Pantone colour of the year 2025 – embracing the warmth of Mocha Mousse
If you think of December, you’re most probably thinking about the festive season – decorating trees, enjoying Christmas parties and frantically buying and wrapping presents for the big day. But in the world of interiors, December 25th isn’t the day they’re counting down to – instead, they’re all about the Pantone Colour of the Year announcement, which largely influences design for the forthcoming year and has done for the past 25 years.
Each year, colour experts at the Pantone Colour Institute travel the world to find new colour influences and they’re not just looking at interior design. They look at everything from travel destinations to fashion and the entertainment industry, and pore over social media, looking at textures, materials and technology before making their annual announcement – with the colour they choose moving to the forefront of home furnishings, fashion, product design and more.
If you’ve not yet seen the Colour of the Year for 2025 it is Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a warm, rich and nurturing shade with a deep, earthy vibe. A humble, grounding shade, it is imbued with the suggestion of home comforts such as chocolate or a creamy cup of coffee.
“For Pantone Colour of the Year 2025, we look to a mellow brown hue whose inherent richness and sensorial and comforting warmth extends further into our desire for comfort, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.” – Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Colour Institute
Similar to shades such as Caramel, Chocolate or French Beige, Mocha Mousse is a soft, warm colour, which can connect you to Mother Earth and the great outdoors. Its earthiness encourages us to embrace the simple things in life and take a minute to slow down and enjoy life – something we can all agree on!
How to incorporate Mocha Mousse into your home
Unlike some of Pantone’s earlier Colours of the Year, such as Viva Magenta in 2023, Mocha Mousse is incredibly versatile and can be utilised in your home décor either through different accents or you can use it to make a real statement.
It complements a range of different colours and materials, including neutrals such as creams, soft greys and ivories, more vibrant colours such as navy blue, mustard or deep greens, natural textures such as wood and metallics such as gold and copper.
If you’re nervous about where to start, the key is to start slowly.
The Stirling Midi Sofa in Statin Resistant Cotton Velvet Rainforest with Dark Oak Feet
If you have a green velvet sofa, introduce some mocha mousse cushions as accents. If you have neutral walls, add some artwork which features the colour, or if you have wooden floors, a Mocha Mousse rug will bring some real warmth into your space. These small hints of the colour will enable you to see how it works with the rest of your interior and give you the confidence to incorporate it on a bigger scale.
Its warmth makes it a great option for a statement wall or even a whole room! Before picking up your paintbrush, look at your furniture and the natural light in your space to see how this new colour will impact your overall aesthetic. It’s always worth creating a mood board to place all your different elements together to see if they work before committing.
If you’re not ready for a whole Mocha Mousse room, there are still ways to give it a starring role without it taking over the whole show. Your furniture is a great starting point. Consider cabinets, tables and wardrobes, which lend themselves naturally to shades of warm brown.
The next step up would be an armchair, sofa or footstool/pouffe. Why not start with a footstool such as the Queen Anne footstool? Available in both fabric and leather, you can choose a fabric close to Mocha Mousse, or select a leather, such as Gravel, Rum or Toffee.
If you like the idea of sinking into a Mocha Mousse sofa, Mid-Century Modern designs lend themselves beautifully to all different shades of brown. When mid-century modern design first came to life, shades of brown were key colours, alongside mustards and burnt oranges. In today’s interiors, you can choose from a much wider range of colours but Mocha Mousse lends itself beautifully to that era. A sofa like the Middleton will bring some retro yet chic flair into your space, and either a brown velvet or leather will create a warm, inviting aesthetic, ideal for a living room. It then lends itself beautifully to accent colours such as teal or dusty pink.
The Middleton Grand Sofa in Waxy Semi Aniline Tan with Medium Oak Feet
If you already have your lounge décor exactly as you want it, there are plenty of other rooms that lends themselves to a touch of Mocha Mousse!
In your bedroom, a rug would provide that warm accent perfect for those bedtime vibes, or a bedroom chair would work beautifully alongside a neutral décor. If you want to go bigger, how about refreshing your headboard? It will not only complement wooden floors and a neutral palette, it would also look great alongside some green plants, strengthening that connection to the outdoors.
With any potential new furniture, ordering some upholstery samples before committing is always worthwhile. It gives you the opportunity to see the colour in your home, against your existing colour palette and furniture – it’s surprising how many people change to a different shade once they’ve had a chance to test it.
Now you’ve seen this year’s trending colour, don’t be surprised if you start to see it everywhere – in fabrics, interiors, fashion and more. Experiment with it in your home and enjoy the process!
