For 2025, Dulux is asking architects, specifiers and designers to embrace yellow and infuse a sense of optimism, pride and imagination into their projects. As a guiding light to introduce these bold, positive shades to clients, the paint manufacturer has announced True Joy™ as its Colour of the Year for 2025, which is complemented by three versatile ColourFutures™ palettes.
Over that last two decades, the Dulux Colour of the Year has been chosen through extensive trend research by Dulux colour experts and international design professionals. The 2025 selection, True Joy™, is a bright and positive yellow that reflects people’s desire to break free, reset, and create something new and exciting. As well as embracing True Joy™, Dulux is also encouraging designers to share the joy of yellow and help clients to leap out of their comfort zone – and feel confident in doing so.
Yellow shades like True Joy™ can be used as a bold statement colour or an accent hue. However, to help designers advise their clients on the best colour pairings, Dulux has created three supporting ColourFutures™ palettes.
- Bold Colour Story: Inspired by the thrill of adventure, these bold colours bring spontaneity and energy to any space. Bright blues and oranges contrast beautifully with accent yellow, making them ideal for educational and office environments where inspiration and creativity are key.
- Human Colour Story: Celebrating artisanal craftsmanship, these shades of wood and clay reflect the raw materials used in handmade processes. Perfect for educational and healthcare settings, these colours add a touch of authenticity and warmth.
- Proud Colour Story: Drawing inspiration from diverse cultures around the world, these deep, rich and earthy browns and greens celebrate the rich heritages that make us unique. Ideal for hospitality and residential spaces, they create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels at home.
Dawn Scott, Dulux Trade Senior Colour Designer, said:
“True Joy™ and its accompanying palettes offer a fresh perspective on colour’s role in shaping our built environment. These colours are not just trends but tools for architects and specifiers to craft spaces that resonate with the values and visions of their clients, improving our experience within the spaces we inhabit.
“One of the most impactful applications of True Joy™ is within healthcare environments. Paired with the earthy, natural shades of our Human Colour Story, True Joy™ can transform waiting rooms, corridors, and communal areas into uplifting and calming spaces. This combination not only brightens the atmosphere but also connects patients and staff to a sense of warmth, creativity, and well-being.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert at Dulux, explains:
“It may be difficult to immediately picture where yellow paint could seamlessly slot into your home, but it’s actually much more versatile than you may first think. The decision to choose the most uplifting hue in the spectrum is to spark inspiration and instil confidence to leap into the unknown and endless possibilities of what could be. Whilst yellow is one of the bolder colours on the spectrum, True Joy™ is complementary to a vast range of palettes, it brings out the positivity in even the most neutral of shades and is the figurative glue that binds more daring colour stories together.”
To support specifiers and provide additional guidance on the use of True Joy™, Dulux has created the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2025 Specifier Guide which includes mood boards that can be used to help create the perfect space across any sector. Architects, specifiers, and designers can also use the Dulux Trade Colour Schemer for colour inspiration or to create specifications for projects. They can also speak with the Dulux Commercial Colour Services team for additional advice on how to use the Colour of the Year 2025.
Dulux is proud of its ongoing efforts to produce durable solutions in a more sustainable manner. By focusing on reducing carbon emissions and increasing the circular use of materials, Dulux ensures that products like True Joy™ not only enhance spaces aesthetically but also contribute to a greener future. With initiatives such as using up to 70% recycled content in packaging and developing water-based paints with lower VOC content, Dulux is dedicated to helping professionals create beautiful, sustainable environments.
