The 2026 color story, what really goes into refinished cabinets, and planning ahead for next year.
From now until March, most of your home will be seen under lamplight. Warm bulbs can turn cool grays muddy and crisp whites yellow. Live with your samples in the evening before you commit.
The 2026 Color Story
Benjamin Moore’s 2026 Color of the Year, Silhouette AF-655, is a deep espresso brown with a charcoal undertone. It was inspired by classic tailoring, and it suits the season: rich, warm and quietly formal. Here is how we see it working in North Shore homes.
From the enchanting pales to the handsome midtones. Screen colors vary — always judge a real sample on your own wall.
Rooms made for evenings
Libraries, studies, dining rooms and dens are where a color this deep shines. It reads cozy and enveloping by firelight, not dark.
Color drenching
Painting walls, trim, built-ins and ceiling in one color, with sheen changing from surface to surface, gives a room a tailored, architectural feel. It is one of the strongest design moves of the year, and it depends on careful, consistent execution.
The supporting palette
Pair Silhouette with Swiss Coffee OC-45 for soft, warm trim. Narragansett Green HC-157 is beautiful on a study or cabinetry, and First Crush CSP-310 and Raindance 1572 offer lighter, gentler companions for adjoining rooms.
Deep colors are less forgiving
Rich, dark colors show every roller mark, lap line and patched wall. Most importantly, they need impeccable prep, followed by a tinted primer, premium paint and an extra coat to look the way they do in the photos.
Kitchen Cabinets, Done Properly
Cabinetry shown in Benjamin Moore Raindance 1572
Refinished cabinets can look like new millwork for a fraction of the cost of replacement, or they can start peeling within a year. The difference is entirely in the process. A typical kitchen has dozens of doors and drawer fronts, each with two faces and four edges, and every surface goes through each of these stages.
Three palette colors made for cabinetry
| Stage | Skip it, and… |
|---|---|
| Remove, label & protect | Doors end up painted shut, hardware gets mixed up, and overspray lands on counters and appliances. |
| Deep degrease | Years of cooking residue keeps paint from bonding, and it peels near the stove first. |
| Sand & repair | Dings, gouges and open grain show straight through the new finish. |
| Bonding primer, sanded smooth | The finish chips at edges and wears through where hands touch every day. |
| Sprayed finish coats | Brush and roller marks make the kitchen read as painted rather than finished. |
| Cure, reinstall & adjust | Doors rehung too soon stick, dent and scuff before the finish has hardened. |
That is why a quality cabinet refinish costs what it does: most of the price is labor that never shows, but it is what lets the finish last. A finish can feel dry in hours and still need weeks to fully harden, so we plan every project around that cure time.
For Our Builder Partners
The projects that close out cleanly in spring are the ones planned in winter.
Specify the drywall finish for the light
Walls of glass and raking light reveal every seam. Where lighting is critical, and especially where a client has chosen a deep color, put a Level 5 finish in the spec and the budget before taping begins.
Manage the air under temporary heat
Winter jobsites swing between too dry and too damp. Unvented propane heaters add moisture, while forced hot air dries out trim, opening joints and cracking caulk lines after the painters leave. Stable temperature and humidity protect your finish work.
Confirm LRV before colors reach the client
Exterior selections for next year are often made over the winter. On PVC, AZEK, ACRE and vinyl, a low-LRV color can warp the material. It is better caught on the swatch than on the house.
Set the paint allowance to match the finish
Sprayed trim, color-drenched rooms and premium products are what high-end clients picture. Bringing your painter in at estimating keeps the allowance realistic and avoids a difficult conversation later.
Exterior Work: Plan Now
Our spring exterior calendar fills early. If an exterior project is on your list for next year, reach out to secure a place on the schedule. Meanwhile, a ten-minute walk around the house before the freeze can save you trouble. Look for:
- Cracked or pulling caulk at window casings, corner boards and trim joints.
- Peeling at sills and the bottom edges of clapboards, which is usually a sign of moisture rather than bad paint.
- Gutters overflowing onto trim and any bare wood.
Photograph what you find; it makes for a faster, more accurate estimate.
Eleven years, and still grateful
Photo: Rob Karosis
For the eleventh consecutive year, BLC has been named Best of the North Shore Home, earning both Editors’ Choice and Readers’ Choice honors over the years. That honor belongs to the homeowners who trust us with their homes and the builders who trust us with their names. Thank you.
