The Sherwin-Williams Paint Color of the Year 2026 Universal Khaki has officially been announced, and its corresponding color palette is on track to start trending.
Universal Khaki is the Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year, and it’s a warm and inviting hue that perfectly complements the home trends we’re seeing grow among our paint color consulting clients.
Last year, Sherwin-Williams launched a Color Palette of the Year, which was well done; however, I’m happy they returned to a single Color of the Year. We all look forward to it! This year, Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams have combined their efforts to reveal a joint Color of the Year. This was an excellent move because in the past, they each released a different Color of the year, which got a bit confusing.
According to Sherwin-Williams Director of Color Marketing and Trendsight Team Leader Sue Wadden, “Universal Khaki is the easygoing neutral that makes every room feel pulled together. Its warm, earthy tone works with natural finishes, crisp whites or bold pops of color – bringing timeless style to your home.”
Universal Khaki is a warm, cozy color that ties in perfectly with the warm hues we’ve seen homeowners gravitating towards over the last couple of years. It’s darker than a lot of the warm beiges we use in our color consulting practice for interiors, and would truly wrap a room in warmth.
This color isn’t necessarily the star of the show. Her value lies in how well she makes all the other adjacent colors look. She won’t win a “Leading Lady” Oscar, but is a great contender for “Supporting Actress”.
Universal Khaki really does look much better in person than on the swatch, and it’s a key point to note that it comes to life next to other colors.
In this post, we’ll review Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki and show how you can use the corresponding SW Color of the Year palette throughout your home.
All of these paint colors are available in Sherwin-Williams paint stores nationwide.
Note: We used photos courtesy of Sherwin-Williams because we don’t have most of these in our collection of projects yet, but aren’t compensated by them.
*This post contains affiliate links for Samplize products. If you click on some links and make a purchase, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. This helps pay for the costs of the blog, so I can continue to offer great content to our readers.
What Color is Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki?
Universal Khaki (Sample) is a warm beige paint color with green undertones. To understand the color, we need to look more closely at the three basic undertones of beige: green-beige, yellow-beige, and pink-beige.
Pink- and yellow-beiges are discordant with each other. Universal Khaki’s green undertones, however, make it really flexible, because it pairs well with yellow-beiges like Benjamin Moore Powell Buff (Sample) and pink-beiges like Benjamin Moore Stone House.
With an LRV of 41, Universal Khaki is fairly dark for interiors, and on the light side for exterior paint colors. LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a number from 0 to 100 that shows how much light a paint color reflects or absorbs. Pure black has an LRV of 0 (absorbing all light), and pure white has an LRV of 100 (reflecting all light).
With an LRV of 41, SW Universal Khaki is a great exterior paint color if you want a lighter neutral, and also works indoors as a darker accent hue. I really love the idea of using it for color drenching – it would wrap you in warmth and coziness without being as oppressive as a darker color would in a color drench.
What does The Color Concierge think about Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki?
Here are our first impressions of the 2026 Color of the Year:
Michelle Marceny: Founder, Lead Color Designer:
“Universal Khaki is kind of a brilliant color to pick as the color of the year. This is a color that we use all the time in our practice as a particular tool, especially right now when our trends lean into warm colors. What I also love about this color is that it’s a common color for classic and timeless clothing. It’s always been there, and this is just a reminder to take notice. Followed with “I wish I had thought about that.” I have several clothing items in this color, and they coordinate with just about everything.
Universal Khaki is one of those colors that is the perfect backdrop for so many other colors. When combined with navy blue, it makes me think of a Ralph Lauren Polo kind of rich, warm autumnal palette. It makes so many other colors look beautiful. But by itself, it’s pretty meh.
The other upside is that because of its green undertones, it’s very flexible. It works great as an exterior siding color or is beautiful as an accent wall interior. I wouldn’t use it as a whole-house color because it’s too dark, but also a great color for a single room or drenched in a cozy den. It also looks great as an accent color on an exterior – a gable or garage door paired with dark green Rosemary siding, for example.”
Maddie Camilli: Senior Color Designer
“Tried and true, Universal Khaki is one of those magical neutrals that complements a variety of color palettes. It’s rich and warm, but not overly saturated. On exteriors, you can pair it with green, warm blue, red, brown, black, warm whites, and even purple. It makes sense that Sherwin-Williams has chosen it to be the Color of the Year, not only for its timeless versatility, but it also follows the trends we have noticed over the past several months.
