Benjamin Moore names its color of the year for 2025

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“Cinnamon Slate is sophisticated and earthy, with a soothing familiarity and tactility that draws you in. It’s a beautiful mid-tone blend of luxurious plum and grounded soft brown,” says Sharon Grech from Benjamin Moore’s colour marketing and development team.

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Here, we chat with Grech about why Cinnamon Slate was chosen as Benjamin Moore’s Colour of the Year for 2025, how to use it and what it says about the coming year.

Warm, velvety colours

Beating out greens and browns, Cinnamon Slate has a “unique violet undertone” that is captivating, says Grech. People are still looking to make a statement with their paint colour, but at the same time wanting balance.

Cinnamon Slate projects both an expressive side and a sense of ease, says Grech.

“We call it a ‘quietly colourful’ hue and the entire palette supports it.”

How is the colour of the year chosen?

The team never goes into the process with a particular colour in mind, but for 2025 they were definitely in sync when it came to the palette they were after, says Grech. Primary colours didn’t feel appropriate, and they found themselves zoning in on soft plums, browns and greens.

Restorative colours, layered textures, soft forms and personal possessions that bring us comfort and a sense of home are what they wanted to nail with their Colour of the Year for 2025, says Grech.

The colour palette that Cinnamon Slate sits in feels “soft and curvy,” which complements the demand for round shapes in architecture and furniture design, she adds.

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“Cinnamon Slate is a confident colour, just like its Colour of the Year predecessors — Blue Nova (2024) and Raspberry Blush (2023) — but it’s more understated in its approach and nuanced in its composition,” says Grech.

Blue Nova was totally in step with a “peak time for blue” in home decor, especially in kitchens, on cabinets and furniture, says Grech. And while they love the celestial quality of Blue Nova, Cinnamon Slate feels more grounded.

How to use it

Cinnamon Slate has a complexity and earthiness that sits in harmony with a range of materials, textured surfaces and different design styles, says Grech.

“This versatility allows it to ease into any space, both private and public, from bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms to hallways. Although it could certainly be an accent wall, I personally feel it begs to envelop a full room, on all four walls providing comfort and elegance.”

If you want a more classic look, you can pair it with darker shades, but if you want a more dynamic feel, it sits well alongside lighter hues like Benjamin Moore’s Glacier White, says Grech. Cinnamon Slate evokes feelings of nostalgia, comfort and the familiar.

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“Amongst our team, we agreed Cinnamon Slate is like a person you meet for the first time but feel like you’ve known forever,” she says.

Crossing industries

Grech says interior design and the home fashion industry are their focus when choosing their Colour of the Year. She predicts this colour will appear in textiles — especially velvets and natural weaves — as well as artisanal ceramics and kitchenware.

Cinnamon Slate sits among a palette of “quietly colourful hues” that are comfortable and elegant, says Grech. “When you glance at the full collection, there is a definite sense of grounding and balance within.”

The colours range from neutrals to moodier tones that encourage you to look beneath the surface and discover the beauty of undertones in paint colour.

“The palette portrays the sentiment of surrounding oneself with comforting and easy-to-live-with colours that reflect personality and provide the opportunity for self-expression throughout the home,” she says.

Anything else new and exciting?

In the Play with Colour section on Benjamin Moore’s website, you can try out colours on walls, trim and more, says Grech.

“Or take it a step further with the Personal Colour Viewer or Colour Portfolio App; upload your own room photos to play with colour for inspiration.”

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