Hardwood Floors December 2025/January 2026

Designer Insights (Continued)

LIGHT BLUE MELLOW FLOW™

VIBRANT FREE GROOVE™

DARK BLUE SLOW SWING™

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AKZONOBEL

AKZONOBEL’S COLORS OF THE YEAR 2026 RHYTHM OF BLUES™

The Colors of the Year 2026 comprise three indigo shades: a light blue Mellow Flow™, a dark blue Slow Swing™, and the vibrant Free Groove™ – three different rhythms that offer endless scope for furniture, cabinets, building products, and flooring. We know that different wood products require specially crafted finishes, and floor coatings often are used to highlight and play with the natural beauty of the wood rather than to cover a blank surface. It’s why our Global Color and Design team works so closely with our technical service team to create coatings that combine on trend colors with natural finishes that maintain good clarity and grain definition. These colors provide both inspiration and practicality for professionals and consumers, while capturing the cultural mood of the moment and pairing with the enduring popularity of natural wood finishes. Bryan Hodges is the global color and design manager for wood finishes at AkzoNobel. For more information, visit akzonobel.com.

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