Is "Color Folding" the New Paint Trend in 2025? 6 Things to Know
If you’re looking for the next big thing in interior design, embrace “color folding” — a twist on color drenching with a cozier and more playful appearance. Instead of being dramatic and predictable like its cousin, color folding means wrapping a room in unexpected hues, layering different shades in uneven and overlapping sections — almost like fabric folding over itself, hence the name.
Here’s everything you need to know about color folding and how you can incorporate it into your home.
Past Paint Trends and Why Color Folding Is Next
Over the years, the interior design industry has seen a shift from stark whites and cool greiges to earthy tones and bold accent walls. And who could forget color drenching, where you flood an entire room with a single hue?
Now, color folding is stepping into the limelight as a fresh, fun way to add depth and visual fluidity to interiors.
Unlike traditional two-tone walls or monochromatic themes, color folding blends shades to mimic natural gradients. Picture light, mid and deep tones of the same hue flowing together in soft transitions. If you’re thinking of an ombré effect, you’re not far off — yes, but more intentional and refined.
1. What Is Color Folding?
Color folding is a technique where two or more shades of the same hue — or harmonious colors — are used throughout a space. Instead of abrupt paint changes, the transitions remain within a single color family.
For example, walls may be saturated in lighter tones, while smaller areas like trims are painted in deeper, moodier shades. This creates contrast within the same palette, so it’s not dramatic but intriguing and cohesive.
It works because it replicates the way light naturally influences color perception in a room. Soft transitions prevent jarring contrasts. Rather than pairing sky blue with yellow, you might blend sky blue with a deeper blue shade. It’s a great alternative to traditional color blocking or accent walls if you’re not a fan of stark transitions.
2. Where Does Color Folding Work Best?
Color folding is best suited for larger rooms, as the shift in shades can outline smaller spaces and make them feel even smaller. It truly shines in spacious areas with multiple doors and trims, where the quiet contrast enhances architectural details.
Living rooms with open entryways benefit from trims and molding that are a shade or two darker. This design concept traces the walls, connects them and creates a natural flow for the eye to follow.
Color folding works beautifully in kitchens when panel shades extend into cabinets or shelves, unifying the space within the same palette. This technique wraps the room in distortions of the same color, making it cohesive but still visually interesting.
This technique is also excellent for homes with architectural trims. The wash of color provides a soft contrast that subtly outlines the structure while making it stand out. It’s especially effective for houses with varying architectural levels and design elements.
3. How to Choose the Right Colors for Color Folding
Selecting hues for color folding is crucial to achieving the right effect. Here’s how to do it:
Start with a dominant hue: Choose one main color as the foundation.
Pick a complementary shade: Use a color that’s one or two tones darker or lighter for a subtle shift.
Use the 60-30-10 rule: Go for 60% dominant color, 30% secondary shade and 10% accent if needed.
Draw from your decor: Look at existing furniture, rugs or artwork to find shades that complement what you already have so the transformation isn’t too drastic for your liking.
Use the color wheel: Pick analogous colors — those next to each other on the wheel, like blue and green — or monochromatic shades for a harmonious look.
4. How to Match Color Folding With the Rest of Your Home
To ensure your color-folded walls blend seamlessly with your overall design, keep these key elements in mind:
Floors: When selecting colors, consider your flooring — especially if you’re not planning to change or repaint it. If you’re going for a complete renovation, opt for neutral or complementary tones that work with your dominant color so they don’t clash.
Furniture: Choose furniture in similar hues to your color palette for a cohesive look. For example, a light mint green door frame could work with a powder blue couch. Avoid overloading the space with a single shade — that leans more into color drenching. The goal is to incorporate different tones from the same family throughout the space without making them feel too connected. A pop of contrasting color here and there, like an orange sofa or yellow footstools, can lend visual interest.
Accent pieces: Your intermediate shades can serve as accents. Add picture frames, lamps or hardware in these tones to anchor the design. If you have green kitchen cabinets, use a similar shade of green for accents while incorporating other colors, like yellow, or materials like light wood, to keep the space from feeling too monochromatic.
5. Matching Color Folding With Your Home’s Exterior
Color folding isn’t just for interiors. Follow these tips to ensure your home’s exterior feels connected to the inside:
Create flow: Extend your interior color folding to your exterior by echoing accent shades onto your garage door, shutters and trims. These elements can serve as the 10% accent color, tying the look together for a fully cohesive home design.
Consider the roof: Your roof should complement rather than clash with your folded tones. Since the roof is less visible from the curb compared to the siding, treat it as your secondary color while your exterior walls remain dominant. Stick to the 60-30-10 rule to balance proportions.
Use neutral tones: Treat your exterior like a blank canvas where you can layer colors. The most popular siding colors — off-white, cream, light gray and light brown — provide a great base for folding in complementary trim and accent shades.
6. Why Fold Colors Into Your Home?
Color drenching is still here to stay, but since many aren’t fans of the sudden paint shift, color folding offers an alternative. With homeowners moving away from stark contrasts and embracing fun, fluid designs, it’s a great way to add colors to a space without flooding it the way monolithic walls feel.
Step-By-Step Guide to Implementing Color Folding
Do you want to try color folding in your home? Follow these steps.
1. Prep Your Space
Like any paint job you’ve undertaken, start by cleaning and priming your walls for even coverage. This helps cover the existing paint or any blemishes. Use painter’s tape to section off areas where you want subtle shifts in color.
2. Select and Mix Paints
Now comes the fun part — choosing your colors! Select two to three shades that blend well together. For a smooth transition, opt for a shade lighter and darker than your base. Outlines in intermediate shades also work beautifully, adding depth without harsh contrasts.
To make it more playful, you don’t have to stick to a single hue. Harmonious colors work well, too. Think pastel shades like light blue, mint green and powder pink to bring life to the space. These can serve as your dominant colors, while deeper shades of blue, green and pink can be used for trims and accents.
3. Get to Painting
Start by applying the lightest shade as your base color across the entire wall. Work from light to dark and from the widest areas to smaller details like borders and edges. You can switch it up using a mid-tone for the walls and the lightest shade for panelings and accents.
Let the paint dry fully before moving the furniture back into place.
Layer Tones for Lasting Impact
If you’re tired of basic color schemes and want to add a modern, artistic touch to your home, color folding is the perfect trend to explore in 2025. It’s easy to implement, endlessly customizable and works in nearly any space.
Whether you go bold or subtle, this technique is bound to make your home feel more inviting and stylish.
Evelyn Long is the Editor-in-Chief of Renovated Magazine, where she writes on interior design and home organization content. She is passionate about making home styling easier for all homeowners and renters by writing about home interior trends. Subscribe to renovated.com/subscribe for more posts by Evelyn!
