London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

Top paint colours of the decade - all the shades we couldn't live without

Top paint colours of the decade - all the shades we couldn't live without

Paint colours of the decade - all the shades we couldn't live without from Farrow & Ball's Elephant Breath to Laura Ashley's Dove Grey

Was it really the 2010s if you didn’t paint at least one room in your house in Farrow & Ball’s Elephant Breath? Or a bedroom in Little Greene’s French Grey? The top paint colours of the decade show we had a healthy obsession with decorating our homes (of course) and that we got more daring with richer, deeper colours as time went on.

That’s right, we graduated from Elephant’s Breath and went to the dark side in the form of midnight hues like Stiffkey Blue, dark greys like Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal, and even blue-black to full-black colours like Farrow & Ball Railings and Little Greene Jack Black.

The top paint colours of the decade


As we’ve become increasingly eco-consicous, the end of the decade saw a focus on earthy colours and connecting with nature, including green in many forms, from olives like Farrow & Ball’s Sap Green to khakis like Annie Sloan’s French Linen.

Keen to know more? We’ve rounded up the top paint colours of the decade below to see what’s rocked our walls for the last 10 years…

1. Elephant’s Breath 229 by Farrow & Ball




It wouldn’t be a top paint colours of the decade feature without Elephant’s Breath. ‘At the beginning of the decade interior enthusiasts had already begun to turn their backs on creamy warm neutrals and fallen madly in love with grey tones instead,’ says Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball Colour Curator.

‘However, many were still wary of the cooler feel often so evident in blue greys. Elephant’s Breath was the answer – both the colour and the name took the world by storm as it was the perfect mid tone warm based grey that would give your home a contemporary feel without it feeling too gritty cold or industrial.’

2. Aquamarine Light by Little Greene


Heather Young, Executive Editor at Ideal Home, says: ‘I’m a big fan of a pale Scandi-inspired aquamarine shade, which is halfway between mint and a very delicate, soft sage. I’ve used it in my living room and in my bedroom as it feels fresh and bright, but also incredibly calming.’

3. Chic Shadow by Dulux




Chic Shadow is a versatile grey that would look at home in any room, from the kitchen to the lounge. ‘We painted our living room in Chic Shadow from Dulux, and its the perfect mid-grey to pair our bright pink and navy blue velvet sofas with,’ says Ideal Home’s features and homes editor Holly Walsh.

4. Burlington Arcade by Mylands


‘Described by Mylands as ‘a robust shade influenced by this historic shopping arcade in Central London’. ‘I’ve used Burlington Arcade to decorate my downstairs cloakroom idea,’ says Ideal Home editor-in-chief Amy Cutmore. ‘Two years on, I’m still madly in love with it. It’s a strong colour; utterly timeless, and brings cosiness and vibrancy to what could seem a cold and clinical space.’

5. Railings 31 by Farrow & Ball




‘As grey became more and more popular people became braver with depth of colour,’ says Joa. ‘Many moved over to the ‘dark side’ using Railings, a, colour that had previously only been used on exteriors, in halls and small cloakroom.’

‘Everyone became less concerned about space and more concerned with mood and creating drama. A complex colour that is neither black nor blue ‘Railings’ is respectful of traditional proportions but is particularly useful to create dynamic spaces in contemporary homes.’

6. Stiffkey Blue 281 by Farrow & Ball




Farrow & Ball’s Joa Studholme says: ‘As the use of stronger colours on walls became more acceptable, there was an understandable desire to find an alternative to charcoal greys. Stiffkey Blue took on that mantle – a sophisticated dark blue which somehow manages to feel dramatic when used in isolation and fresh when combined with a simple white.’

‘Despite its drama, which comes from its unrivalled depth of colour, this is a family friendly colour that proved to be instantly popular.’

7. Setting Plaster 231 by Farrow & Ball




‘There came a time in the middle of the last decade when we all felt we wanted our homes to give us a hug,’ says Joa. ‘Setting Plaster has the most soothing effect, so did just that – wrapping you in a comforting glow that is warm and welcoming.’

‘This plaster colour never feels overtly pink, but has a seductive quality resulting in spaces that are soft and gentle but still full of impact. Pink was no longer banished to the bedroom; it was welcoming in any room.’ Making pink living room ideas more popular than ever.

8. De Nimes 299 by Farrow & Ball




‘When the world felt like it was in a bit of turmoil there was a seismic shift in the way we were using colour in the home,’ explains Joa. ‘We wanted to use colours that comforted us and felt nostalgic – colours that not only enrich our homes but also our souls.’

‘De Nimes like the workwear fabric it is named after, straddled a barrier, it is ultimately fashionable but always feels grounded. A complex blue, with a distinct air of nostalgia, it is perfect for those who were wary of moving into a world of colour because it still has a comforting underlying grey tone.’

9. Heartwood by Dulux




Marianne Shillingford explains, ‘Heartwood is a really popular colour that proves we are not a nation of scaredy cats when it comes to using stronger shades. The colour of unfired clay, it’s so popular because it has the magical quality of changing colour as the sun moves across the sky giving it an organic quality that looks subtly amazing without dominating a room.’

10. Sap Green by Farrow & Ball




Farrow & Ball’s colour curator Joa Studholme says, ‘At the end of the decade, as we became more environmentally aware, green became the go-to colour. Sap Green is a sober, olive green that adds modern day glamour to any room while retaining a strong connection with nature.’

‘It has an unmistakably organic feel that brings a little of the outside world into your home and works perfectly with the natural materials and pot plants that we love to live with.’ Green living room ideas shot up in popularity as a result of wanting to connect indoors to out.

11. Old White by Annie Sloan




‘It’s no surprise that Old White tops our bestsellers,’ says paint and colour expert Annie Sloan of this best white paint choice. ‘This is the quintessential Chalk Paint choice – suggesting organic chalk, gesso, and European antiquity. It’s a white with personality and history.’

‘It’s also the ideal colour for adjusting the rest of the Chalk Paint palette, so every furniture painter has a tin to hand – either to knock back statement shades slightly, to create a brand-new spectrum of bespoke hues, or to colour match to an existing piece.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
Vietnam Faces Up to $25 Billion Export Loss as U.S. Tariffs Bite
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Indonesia Court Upholds Military Law Amid Concerns Over Expanded Civilian Role
Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch Join Trump-Backed Bid to Take Over TikTok
Trump and Musk Reunite Publicly for First Time Since Fallout at Kirk Memorial
Vietnam Closes 86 Million Untouched Bank Accounts Over Biometric ID Rules
×