward warmth and moodiness, I just—finally—felt at home.
Main Trends Breakdown
1. Earthy Browns & Caramel Tans
Okay, you’re going to laugh, but the ‘aha’ moment hit me on a Target run. A new display—those massive, affordable Room Essentials pillows in caramel-brown velvet ($22, seriously)—looked so inviting I had to touch every single one (there were six, I counted, don’t judge). The shade was shockingly close to Sherwin-Williams ‘Cavern Clay’ (SW 7701—a bit terracotta, a bit brown), which I found later on a paint chip binge at Lowe’s. And yes, I practically squealed when I realized how much depth it had on the wall, compared to, well, any white.
Real talk: in the wild, these shades are all over West Elm, Crate & Barrel, even CB2 (that velvet ‘Eve’ sofa in Ginger—divine but $2,200, ouch). But Walmart pulled through with the Mainstays Faux Leather Storage Ottoman ($48, just the right camel brown). At home, I started mixing in thrifted amber glass vases (Facebook Marketplace, $7 for three), and what do you know—the room instantly felt less like a rental, more like somewhere I could finally breathe at the end of the day.
2. Warm, Earthy Yellows
Oh, don’t get me started! I was weirdly suspicious of yellow at first—felt risky, my kitchen kept threatening to go full Big Bird in my nightmares. But a friend painted her dining nook in Behr’s ‘Mustard Seed’ (M290-6) and I swooned. Warm yellows are having such a moment—think more goldenrod and squash blossom, less banana. On IG, @thecatzmeowhome did a sunny marigold entryway with woven baskets and it just radiates energy, happiness, and all the ‘let’s eat brunch here’ vibes.
So I bought $13 hand towels in ‘Butterscotch’ from World Market for my bathroom—tiny commitment, big lift. The transformation was instant, honestly. My sister said it felt ‘like a little boutique hotel in Provence’—and that’s the best reaction I’ve ever gotten for a color choice, so there’s that. Pro tip: use these saturated yellows on accents if you’re nervous. Even just a $19 Target vase or a $30 blush-yellow throw blanket will get you in on the trend.
3. Moss Greens and Nature Neutrals
You want relaxing? Moss green is pure Zen. My home office is Benjamin Moore ‘Avocado’ (2145-10)—it’s a hug in color form. These deep, earthy greens connect your space to the outside world… and everyone from Anthropologie to IKEA is dropping moss velvet ottomans, olive linen bedding, and even moss-tone ceramic lamps now.
When I tried out the trend, I went as small as a $29 IKEA SINNERLIG bamboo-and-cork planter, and as bold as painting a focal wall with Valspar ‘Forest Canopy’ (6004-8C, $48/gallon)—both worked, and layering in creamy beiges and raw woods made it all feel intentional. Word of warning: be prepared for everyone to ask if you’ve moved to the woods. Apparently, my mom thinks I live in a spa now.
4. Burnt Oranges & Seasonal Accents
This one surprised me—the idea that you can commit to warm colors in smallish ways (nobody wants to repaint every single season, right?). I started with a burnt orange cotton table runner (H&M Home, $17), tossed in some terracotta planters from a farmer’s market ($12 for three), and suddenly my all-beige dining table looked… expensive? This is also a budget boon: you don’t need to buy everything new. In fact, I found a set of vintage Pyrex in Harvest Gold for $15 at an estate sale, and the way that little pop of color changed my open shelf—chef’s kiss.
Room Applications
Let’s get specific, because what works online doesn’t always land in a real house. My own living room (14’x18’, choppy natural light thanks to a nearby building) is now Sherwin-Williams ‘Cavern Clay’ on one wall, with big woven jute rugs from Rugs USA ($139 for a 6’x9’). The room suddenly feels bigger and warmer. I kept the couch—a classic IKEA ‘EKTORP’ in beige—and layered dark ochre velvet pillows (Amazon, $30/pair).
My kitchen has zero windows (kill me), so I leaned hard into sunlight-starved color: Behr ‘Mustard Seed’ on the smallest wall, then layered bamboo stools (found at Wayfair for $95 each), and local thrift-find pottery. Is it a full reno? No. It’s all small, affordable updates—paint, towels, pillows, thrifted wares—but the mood shift is major.
