Behr’s 2025 Color of the Year, Rumors, Is Rich and Sophisticated

If you’re craving a pop of color in your home, Behr is here to help with their 2025 Color of the Year, Rumors.

A deep and sophisticated red, Rumors doesn’t shy away from being the center of attention and adds some Art Deco-inspired drama to any room.

“Our Color of the Year empowers consumers to use color with confidence,” said Andy Lopez, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Behr Paint, in a press release. “Rumors is undoubtedly a color that inspires creativity while being versatile enough to transform a space through large and small projects.”

We spoke with Sarah Fishburne, The Home Depot’s Director of Trend & Design, and Erika Woelfel, Vice President of Color and Creative Services at Behr Paint, to find out more about the inspiration behind Rumors and how you can use it in your own space.

Rumors Is An Unexpected, Yet Approachable, Red

The jewel-toned feel of Rumors makes it an unexpected yet approachable choice that homeowners, DIYers, and others can incorporate into their homes in a range of different ways.

While it makes a stunning and bold addition to all four walls in a room, or as a single accent wall, it’s also a great way to add a pop of color to any space.

It even ties in seamlessly with the rise of the ‘unexpected red’ theory in interior decor, which suggests adding a pop of red to a room can add that finishing touch and bring it all together.

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Research Shows Red Is at the Top of Homeowners’ Wishlists

Behr recently conducted a survey, and the results prove that people are ready to embrace some red in their homes.

In fact, the study showed that 76% of Americans would consider a shade of red in their homes, according to the press release.

And that might be due to the nostalgia we feel about red, says Fishburne.

“Red has always been a very welcoming, optimist color,” Fishburne tells The Spruce. “With this color, it’s a nod to a lot of our upbringings, but it is a twist on it.”

A Color That Can Be Used Both Indoors and Outdoors

Speaking about the process of choosing a Color of the Year, Fishburne and Woelfel noted that it’s always important to them to choose a color that will work equally well in interiors and exteriors—and while Rumors is more of a pop of color than 2024’s Cracked Pepper or 2023’s Blank Canvas, it’s still true.

“It’s very welcoming,” Woelfel tells The Spruce. “It has great curb appeal, especially if it’s painted in a high-gloss finish.”

Woelfel and Fishburne suggest not just using Rumors as a front door color—what’s more classic than a red front door?—but also on outdoor furniture, dormers, or even a mailbox.

Inside your home, Rumors can be used almost anywhere, depending on how bold you want to go, and it doesn’t matter what decor style you tend to go for.

“There’s just an easy way to use it for many different aesthetics, whether using it in a small way or a large way: a small pop of color on a piece of furniture, an accent wall color, full immersion in a room,” Woelfel says.

Behr Paint is available exclusively at The Home Depot.