Pantone partners with other companies to serve up Mocha Mousse in many ways.
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Each year, colour experts and paint brands unveil their trend-setting picks.
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And in splashing style, global colour specialist the Pantone Colour Institute unveiled its colour of the year for 2025 in a spectacular light show, courtesy of the iconic London Eye. On a December evening, the 443-foot-tall cantilevered observation Ferris wheel, situated on the city’s South Bank overlooking River Thames, lit up in shades of “the evocative soft brown hue” Mocha Mousse.
Mocha Mousse is the 26th Pantone Colour of the Year, a colour that builds on last year’s choice, Fuzzy Peach, a velvety gentle peach tone.
“Underpinned by our everyday desire for pleasure, Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute, adding that this shade of warm brown “extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe.”
Pantone’s Colour of the Year, an initiative that began in 1999 with its first colour choice Cerulean, expresses a global mood and attitude in the form of a single, distinct hue.
This year’s pick — Mocha Mousse presents as sophisticated, yet unpretentious, while exuding a sense of warmth and comfort. It’s strong enough to stand alone or serve as a versatile foundation, enhancing a wide range of palettes and applications — from minimalist to richly detailed designs—across all colour-focused industries.
Calgary designer Alykhan Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs says that the depth and warmth that Mocha Mousse offers makes it incredibly versatile.
“Its rich, earthy tones allow it to work harmoniously across different design styles, creating a welcoming and grounded atmosphere,” says Velji, adding that it lends itself beautifully to both walls and cabinetry, where its warmth can create a cozy, refined atmosphere. He suggests pairing it with contrasting elements, such as matte black or polished brass fixtures, to highlight its richness. “For added depth and texture, incorporate natural stone materials like marble to provide a stunning contrast, one which balances the warmth of the colour with the coolness of the stone to create a sophisticated, yet inviting space,” he says.
But Pantone isn’t the only colour expert releasing on-trend colour choices for 2025 that reflect over-arching sensibilities.
Given the rising sense of global instability, it doesn’t come as a surprise that most of 2025’s paint and colour picks are warm and comforting hues, leaning towards tones rich with chocolate, terracotta and coffee-coloured highlights. Paint company Benjamin Moore unveiled Cinnamon Slate as its colour for 2025; it’s a moody, nature-inspired hue that blends smooth chocolate brown with rich plum. Glidden’s jewel-toned, Purple Basil hued paint colour offers a warm and lustrous take on deep violet, while C2 Paint’s C2 Raku embraces an earthy and deep brownish-red.
“The shift toward warmer, richer hues in interiors reflects a broader desire for spaces that feel more inviting and intimate. These deeper tones bring a sense of drama and luxury, enhancing the emotional impact of a room,” says Velji.
Additionally, the rise of “colour-drenching”, where entire rooms — walls, ceilings and cabinetry — are painted in a single, bold shade, amplifies the sense of cohesion and visual interest, making these hues ideal for creating a striking, immersive environment.
The Pantone Colour Institute would agree. It has partnered with a variety of design companies to integrate the colour Mocha Mousse into a variety of products from fabrics to perfumes (you’ll soon be able to smell Mocha Mousse) and even cell phones (Motorola is launching a coffee-imbued cell phone), making the colour Mocha Mousse accessible to everyone.
Pantone’s colour events in shared public spaces (building on the London Eye experience) will continue throughout 2025 in destinations around the world from New York to Shanghai and Mumbai.