“Chocolatey” and “decadent-yet-cozy” is how Architectural Digest describes it. “Equally of-the-moment and timeless at the same time,” says Real Simple. Could they possibly be talking about the same thing? Yes, indeed: the Pantone® Color of the Year 2025.
Earlier this month, global color authority Pantone announced Mocha Mousse as its 26th Color of the Year. PANTONE 17-1230 is a rich, soft brown that Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, calls flavorful and warm.
“Underpinned by our desire for everyday pleasures, Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence,” says Eiseman. “Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, (the hue) extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe.”
Mocha Mousse also feeds into consumers’ collective desire for balance, which is an extension of the harmony theme the company leaned into for its 2025 Pantone View Home + Interiors palettes.
“Harmony brings feelings of contentment, inspiring a positive state of inner peace, calm and balance as well as being tuned in with the world around us,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. “With that in mind, for Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a color that reaches into our desire for comfort and wellness, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.”
After all, the color suggests chocolate, cocoa and coffee—treats that can be comforting as part of a daily ritual, but ones that can also be elevated to feel quite decadent. In that way, it’s an extension of the “sweet little treat” culture that has been trending on social media.
When it comes to applications in our homes, Mocha Mousse is an adaptable neutral tone that blends effortlessly with many colors.
It can be applied to flooring, painted walls, wallpaper and within home décor and housewares. It works equally well in heavier materials such as leather, velvet and knitted weaves, as well as lighter ones like jersey and satin. It’s also a natural in nature-inspired materials like wood, stone, rattan and wicker, which are especially popular right now.
“In your home, Mocha Mousse is chic enough to pair with metallics and neutrals, yet earthy enough to fit in with a Southwestern look or aesthetics incorporating natural elements,” says Adam Campbell-Schmitt of HGTV magazine. “We can already see Mocha Mousse melding nicely into the ongoing trend toward using brown to create relaxed and welcoming spaces in our homes.”
For retailers, it’s important to think about Color of the Year in terms of color combinations, considering how it can be incorporated into what’s worked well in the past and then using it to update marketing, merchandising and store design, Eiseman told IHA’s INSPIRED magazine earlier this year.
“When we do trends—like the color palettes Pantone introduces every year at The Inspired Home Show—our mission is not to abandon everything that has come before,” she said. “Our goal is to build on our color stories, creating a feeling of freshness and variety that blends with familiar.”
Eiseman will introduce color palettes in the Pantone View Home + Interiors 2026 forecast at The Inspired Home Show 2025, March 2-4 in Chicago.