After the all-white era, people are starting to want more warmth in their homes, and clients are more frequently requesting beiges over white. While Universal Khaki is too dark for a whole-house interior color, it would be a lovely accent wall in a white room, or as a room color in a light-filled space or a cozy den.”
Below, we have tips for how to use Universal Khaki. Let’s go!
Using Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki Interior Paint
There are numerous applications for this color. Use it as a neutral, cozy hue in a dining room, or to color-drench (Article) a bedroom or office. The color is dark enough to make a statement and light enough that it doesn’t make the room oppressive.
SW Universal Khaki Kitchen
Using Universal Khaki in the kitchen is a gorgeous idea! It would also be a great cabinet color (Article), either uppers and lowers or just the lower cabinets. It’s earthy and rich, so it pairs well with warm countertops that are popular today, like Taj Mahal quartzite.
Universal Khaki kitchen walls would also look really lovely paired with warm wood accents and lighter cabinet colors. In the Sherwin-Williams photo below, Universal Khaki walls are paired with SW Cream and Sugar upper cabinets and gorgeous wood lowers.
SW Universal Khaki Dining Room
A dining room is another great application for Universal Khaki walls, which can act as an accent room within a whole-house color palette (Article). In the dining room below, the hue looks gorgeous paired with warm wood accents and a green area rug. Universal Khaki would also look great alongside muted green paint, like Evergreen Fog.
SW Universal Khaki Living Room
A Universal Khaki living room would be gorgeous – especially if you drenched the walls and woodwork of a room in this color. I would only do this in a living room that is a separate room, not for an open layout with a kitchen. It’s also important to make sure you have lots of artificial or natural light.
In the photo below from Sherwin-Williams, Universal Khaki living room walls are balanced with lots of white accents and lighter beige tones layered throughout the room. Bronze, brass and wood accents also add depth to the composition. On its own, it might have been oppressive and dull, but balanced with so much white, wood and other tones, its really nice. Again, it’s a great color to bring out the beauty in your decor.
SW Universal Khaki Bedroom
A bedroom (Article) with Universal Khaki walls would be cozy and warm, but I’d want a white ceiling so that it didn’t become too murky. I like this color balanced with whites for contrast and depth. That is one of the things that will keep this color interesting.
In the bedroom below, Universal Khaki bedroom walls are contrasted with a deep blue headboard. that looks like the SW Tarragon paint color. This combination reminds me of a classic, Ralph Lauren Polo warm palette. These colors are gorgeous together!
Can you use SW Universal Khaki as an interior whole-house color?
I would not. It’s too dark to use as a whole-house neutral paint color (Article), but it is super versatile and can be used as an accent in just about any room – or even a few rooms! I don’t recommend using it for large, open-concept spaces because it could end up feeling too dark.
Using Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki Exterior Paint
SW Universal Khaki exterior paint is one of our favorite uses for this color. We use Universal Khaki for exteriors at least once a week in our color consulting practice. Universal Khaki is beautiful with warm red brick (Article).
It also looks great as a siding color when contrasted with a rich, warm white like SW Oyster White (Article) or even SW Neutral Ground (Article). It looks excellent when paired with muted earthy greens like SW Rosemary or SW Laurel Woods.
I also love it with reds such as SW Sommelier or SW Dark Auburn. It especially looks stunning and elegant with navy blue accents, the same you’d see in a Ralph Lauren Polo ad. We paired it in the exterior color palette below with SW Naval.
Four colors in the Color of the Year Palette are not rated for exterior siding because they are part of the Emerald Designer Collection: SW Cream and Sugar, SW Limestone, SW Tarragon, and SW White Snow. I think that White Snow is too stark to be used outside, but the other colors would make a great addition to the Exterior paint color selections once they are approved.
What other colors are in the Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year Palette?
In addition to naming Universal Khaki its 2026 Color of the Year, Sherwin-Williams also released a coordinating color palette featuring nine other paint colors.
- Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki (SW 6150)
- Sherwin-Williams White Snow (SW 9541)
- Sherwin-Williams Cream and Sugar (SW 9507)
- Sherwin-Williams Lemon Chiffon (SW 6686)
- Sherwin-Williams Henna Shade (SW 6326)
- Sherwin-Williams Dark Auburn (SW 6034)
- Sherwin-Williams Limestone (SW 9599)
- Sherwin-Williams Garden Gate (SW 6167)
- Sherwin-Williams Tarragon (SW 9660)
- Sherwin-Williams Watery (SW 6478)
As you explore the 2026 Color of the Year palette, note that the colors in this palette aren’t just for paint colors. You can also use them for decor and other accents. Weave the colors into your accent pillows, furniture, rugs, and art.
