Company Announcements

Universal Khaki channels a return to essentials—offering a warm, restorative neutral for thoughtful, enduring spaces

CLEVELAND , Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams are unveiling a unified 2026 Color of the Year: Universal Khaki. The 2026 Color of the Year is a warm, grounded neutral that captures the essence of life's bare essentials, offering a calming simplicity and timeless appeal. With its understated elegance and everyday versatility, Universal Khaki encourages slowing down, resetting and designing with purpose.

This integrated approach to the Color of the Year strengthens the position of both brands individually, and the broader Sherwin-Williams portfolio as an authoritative source in color leadership.

Universal Khaki
Like the endless possibility of a fresh canvas or the enveloping warmth of a well-worn jacket, Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year, Universal Khaki SW 6150, was selected by the Global Trendsight Team to be an ultra-usable hue, tailored for classic sophistication. Inspired by enduring elegance and rejuvenating resilience, this year's selection is the essential neutral for anyone seeking a touch of sophisticated simplicity.

"Khaki is more than just a neutral—it's a timeless, go-anywhere shade that brings a sense of grounded elegance to any space," shares Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. "With its warm, earthy undertones, Universal Khaki SW 6150 effortlessly complements a wide range of colors, creating a rich, inviting backdrop that can transform an entire design with quiet confidence."

For Sherwin-Williams, the balanced shade is part of Palette No. 4, Foundational Neutrals, in Sherwin-Williams Colormix^® Forecast 2026, Anthology: Volume Two – made up of today's essentials that suggest a shift from divinely delicate to a future of curated contrast and complexity. Wadden recommends pairing the hue with other shades from the Colormix^® Forecast 2026, such as White Snow SW 9541, Cream and Sugar SW 9507, Lemon Chiffon SW 6686, Henna Shade SW 6326, Dark Auburn SW 6034, Limestone SW 9599, Garden Gate SW 6167, Tarragon SW 9660, Watery SW 6478, or Special Walnut Minwax MW 224.

Honest Essentials, 2026 Color Collection of the Year
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams proudly announces Honest Essentials as its 2026 Color Collection of the Year. Anchored by Universal Khaki (HGSW6150), the collection features 10 thoughtfully curated hues that draw inspiration from nature and offer a variety of earthy yet bold color combinations to add warmth and authenticity to any space.

"The Honest Essentials collection is a reflection of consumer desire for clean lines, minimalist decor and a more intentional approach to design and life," says Ashley Banbury, color marketing manager of HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams. "Honest Essentials represents a new era where purpose and simplicity are the ultimate luxuries."

The 2026 Color Collection of the Year is anchored by earthy, mid-tone tan, Universal Khaki (HGSW6150) and neutral brown Griffin (HGSW7026), which add layers of depth and warmth along with interior semi-transparent stain, Special Walnut Minwax MW 224. A soft, neutral foundation follows with off-white and stucco shades, Creamy (HGSW7012) and Neutral Ground (HGSW7568), bringing a sense of calm and simplicity. Burgundy wine red Cordovan (HGSW6027) and reddish terracotta Reddened Earth (HGSW6053) introduce rich, bold accents, while blues and greens, Secret Garden (HGSW6181), Still Water (HGSW6223) and Hazel (HGSW6471), provide nature-inspired balance. Honest Essentials is capped off by a soft buttery yellow, Lemon Chiffon (HGSW6686), that adds a touch of brightness and cheer.

Shop the 2026 Color of the Year
Universal Khaki SW 6150 is available at neighborhood Sherwin-Williams stores nationwide or online. Homeowners can get FREE color chip samples at swsamples.com or at their Sherwin-Williams neighborhood store. Designers can connect with their Account Executive HERE, for exclusive materials and events. Designer samples can also be ordered with a PRO+ account. Learn more about Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year at http://www.swcoty.com.

The entire HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams product line— including marquee products like Infinity, Everlast and Cabinet & Furniture paints—can be tinted to Universal Khaki (HGSW6150) and any of the hues in the 2026 Color Collection of the Year exclusively at Lowe's stores nationwide and on Lowes.com. For more information and to order FREE color chip samples, please visit: https://www.hgtvhomebysherwinwilliams.com.

About The Sherwin-Williams Company

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paint, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. The Company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams^®, Valspar^®, HGTV HOME^® by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy^®, Krylon^®, Minwax^®, Thompson's^® WaterSeal^®, Cabot^® and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams^® branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 5,400 Company-operated stores and branches, while the Company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries around the world. Sherwin-Williams shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: SHW). For more information, visit www.sherwin.com.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery's Revenue & Strategy division, extends the company's powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home décor and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.' film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Eurosport, Adult Swim, and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About HGTV 

HGTV delivers families with relatable stories, superstar real estate and renovation experts and amazing home transformations that inspire a passionate audience. For anyone seeking entertaining and aspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV is the place to be. HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to 62 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 10 million people each month; a social footprint of more than 30 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers; and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV Home^® consumer products line. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok and Threads. HGTV is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a leading global media and entertainment company available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, Max, discovery+, CNN, DC, TNT Sports, Eurosport, HBO, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.

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SOURCE Sherwin-Williams