Pinterest predicts that color this year will be treated more like a strategy than a finishing touch. After years of ambient instability and nonstop input, consumers are gravitating toward palettes that promise an emotional outcome—tones that soothe, steady, energize or simply provide a mental exit ramp, according to the Pinterest Palette 2026 report.
The curation company’s annual aggregation features a five-hue lineup inspired by the ideas that the San Francisco-based brand’s users are searching, saving and exploring on its digital bulletin board.
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“Pinterest Palette is an invitation to be a little louder with how you feel,” said Xanthe Wells, vice president of global creative at Pinterest. “To play, to experiment and to let your world reflect the life you actually want to live.”
The content-sharing platform’s annual drop of trending colors represents a strategic shift in visual trends—and one that’s moving toward a blend of earthy serenity, high-voltage energy, and deep, sophisticated drama. Encapsulated in the company’s strategic directive of “Meet the palette. Make it yours,” this year’s framework empowers brands to transcend mere trend adoption, per Pinterest—moving instead toward a bespoke integration where data-backed aesthetics are synthesized with unique brand identities.
Based on internal Pinterest search and save data from late 2023 through mid-2025, five key colors emerged as the defining pillars of the 2026 aesthetic: Icy Bool, Jade, Plum Noir, Wasabi and Persimmon.
“For a long time, the safest choice was to keep things quiet and neutral,” said Xanthe Wells, vice president of global creative at Pinterest. “Now, people are ready for more.”
And for more, favorite shades of yore are pushed aside.
“Move over, pistachio. Jade is the moment,” per Pinterest. “Somewhere between mint and moss, this shade of earthy energy blends serenity and sophisticated elegance; the glamorous green of all your dreamscape.”
As previously predicted by the 2025 Pinterest Palette report, greens are here for good—sort of. Traditional tones are being replaced by the more sophisticated, earthy energy of Jade and the electric, “high-voltage” vibrancy of Wasabi.
And as this year’s go-to-green hues, Jade and Wasabi saw major metric gains. The former’s trending saves ranged from 70-305 percent, while its top trending search—jade marble nails—was up 450 percent. The latter’s trending saves ranged from 45-130 percent, while its top trending search—chartreuse green—was up 175 percent.
While Pinterest positioned Wasabi as “bringing a vibrant kick to everything, from makeup to moodboards,” Jade takes the green-tinted cake. Positioned as a successor to pistachio, Jade is described as a blend of mint and moss, characterized by “earthy energy” that balances serenity with sophisticated elegance.
On that note, consumer sentiment is considering shades that provide one of two things—all of which are covered by the five-shade lineup. Pinterest found a notable lean toward colors that fall into either a “sophisticated elegance” (Jade and Plum Noir) or a “vibrant kick” (Wasabi and Persimmon).
Plus, Cool Blue—a shade that’s “iced out in the nicest way,” per the report. The “frosty hue of blue adds a stone-cold chill to everything it touches as a whole subzero mood that’ll warm you right up.” Searches for “cool blue” were up 85 percent, with “glacier aesthetic” up 35 percent and “icy nails winter” up a chilling 230 percent.
Pinterest described “Plum Noir” as the color that’s for the plot—and a stepping stone-shade for entering one’s villain era—as the “deep and decadent shade of rich purple mixes notes of burnt burgundy with a swirl of velvet brown.”
Representing a shift toward darker, more mysterious tones, searches for “dark purple shades” were up 40 percent, with “dark plum” up 220 percent and “plum living room ideas” up 60 percent—providing a moody, high-end aesthetic. The company’s primary visual indicators for Plum Noir suggested heavy usage in formal wear—think suits and hats—and interior design concepts focused on creating atmospheric living spaces.
“Sweet, sweet heat; part orange, part red, Persimmon is the feel-good shade making a splash,” Pinterest said of the “burst-of-pure-joy” color. The saturated shade leans into a specific “aesthetic” rather than just a standard color choice—in turn, providing a warm, energetic counterpoint to the cooler Jade and Plum Noir.
Driven by a desire for bold, monochromatic looks and specific aesthetic themes, per Pinterest, searches for “permission aesthetic” were up 100 percent, with “orange color suit” searches up 105 percent and “orange color combo” up 75 percent.
Methodologically speaking, the 2026 palette insights were derived from internal Pinterest data against an analysis period covering September 2023 to August 2025. Trending searches were calculated by normalizing searches for the period September 2024–August 2025 relative to September 2023–August 2024. Trending saves, meanwhile, were calculated using normalized saves by color for the period of August 2024–July 2025 compared to August 2023–July 2024.
The results reflect five trend-driven colors that are expected to define 2026 and inspire real action, per Pinterest.
“New this year: sub-palettes that dial up the vibe. Cool-Wasabi gives chilled chaos. Persimmon-Plum blends mystery with warmth,” the platform’s report reads. “These shades stand strong alone—and unlock something even richer when paired together.”