I have mixed feelings about this chosen palette. There are some really beautiful paint colors and some that I would have chosen differently.
If you plan to use this palette to paint your interior, it’s not super practical because the darker colors are so very dark. They’re beautiful, but it would be challenging to use all of them in one home.
The white foundational paint color in this palette, Sherwin-Williams White Snow (Sample), also feels a bit too stark compared to most of the other colors. Instead of White Snow, I would use a creamier color for the trim and ceilings, such as Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa (Article).
Some of my favorite colors in this palette are the lighter hues. Cream and Sugar (Sample) would be lovely as a foundation color, and Watery (Sample) would be gorgeous for a spa-like bathroom. I would use Lemon Chiffon (Sample) for a cheerful, gender neutral nursery – it also looks surprisingly beautiful alongside Universal Khaki (Sample).
The deeper colors are very dark for use in a room’s interior. Still, they could work well as an accent wall or even in a moody, color-drenched office or library with ample artificial or natural light. The dark hues, such as Dark Auburn and Garden Gate, are really earthy and would be gorgeous dark exterior paint colors (Article). Limestone and Tarragon are equally lovely, but not rated for Exterior siding because they are Emerald Designer colors.
My favorite of the dark colors is Dark Auburn (Sample), a rich burgundy color that is similar to an Oxblood hue—the “it” color last fall for clothing that has continued to be popular this season as well. I really want to paint my kitchen island and lower cabinets in this kind of hue, with SW Pure White (Article) upper cabinet colors.
Which Benjamin Moore color is closest to Universal Khaki?
There isn’t an exact match, but the closest color is BM Bennington Gray. Don’t let the word “gray” fool you, especially since Bennington Gray is very slightly warmer than SW Universal Khaki. Our recommendation is always to use a color that is closest if you want a different brand. Paint matching is rarely the answer. The results can be inconsistent.
What is the best way to test the Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year paint colors?
We always recommend that you test paint colors on your home because lighting can change a color completely, both with interiors and exteriors.
In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess.
Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!
- Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
- Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
- Delivered overnight
- Colors are accurate
- Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
- No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of
I use these in my own color consulting practice for exact results. Sample the individual paint colors in this SW Universal Khaki color scheme by linking to the colors below:
- Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki (SW 6150)
- Sherwin-Williams White Snow (SW 9541)
- Sherwin-Williams Cream and Sugar (SW 9507)
- Sherwin-Williams Lemon Chiffon (SW 6686)
- Sherwin-Williams Henna Shade (SW 6326)
- Sherwin-Williams Dark Auburn (SW 6034)
- Sherwin-Williams Limestone (SW 9599)
- Sherwin-Williams Garden Gate (SW 6167)
- Sherwin-Williams Tarragon (SW 9660)
- Sherwin-Williams Watery (SW 6478)
Is SW Universal Khaki a Good Color of the Year?
To answer this question, we need to consider what makes a good Color of the Year. A good Color of the Year should inspire you to find places to use the color in your house. It should pair well with both earthy older trends as well as upcoming fresher trends. It should be flexible and should pair well with many types of colors
With this in mind, I do think Universal Khaki is a great choice for Color of the Year. It’s a background color and not really the star of the show, but it makes other things look good. It’s a flexible, versatile hue that can work with many different hard finishes and paint colors, so I expect we’ll start to see it become more popular among homeowners after this announcement.
Key Learning Points
Sherwin-Williams launched their 2026 Color of the Year, Universal Khaki, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where this color goes.
- Universal Khaki is a warm, flexible beige paint color with green undertones.
- The 2026 Color of the Year palette is not the most versatile whole-house palette, but it includes some very beautiful colors.
- Balance Universal Khaki with soft, warm whites (like SW Greek Villa) and style it with the other earthy colors in the 2026 palette.
Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.
No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice. Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors here.
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Related Posts
- Sherwin-Williams 2024 Color of the Year
- Sherwin-Williams 2025 Color of the Year
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams 2024 Color of the Year
- HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams 2025 Color of the Year
- Benjamin Moore 2024 Color of the Year
- Benjamin Moore 2025 Color of the Year
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is impossible to give specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, please consider purchasing a color consultation. Thank you for your understanding.
