Behr released their Color of the Year for 2027 last week, a new cozy hue that draws from nature. It is a color you might find in the forest, or on scattered stones. It is a deep gray-green-brown. Similar in depth to Sherwin Williams 2021 pick of Urbane Bronze, but with less purple and more green undertones.
Nature has been a BIG inspiration for color of the year choices for the last few years with many shades of blue, green, and blue-green represented in the choices made by the major paint manufacturers.
Nature colors are classic and enduring and generally calming - something we sorely need in these chaotic and uncertain times.
The name of the Behr color is, appropriately, Grounded. Here is how Behr describes it:
Rooted in Renewal
A mossy olive with earthy brown undertones, Grounded transforms everyday spaces into personal sanctuaries.
It has too much gray in it to qualify as mossy olive IMO, but it is a nice deep complex neutral that would do well as a wall color in rooms where a coziness that evokes woodlands is desired.
Imagining Rooms with Behr Grounded Paint
Imagine it as a lovely library color with all the millwork and shelves painted in a rich semigloss version, something like this -
Or as a nice moody bedroom color with contrasting white bedding and draperies like this -
And, it would be a refreshing nearly neutral for kitchen cabinets as well. It pairs well well with marble counters and natural woods and wicker accents - something like this
Behr Grounded Paint with Fabric Pairings
Because it is a nature color, it works well with a lot of other colors. The following fabrics and trims are all from Stout Fabrics and shown against a paint backdrop of Grounded. Each set of selections has a main pattern with supporting coordinates and trim.
We are pairing it here with blue-greens and taupes with this woodland tapestry fabric, woven tweed, multicolored stripes and a tailored pom-pom tape trim for a fun accent.
This airy embroidered floral in shades of pale blues and soft greens and taupes is paired with an embroidered trellis pattern and a soft tone-on-tone geometric alongside a wide patterned tape trim that would be wonderful trimming the skirt on a chair or sofa.
The main pattern here is a modern take on an ikat in soft greens and taupes and is paired with a stripe, a basketweave woven and a fringed tape trim.
This pastel floral would be a wonderfully soft pattern in a bedroom, dining room or ladies office. It is paired here with a watercolor stripe, and a soft woven with a pink greek key tape trim.
Not only does this color balance the sweetness of pastels, it also stands up to stronger color palettes like this vibrant floral, paired with a stripe, bold solid, and a fun multicolor brush fringe trim.
Pink can be more sedate as shown here in this embroidered pomegranate fabric paired with a green box plaid, a herringbone tweed and a dotted print that mimics the pomegranate seeds along with a subtle rope trim
It would work equally well paired with red or navy or yellow or peach tones. No matter what pairings you choose, grounded is a versatile color that can be subtle or dramatic, but always cozy and sophisticated.
While not an exciting shade in its own right, its versatility without veering into more ho-hum options like shades of beige or white make it a nice choice.
There will be more announcements coming soon from Sherwin Williams, and Benjamin Moore as well as the Pantone Color of the Year announcement.
Do you think more nature-inspired shades will be chosen?
What do you think of Grounded as Behr’s COTY for 2027?
Other posts you might enjoy:
October Mist as a Benjamin Moore COTY
