This Dessert-Inspired Shade Is the 2025 Pantone ‘Color of the Year’

Color expert company Pantone has revealed their highly anticipated “Color of the Year” for 2025. And for those who love a fresh take on neutral colors, it surely doesn’t disappoint.

The chosen hue, Mocha Mousse, is ready to take the new year by storm – or spoonful.

A warm shade of brown, Mocha Mousse was selected for its comforting qualities, reminiscent of the elation one gets from a cozy cup of coffee or a satisfying bite of chocolate. Neutral and natural, the dessert-inspired selection is a versatile choice across many facets of life – including real estate.

“Underpinned by our desire for everyday pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

According to Pantone, the longstanding Pantone Color of the Year Program engages designers and creatives around the world to highlight a relationship between color and culture. Each year, the chosen hue becomes a hot topic of conversation across many industries, especially those pertaining to interior design.

This is the first time Pantone has selected an earthy shade in a while. The colors of recent years included Peach Fuzz, a soft orangey-pink hue, in 2024; Viva Magenta, a variant of red, in 2023; and Very Peri, a deep periwinkle, in 2022. The last time a shade of brown was selected was in 2015 with Marsala, which boasted red undertones in comparison to 2025’s Mocha Mousse.

At home, the color brown has been making a resurgence in design and décor. And it’s surely set to be a staple in the new year.

1. Paint colors
Darker than popular paint choices like white, beige and pale gray, Mocha Mousse can make for a bold yet neutral wall color backdrop in spaces like the living room or bedroom, adding depth to areas designed for relaxation. To paint a smaller space with the shade, consider an accent wall or two-toned wainscotting.

2. Textiles
Shades of brown can be implemented at home through items like couches, chair cushions, area and runner rugs, accent pillows, throw blankets and more. Rather than being a standalone color, variants like Mocha Mousse can be one component of a patterned or textured piece.

3. Accessories
Want to add bits of brown to your home without a big commitment? Weave in the warm hue in through smaller details like candles (glass or pillar-style), lamps, picture frames, plant pots, and vases – ones in materials like wood or amber glass. Tile is another outlet for incorporating shades like Mocha Mousse into the home, taking the shape of glazed ceramic subway tiles or the perpetually trending checkerboard pattern as a backsplash.

If you’re considering creating a coffee nook in your home, keep the very fitting Mocha Mousse in mind for décor, coffee cups and accessories alike.

4. Florals
A great alternative for winter, dried florals can bring a delicate, natural presence into the home, along with subtle pops of muted color. Unlike fresh florals, their dried counterparts have a much longer shelf life. Due to their more subdue hues, it’s easy to weave in pops of brown to these arrangements through dried elements like foxtail and flower buttons.

5. Wood accents
Wood remains a timeless material throughout nearly every aspect of a home’s interior. It’s a great way to incorporate any shade of brown into any room, and many items mentioned above – furniture, vases and picture frames, just to name a few – can be found in an assortment of shades of wood.

As home design trends for 2025 are unveiled, it’s clear that comfort – instilled through aesthetic elements like design and color, as well as wellbeing elements like the presence of loved ones and the feeling of belonging – will be a mainstay. This was confirmed in the latest RE/MAX Future of Real Estate Report, which found that a significant portion of today’s real estate consumers view the purpose of home as a safe space, and a place to make loved ones feel more comfortable.

Check out the full RE/MAX Future of Real Estate Report here.

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