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Everyone loves a comeback these days, be it a return to Y2K fashionthe collective embrace of the avocado-green kitchen (are we Sheldon Cooper?), or the viral, unexpected red trend that is a blatant throwback to the 90s. Even in 2025, we will still be experiencing a retro moment, Behr believes. Today, the California-based paint company crowned Rumorsa deep red, the color of the year 2025. It brings back ’90s nostalgia for all things red – but not in a way that reminds you of your regrettable makeup choices.
Rumors is a sensual, dark take on red with ruby and brown undertones that give it a grown-up feel. It’s playful yet sophisticated. And it exudes an aura of status and luxury. “Red was the big, overarching trend we kept seeing, and when we were deciding which version of the shade to choose, Rumors really ticked all the boxes,” says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr. “It’s approachable, inspiring, has high energy and is incredibly versatile.”
Behr is one of many paint manufacturers that seek to provide guidance to designers and DIYers with the annual christening of a hue that is considered the it color of the coming season. This year’s color choice is a fitting departure from last year’s unveiling, a charcoal gray shade called Cracked Pepper, which, along with bright colors in the pink-red range, was part of the “Barbenheimer” effect we’ve been observing across the color universe.
For the Behr team, Rumors reflects a new wave of optimism and freedom of expression. “Today’s consumer no longer wants to hear what they like,” says Sarah. “They are more confident and fed up with being stuck in other people’s style. They use their own hybrid terms like Vintage-Modern-Casual, to describe her style. Rumors is that bold choice that can be incorporated into many different versions of self-expression.”
The revelation is in keeping with the apparent ubiquity of this rich hue in recent times. Since Gucci’s creative maestro, Sabato de Sarno, explained Gucci Rosso (i.e. burgundy), the brand’s new it colour, was used everywhere in the design and fashion world earlier this year – from the Pantone lounge at the Salone del Mobile to the 2024 Runways to many of our favorite designers’ latest interior design projects. Behr’s customers are in on the action, too. According to a survey by the paint manufacturer, a whopping 76 percent of its American customers would consider painting a room or wall a shade of red. The same number of customers (73 percent) said they believe that using the color red can add “depth and character” to an interior.
Looking to add a touch of drama to your home? Bringing this bold hue into your space can do anything from small pops of color to a full-on color drench. “We love seeing it as a statement color for kitchen cabinets in a gorgeous satin finish or as a striking accent on a front door,” says Woelfel. The color also pops well on a specific architectural detail in the home, like a mantel. Of course, if you really want to unleash your inner ’90s kid, you can give one room in your home a sweeping floor-to-ceiling treatment with a high-gloss finish. We’ll spare you the overly plucked eyebrows, though.
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