It’s Color-Of-The-Year Time Again!
Should You Care?
How are the official Colors of the Year chosen? Who gets to choose them? And who made these people the final word? Unfortunately, we can’t answer any of these questions. But we can tell you what those colors are and what color could mean to your business.
The color experts—Pantone—have declared “Cloud Dancer” as the color of the year for 2026. This will be taken seriously because Pantone is the company behind the Pantone Matching System (PMS), which standardizes colors for design, printing, fashion, and manufacturing to ensure consistent color reproduction across different materials and devices. Basically, Pantone IS color the world over. So, what they say carries some weight. Unfortunately, “Cloud Dancer” is pretty much just white, so what they’re really saying is that they don’t have kids.
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?
To learn more about Marco, visit www.MarcoIndustries.com. To contact Marco directly, you can email or call 1-800-800-8590.