AUTUMN is finally here, and as the colder weather creeps closer, it’s a constant reminder a new year is on the way.
And of course, a new year means a whole lot of new trends to keep up to date with.
accent walls won’t be a thing in 2026[/caption]
Now, it’s time to make way for colour capping[/caption]
In 2025, we saw many people get rid of the sad grey aesthetic in their homes, opting to add some colour back in and lighten the mood.
And it seems this trend is only going to grow next year as interior designers share how to keep your home stylish, and it’s time to ditch the colourful accent wall.
Instead, interior experts reveal that you need to get to know colour capping.
The new home trend is a clever way to refresh your home and achieve a luxe designer look with just a few tins of paint.
Colour capping differs from colour drenching as the latter technique consists of using one shade all over the walls and ceilings.
While colour capping uses paints in various tones of the same colour family to create balance and transform proportions of your space.
Experts at Benjamin Moore Paint say: “Pulling the often neglected fifth wall – the ceiling – into a coordinated look that feels considered is a gentle way to add cohesion and polish.”
Not only does it instantly make a room look more expensive, it also can help make rooms look bigger and more regal.
“In colour psychology, the key to using colour is balance and proportion,” Charlotte Broadribb, colour consultant and co-founder of Yinteriors told House Beautiful.
“Colour capping does this, as well as creating the perception of more height in a room.“
Opt for neutral colours for a versatile look or deep colours for more drama[/caption]
You can opt for more neutral shades for a less maximalist look or go for deep burgundies and rich blues.
To add extra visual interest, you can also select different paint finishes for the walls and ceiling.
“Using a paint with a higher sheen level on the ceiling can add a touch of drama as it reflects light and draws the eye upward, incorporating the often-forgotten “fifth wall” into the design,” Helen Shaw, Director of Marketing for Benjamin Moore Paint adds.
Double drenching is another bold painting technique that we will see more of next year.
This technique involves coating all available surfaces – walls, ceilings, radiators, and woodwork – in two or more colours from the same palette.
While double drenching celebrates contrast and saturation, colour capping offers a softer, more refined look, focusing on tonal harmony and balance.
Trends interior designers hate
IF you want to ensure that your home looks glam, here are the trends that interior designers can’t stand.
NO YELLOW: According to Bilal Rehman, yellow paint in a bedroom is a big no no.
He said: “If you want everyone to know you’re a horse girl then yellow is perfect for you.”
SIGN OFF: Kelly Hoppen shared her honest thoughts on Live, Love, Laugh signs.
The interior pro explained: “Another gripe of mine – Live, Laugh, Love – those kinds of wooden things that sit on book shelves and floating shelves, that’s so 10, 12, 15 years ago.”
NO GREY YAY: Julie Provenzano explained that grey interiors have been overdone.
She stressed: “We took a good thing and we overdid it to the point that it now feels copy, paste, basic.”
