How the Colors of the Year Can Make a Showroom Money 

By Linda Longo

Every year, the major paint companies select what they determine to be the “Color of the Year” — and for the most part, such announcements don’t translate into lighting sales as these colors are typically found on walls, home accessories, and apparel.

Pantone – the company with the most consumer recognition and media attention for its annual choice – states that the purpose of its Color of the Year is to “capture the global zeitgeist and express a global mood and an attitude reflecting collective desire in the form of a single, distinct hue.”

For 2025, the Pantone Color Institute selected PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, which it describes as a “warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee.”

Benjamin Moore selected Cinnamon Slate 2113-40 as its 2025 Color of the Year, describing it as “a delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown…this nuanced color brings a smooth familiarity to any design.”

And the star of Sherwin Williams’ 2025 Colormix® Forecast is Grounded SW 6089, described as a “versatile brown that imparts richness and the stability of a refined earthen tone.”

Why should you care?

While not being directly connected to lighting – for example, as a finish option – the paint companies’ Colors of the Year can boost lighting showroom sales, if you know how to utilize that information. 

Tim Stumm, creative director for manufacturer Z-Lite, has paid close attention to trends affecting the consumer market since his days as a manager for retailers such as Meletio, Lights Fantastic Pro, and Morrison Supply where he regularly translated macro trends into business opportunities.

When I asked Stumm how he would distill the 2025 trend information for lighting retailers, he noted that the common theme is comfort. “These colors are supposed to envelope you in warmth, like a hug,” he explains.

Showrooms should tap into that idea of cozy comfort and create a vignette featuring relaxed elegance that is aspirational, and yet relatable, to the vibe customers are looking for in their homes.  

How to make Colors of the Year work for you

Is it worth promoting a Color of the Year in your showroom? “I think so,” answers Stumm. “Whether you agree with the choice for Color of the Year or not, promoting it conveys that your showroom is on trend,” Stumm says. “Consumers and designers will immediately realize that your showroom staff knows what is going on in the design world and that yours is a showroom that they should be in.”

When it comes to visual merchandising, Stumm likes to go big. Instead of a subtle countertop display depicting the Color of the Year, he advises, “Go all the way and fully embrace that color. Paint a wall [or walk-around panel display] and set the stage with the right fixture and the right style.”

How many fixtures should be in the vignette? “I would just do one,” Stumm advises, adding, “The first impression should be the color.” The display should have the color’s name, along with the “Color of the Year” affiliation.   

To maximize the time and effort of painting a wall or panel in the Color of the Year, Stumm recommends highlighting the display for four months — but to keep the presentation fresh by swapping out the fixture and accessories every 30 days.

Accessorizing doesn’t have to cost a lot. “Pull from what you already have in the showroom, such as an overstuffed chair, an area rug, or a table,” Stumm comments. “If you want to set the display apart even further, put a mannequin in there from a women’s store down the street outfitted with a purse or dress that complements the Color of the Year. You are cross-promoting the local boutique in return for a unique prop that you didn’t have to buy.”

Refresh the display regularly. “By changing up the look, you keep the staff involved and interested,” Stumm remarks. “You can have a PK training from an interior designer in the community or an employee from the local paint store who can work with your team and help them identify what fixtures and finishes the Color of the Year goes with so they can convey that information when talking with consumers. They are a great resource since they are knowledgeable about the color trends.”

Seize the opportunity to move old stock

All of this year’s Colors of the Year revolve around warm neutral hues, and there are plenty of fixtures – new and not-so-new – that can work well against that backdrop. “Anything with natural materials or warm finishes (i.e. rubbed brass or warm bronze) would complement it,” Stumm remarks, adding that you could also use fixtures with matte black or matte white finishes as “neutrals.”

A fresh new background is also a great opportunity to promote fixtures that have been in the showroom for some time.    

“In my retail past, I’ve merchandised both ways — highlighting older fixtures as well as new. In one dramatic visual display, I used these large, avant-garde fixtures we had in the showroom that hadn’t sold in years, but because I merchandised them in a new display, they suddenly started selling,” Stumm says.

A Color of the Year display will attract attention because of its timeliness. “Whatever fixture you choose for the display is going to sell — so if you want to move a particular product, consider putting that in,”  Stumm comments. Most times, a customer is not going to know how long a product has been around. “It’s the look of the display and the way you present the product that sells it and resonates with customers and designers,” he says.

Where should I put the display?

Stumm recommends placing it near the entrance of the showroom. “Let consumers and designers see it as they walk in so they immediately understand that you know the latest design trends,” he comments.

If your showroom doesn’t already have a POS or POP at the front of your store that people see the minute they come in, now is the time to start. The Color of the Year presentation is a great kick off to the first quarter of the year. To change up the look fairly easily, consider using wallpaper, paint, stucco, or even faux brick as backgrounds throughout the year, also having members of the staff choose a fixture to highlight in the monthly vignette is an effective way to get everyone involved.