Color trends 2026: What contractors need to know

By Marco Industries. 

Industry color forecasts offer valuable insight into customer preferences and can help contractors position their offerings more effectively. 

Each year, design leaders unveil their picks for the colors expected to shape trends across industries, from fashion to construction. While the selection process may seem mysterious, the impact is anything but, especially for contractors and suppliers like Marco Industries who understand how color influences customer decisions and product demand. 

For 2026, Pantone has named “Cloud Dancer” as its Color of the Year, a soft white tone expected to guide design preferences in the months ahead. As the authority behind the Pantone Matching System, Pantone sets the global standard for color consistency across materials and applications, making its annual selection a meaningful signal for manufacturers, contractors and brands alike. 

Other big names in the color word have declared their own 2026 colors of year. They are: 

• Sherwin-Williams: Universal Khaki (part of their collection with earthy, natural hues). 
• Behr: Hidden Gem (a smoky, mysterious jade green). 
• Dutch Boy: Melodious Ivory (a creamy beige for comfort and nostalgia). 
• Valspar: Warm Eucalyptus (a serene, restorative green). 
• Minwax (Stain): Special Walnut (a warm, rustic brown for wood). 
• Graham & Brown: Divine Damson (a rich, moody red). 

And don’t think roofing is excluded. Owens Corning announced that the 2026 Shingle Color of the Year is Evergreen Mist, “a nature-inspired, versatile blend of soft greens, grays and earthy tones designed to harmonize with various home styles, from traditional to modern, offering a serene, timeless look for your roof.” 

What do all these color-promoting announcements mean to you? Maybe nothing directly. We’re not saying you’re going to be overrun with phone calls requesting the shingle color of the year — or any of the other colors of the year — but don’t ignore the importance color has to your potential customers. 

Like it or not, you are in an image industry. People care what their new roof is going to look like and how it adds to (or takes away from) the rest of their home. So be proactive and talk up color and style when selling. Whether it’s the color of shingles you are able to provide to your customers, one of the many colors of metal roofing that are available or even color choices in accessories like Roofboot™ flashing from Marco (download the catalog here), show that you know and care about more than simply how long the roof will last. 

The bottom line: it’s a new year, and you have a new chance to get out there and drum up new business. Why not take advantage of color to start the conversation? 

Original article source: Marco Industries