After years of beige, grey and muted palettes, color has finally made its way back in. But why have we been so cautious of it in the first place? We speak to the color expert Sara Garanty about Sweden’s complicated relationship with color, the combinations she would rather avoid, and the shades set to take over next.

The trend of repainting children’s toys in neutral shades just so they would blend into an all-beige interior was perhaps peak beige influencer home era. Across our homes, wardrobes and feeds, neutral tones became synonymous with luxury. Beige, white, black and grey may be easy to combine, but they might also be the safest way to strip a home of its personality and soul.

Thankfully, a lot has changed in just a few years. Color is trending again. We eased ourselves in with the styling concept of “a pop of red”, and since then, several seriously bold shades have found their way back into the spotlight. Few will have missed the turquoise blue that many of us will probably forever associate with the summer of 2026.

But what happens this autumn? Garanty points to icy blue as the successor to “butter yellow”, the trend shade that has now reached its peak. At the same time, purple is appearing in an ever-growing spectrum of shades. Looking further ahead, warmer tones are on the horizon. According to Garanty, we can expect to see plenty of red in 2027, followed by orange in 2028.

“More color is trending, I would say. Lots of different combinations and having the courage to mix them.”

So it isn’t simply a case of one trend color replacing another. Instead, our entire approach to color seems to be becoming more liberated. For Garanty, there are no individual colors that are truly off-limits. When we ask about her biggest color ick, her answer is less about the colors themselves and more about what happens when two of them meet. Red and pink, a pairing long considered something you simply shouldn’t wear together, gets an immediate yes. Yellow and black, on the other hand?

“It feels a little like a warning sign,” she says, comparing the combination to a wasp.

Yellow paired with brown works much better. Her own favourite combination at the moment, however, is anything but cautious: lavender purple paired with a rich, velvety red.

“More color is trending, I would say. Lots of different combinations and having the courage to mix them.”

And perhaps that is where our relationship with color becomes interesting. If there are so few rules left, why does color still feel so difficult? And why do Swedes, in particular, seem to struggle with it? Garanty believes part of the answer can be found in Swedish culture.

“We live in the land of lagom, so we’re a little cautious by nature. We like to have what our neighbour has. Standing out feels scary, and I think that’s why we’re afraid of color.”

But according to Garanty, our reluctance to embrace color isn’t only about the Swedish desire to fit in, or rather, our reluctance to stand out. There may also be a much more practical explanation: we simply aren’t used to it.

“I think part of it comes down to a lack of knowledge. We haven’t learned about color, or perhaps we just haven’t been exposed to very much of it. The more color you see and learn about, the easier it becomes to embrace and use it.”

In other words, the solution doesn’t have to involve painting your entire living room cobalt blue or replacing your wardrobe overnight. It can simply be about exposure: seeing color, experimenting with it and gradually becoming less intimidated by combinations that initially feel unfamiliar. And for anyone who isn’t quite ready to let go of neutrals, there is good news. Beige isn’t going anywhere.

“I think beige will stick around as a base for a while longer. A lot of colors work with beige too, actually, more than with white.”

Perhaps, then, we don’t need to bury neutrals altogether. We just need to be a little braver about pairing them with colors that make us happy. To explore new combinations, develop our taste and challenge old habits. Because when the color expert herself sums up her advice, it is far simpler than any lesson in colour theory:

“Don’t be so afraid.”

Explore the collections of Kalle Loebbert and Agneta Strindinger featured in this article, and The Full Colorful Art Collection

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Author Lovisa Hellqvist