Five On-Trend Ways to Get Your Home Ready for (Just About) Anything in 2025

New nature-inspired color palette pairs trend-driven hues with user-friendly products

VERNON HILLS, Ill., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With lifestyles constantly evolving, homes are no longer just a place to live. They've become spaces to work, entertain and find moments of peace. Recognizing the need for versatility, Rust-Oleum, a trusted leader in paints and coatings, today introduces its reimagined 2025 Color Watch palette. This curated collection of 11 nature-inspired hues blends beauty with practicality, giving DIYers the tools to bring purposeful and stylish transformations to life.

What's in? The outdoors
The palette, inspired by biophilic design, captures the calming and revitalizing essence of nature with its earthy tones and warm neutrals. Offering a flexible, adaptable color scheme, it enhances a wide variety of spaces, making it an ideal choice for diverse design needs. From the comforting glow of Warm Caramel, Rust-Oleum's 2025 Color of the Year, to neutrals like greige and warm white, and bold accents such as dusty pink, burgundy and deep ocean blue, there's a shade for every kind of transformation.

"Color is more than just décor. It's mood, identity and connection," said Lori Janssen, Rust-Oleum's senior product manager and color expert. "The 2025 Color Watch palette bridges emerging design trends with practical functionality. This offers DIYers an approachable way to bring personal vision to life while creating spaces that truly reflect who they are."

Tools that transform every surface
Rust-Oleum's portfolio of easy-to-use products empowers DIYers to refresh their homes with confidence and ease. Spray paints like Stops Rust® with Custom Spray 5-in-1, 2X Ultra Cover®, Chalked and Universal® offer vibrant, durable finishes for materials ranging from metal to plastic. Finishes, including Varathane® Wood Stains and Watco® Teak Oil Finish, add rich tones and protective sheens to wood surfaces. Coatings such as Color Spark™ Wall Paint, Cabinet Transformations® Kits and Rust-Oleum HOME® Countertop Coating Kits deliver professional-quality results, making it easy to refresh walls, cabinet and countertops with style and reliability.

"DIY doesn't have to be intimidating," added Lindee Katdare, creative producer and in-house DIY expert at Rust-Oleum. "With these inviting shades and our trusted, user-friendly products, anyone can turn their space into a canvas for self-expression. It's all about making transformations accessible, enjoyable and meaningful."

Here are five on-trend ways to bring these colors to life and transform your spaces this year:

1. Design cozy corners worth returning to: Creating spaces for comfort has never been easier, especially for those looking to bring serenity to the coziest of corners, like a reading nook.

• Paint walls in A New Day, a warm, inviting white.
• Draw the eye with touches of Warm Caramel on tables and accents.
• Layer softness using Renew, a refreshing light mint, and Blush Pink on furniture and décor.
• Modernize smaller details, such as light fixtures or hardware, with the deep tones of Venetian Bronze.
• Bring natural charm by staining wooden elements with Spring Oak.
• Create bold contrasts with Midnight Blue, perfect for dramatic yet welcoming features.

2. Add fun to unexpected places: Even smaller spaces deserve attention. Entryways and porches can set the tone for the rest of your home with fun, creative touches.

• Revitalize overlooked pieces, like a storage chest or bench, with Warm Caramel.
• Accent planters and pots using Midnight Blue, Earthy Green, Burgundy and Tuscan Sun.
• Infuse fun and function by introducing Renew to a hanging egg chair.
• Introduce a neutral tone with Smokey Beige - perfect for a bistro table and chair set.

3. Strike a balance in living and work spaces: Shared spaces, like living rooms or work-from-home setups, demand a design that blends productivity with relaxation. A gallery wall can blend functionality and style to create a winning background.

• Hang frames stained in Early American, which also works beautifully on tabletop surfaces.
• Add character and dimension with frames and side table bases painted in Warm Caramel.
• Use Burgundy and Earthy Green for subtle contrast on complementary accents, like lamps or small furniture.
• Ground larger surfaces, like a coffee or side table, with a soft tone like Smokey Beige.

4. Host with style: With the holidays in the rearview, now is the perfect time to craft spaces that wow guests and foster connection. Whether it's prepping for casual game nights or other gatherings, the 2025 palette makes it easy to design polished, inviting areas.

• Refinish cabinets with the rich sophistication of Forbidden Forest and upgrade countertops with a Marble coating, which delivers a durable and sophisticated finish.
• Enhance furniture and décor with Warm Caramel.
• Elevate furnishings and shelves by staining them with Early American.
• Complete the look with Venetian Bronze to give table bases a sleek, modern touch.

5. Turn functional spaces into inspiration zones: Work and hobby spaces don't have to feel purely utilitarian. Upgrade these spaces with earthy tones and bold accents for a pop of personality.

• Use Earthy Green as the base for a potting bench, paired with Warm Caramel for the countertop.
• Add pops of energy with bright shades like Burgundy, Midnight Blue and Tuscan Sun on planter pots and vases.
• Ground the space with a subtle, versatile neutral like Smokey Beige on a chair.
• Showcase natural textures on outdoor wood accessories like wooden vases with the Teak Oil as a protective finish.

Achieve the ultimate space for hosting, working, unwinding or fun with the 2025 Color Watch palette. These on-trend updates can help DIYers create emotional connections for themselves and others, and make life at home richer, warmer and more inspiring.

"We're excited to collaborate with amazing influencer partners on upcoming projects that will continue to bring our 2025 Color Watch palette to life, from entryway transformations to desk and porch refreshes," said Lori Janssen. "These are just the beginning, and we can't wait to see how DIYers will draw inspiration and reimagine their spaces with bold, personal touches throughout the year."

Explore the full range of possibilities at rustoleum.com/Color-of-the-Year-2025 and find inspiration from creators and DIYers on Rust-Oleum's Instagram and TikTok using #ROColorWatch.

About Rust-Oleum
For more than a century, Rust-Oleum® has been a global leader in manufacturing innovative coatings that empower do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike across categories including small project paints, cleaners, primers, automotive, industrial, high-performance coatings and wood care. Its wide breadth of brands and products include such trusted names as Rust-Oleum®, Stops Rust®, Painter's Touch®, Universal®, EpoxyShield®, Varathane®, Zinsser®, Watco®, MultiSpec®, X-I-M®, Krud Kutter®, RockSolid®, Wipe New®, Testors®, Seal-Krete®, Mean Green®, Modern Masters®, Moldex®, Whink®, Miracle Sealants®, Roto-Rooter®, Concrobium®, and Gator® Finishing Products. Visit rustoleum.com for more information. Follow Rust-Oleum on LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE Rust-Oleum