AkzoNobel’s Colours of the Year 2026 are set to bring the Rhythm of Blues™ to the wood finishes market, with a trio of upbeat and versatile colours that are calming, connecting and creative.
The Colours of the Year 2026 Rhythm of Blues family comprises three eye-catching indigo shades: a light blue Mellow Flow™, a dark blue Slow Swing™ and the vibrant Free Groove™ – three different rhythms that offer endless scope for furniture, cabinets, building products and flooring.
The collection has been specially created to inspire furniture designers and joinery manufacturers. The choice of colours makes it easy to choose shades and combinations for a timeless look that is also on-trend.
“With everything that’s happening in the world, we see that people are reacting in various ways,” explains Heleen van Gent, Creative Director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre. “They’re either slowing down and recharging their batteries, wanting to feel in tune with others and celebrate kinship. Or they’re choosing to be bold, have fun and feel carefree.”
Rhythm of Blues is the result of extensive research into the colour, design, cultural, economic and social trends that shape our society. The colours, textures and special effects that take centre stage in the collection have been designed to help designers and manufacturers find on-trend wood coatings to differentiate their projects, while making it easier for customers to choose colours and combinations that match their design preferences.
“Our Rhythm of Blues family provides inspiration to create stylish colour and finish combinations that reflect customer style preferences. They come with three palettes of harmonious colours. These enable us to personalise our environments to fit the times we live in, while bringing calm, comfort and vibrancy to projects and products,” says Henri Bijsterbosch, Colour Product Marketing Manager for AkzoNobel’s Industrial Coatings business.
AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre has been translating trends into desirable colours for more than 30 years. Its annual ColourFutures trend forecast meeting brings together in-house experts, international architects, designers and journalists to share insights into how our reactions to the world around us impact our colour choices.
Specially crafted finishes are required for different end uses, as wood coatings are often applied to highlight the natural beauty of the wooden substrate. “We help customers combine the trend colours with natural wood finishes, be it on smooth or distressed surfaces, from matt to high gloss and from translucent to solid colours with variation of possible finish effects,” says Bijsterbosch.
AkzoNobel’s highly trained technical service team works closely with the Global Colour and Design and technical team to ensure finishes are robust and can be industrialised for customers around the world.
https://www.akzonobel.com/en/about-us/initiatives/color-of-the-year-2026
