Dunn-Edwards’ 2027 Color of the Year Is a Coffee-Inspired Hue You’ll Crave Every Morning

In recent years, design trends championed neutrals as a surefire way to create calm. So creams and whites covered walls, beiges described accessories and spaces achieved the kind of reserve that actually comes from neutrality. Rooms were light and airy, but only because they were stripped of having any real energy and excitement.

To contrast this, Dunn-Edwards chose a shade that provides a quick fix of personality for homes in the same way a freshly brewed cup of joe revives a tired mind and body. The 2027 Color of the Year for Dunn-Edwards is French Press Coffee (DEBN07), a confident espresso brown with hints of plum and charcoal.

“People are looking for their homes to feel authentic again — somewhere more layered than the last several years of cool, pared-back interiors,” says Lauren Hoferkamp, color marketing manager at Dunn-Edwards. “French Press Coffee speaks to that. It's a color built around ritual and comfort, not just style.”

As the team’s color experts delved into the motivations customers have for transforming their homes, they found that people are no longer as influenced by trends as they might have been in the past. The bright whites and cool grays that were ubiquitous on screens, and therefore more common in everyday life, no longer resonate as much. Customers want to place their own orders, and French Press Coffee is a way to achieve individuality without forfeiting a universal desire for coziness.

“French Press Coffee is a color people will grow into rather than tire of,” Lauren says. “It's warm and of-the-moment, but it's also rooted in a kind of timelessness. It should feel just as relevant in a home five years from now as it does today.”

How to Use French Press Coffee in Your Home

Just as a straight pour of coffee may be intimidating on a menu, it might also seem like a challenge on a swatch. But Lauren wants you to feel invigorated by the idea, whether you sip it through the details of a space or take it in one color-drenching gulp.

“A few colors from the Dunn-Edwards palette pair especially well with French Press Coffee,” she says. “Wilderness (DE6236) is a moss green to use on cabinetry or an accent wall, Chic Brick (DE6104) is a warm terracotta for accessories or an adjacent room, and Ecru Wealth (DET635) is a soft, unbleached-linen cream for trim or a ceiling.”

For those who want to throw caution to the wind — the design equivalent of a double espresso — Lauren suggests pairing French Press Coffee with a deep mauve like Mauve-a-Lish (DET402) or a steely blue like Made of Steel (DET593). “Both combinations work particularly well in a dining room, powder room or entryway, where you want the color story to feel intentional and a little unexpected,” she adds. French Press Coffee also works well as an alternative to black for dramatic exteriors.

In any case, bringing in light by way of a mirror, reflective metals or using the color as an accent for a white exterior will help balance the moody shade. After all, no one likes feeling over-caffeinated.