Bathrooms are my favorite for experimenting. I did linen curtains (Target, $24, so breezy), swapped out my old mat for a jute rug (Cost Plus World Market, $59), and added a bunch of pothos plants (nursery, $5 each). Low effort, big wow. Bedroom? Here’s what’s wild: clay-brown on doors, moss green on bedding (Parachute, splurge alert, $209 for the sheet set), and honest-to-goodness I’m sleeping better. Coincidence or color psychology? I don’t care, I’m happy.
Mix-and-match works miracles here—greens with ochre, camel with mustard, soft taupes everywhere. The only time it got weird was when I went overboard with orange, so… tone it down, live and learn.
Shopping Intelligence
Can we talk about the actual hunt for these colors and materials? Most color-packed items are way cheaper if you shop at places like HomeGoods or Target. I found a faux-leather camel pouf at Target on sale for $39 (reg. $69, obsessed). If you want the high-end vibes (without the CB2 prices), look for dupes—Wayfair’s ‘Meghan’ velvet chair in Saffron is $179, while the designer version I lusted after was $599. For organic linens, H&M Home and Parachute both have great muted ochres and mossy greens, but threshold is $25 for a really good, soft linen pillow.
Timing matters—spring restocks are gold for these earthy tones, so sign up for those store emails. If you’re shopping paint, look for sales at Memorial Day or Labor Day; I got Valspar for 40% off by accident thanks to a random Sunday sale. In-store is better for color accuracy, but honestly if you’re as lazy as me, order swatches online and tape them up with painter’s tape all over your walls (try not to lose them to the cat, like I did).
Styling Reality Check
Real talk: not everything looks like a designer Instagram, even if you try. I accidentally mixed moss green and super bright orange—total Halloween party disaster (my 7-year-old loved it, so there’s that). Lesson learned: keep oranges and browns saturated, not neon, and ground with lots of natural wood and cream/stone-colored textiles.
Biggest surprise? Earthy colors actually hid my mess better—I cannot tell you how many times I dropped coffee on the caramel couch and it just disappeared (IKEA slipcovers should be illegal in white). And the jute rug? Hides dog hair like a miracle.
Budget? Don’t stress—colors do most of the work. If you can only change one thing, do the paint or just find a big throw pillow or linen curtain in a rich shade. The impact is wild for $20-40. Try smaller pieces first, then work up to statement walls or big furniture swaps if you’re in love.
If you rent (like me)? Use peel-and-stick wallpaper (RoomMates makes good versions, $34/roll) or focus on bedding, curtains, and art. Even a moss green plant pot and thrifted bowl can work wonders.
Get the Look Now
- Pillows: Target Room Essentials Velvet Pillow (Caramel) - $22.
- Paint: Sherwin-Williams ‘Cavern Clay’ SW 7701 (cozy walls, try Lowe’s for samples).
- Linen Curtains: Target Threshold Light-Filtering (Beige/Ochre) - $24/panel.
- Rugs: Rugs USA Jute Area Rug (Nat. 6'x9') - $139; H&M Home Burnt Orange Table Runner - $17.
- Furniture: Wayfair ‘Meghan’ Velvet Chair (Saffron) - $179 (dupe for CB2 ‘Eve’).
- Textiles: Parachute Linen Sheet Set (Moss) - $209, but TJ Maxx usually has dupes.
- DIY Hack: Thrift amber glass vases for $2-5 each, or paint an old side table in Behr ‘Mustard Seed’ M290-6.
- Plants: Local nursery or Home Depot—Pothos, Snake Plant ($5–$15/each).
If you’re swapping for spring, transition by layering in lighter accent fabrics, swapping out the darkest cushions for dusty yellow or taupe, and tossing a woven basket in the corner for texture. No need for a huge overhaul, just a small seasonal color shift.
Want it even easier? Use peel-and-stick wallpaper (RoomMates, NuWallpaper) in those trending tones—removable, renter-friendly, $34/roll, I tested and survived. And with vintage? Don’t be shy to go hunting—you won’t believe the joys of scoring a $15 avocado-green Pyrex set. Ugh, it just feels… alive.
Go warm, go soulful, and go for nature’s palette. The white wall era is done (did I just say that?).
Resources & Inspiration
- Wellness by Dezign digs into color psychology and wellness trends, spotlighting earthy tones for a calm, inviting home.
- House Beautiful UK’s 2025 trend guide—full of inspiration for nature-infused palettes, mood-boosting decor, and biophilic materials.
- Spacely AI and LIFECORE® Flooring offer hands-on advice for bringing sustainable, health-forward colors and finishes into real homes.