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If you’re ready to refresh your furniture, don’t fall into the trap of relying on familiar colors for your new sofa, dining set or dresser.
For 2025, interior designers expect some over-played colors to leave as warm and comforting hues, such as terracotta and sage, continue to grow in popularity. These colors are soothing, restorative and neutral enough to pair well with a range of different palettes.
The same cannot be said for some of the bold and cool colors that interior design chooses to top the list of outdated furniture colors in 2025. Find out why these popular colors of the past are overplayed and what colors to look for in the future.
Meet the expert
- Lesley Ray is a NICDQ-certified licensed residential interior designer who specializes in spaces designed to inspire creativity.
- Tracy Metro is an interior designer and host of the Netflix interior design show ‘House Doctor’.
- Zak Gilby is the co-founder of DeVis Architecture, which focuses on luxury new construction, interior design and sustainability.
White
Designer Lesley Ray says it’s time to say goodbye to the squeaky clean look of white furniture and bring in more strategic color options for an organized and comfortable home.
“Stark white is outdated because it doesn’t reflect the occupants’ personalities,” says Leslie Ray, licensee. “White has traditionally been associated with minimalism and contemporary design, but now homeowners are looking to warmer tones and textures to create more personalized and welcoming spaces.”
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Grey
Gray has displaced typical neutrals like beige and black, but this furniture color trend is poised to retreat.
“Goodbye gray! Gray was like that 5 years ago and it’s held up well, but it’s time to move on to warmer tones,” says interior designer Tracy Metro.
Make your couch warmer and cozier by choosing gray upholstery, or choose a classic, natural finish for your dining table, or paint your dresser a soft, neutral shade like sage green or white.
Red
Bold hues have had a great moment with new trends like maximalism, but these colors are on the wane in favor of more neutral pieces of furniture.
Red, in particular, is on the list of outdated furniture colors in 2025.
“The red has to be replaced because it’s too aggressive for houses,” says Ray. “Red evokes energy and passion, but in modern interiors it is too stimulating for a calming environment.”
navy
Navy is also on designer lists of outdated furniture colors in 2025. While it’s considered a classic choice that’s enjoying waves of popularity, the tide is turning for navy, and designer Zak Gilby explains why:
“With more and more people moving towards the growing trend of neutral, earthy colors, there is less and less interest in cool colors like grey, navy and white.”
Warmer colors—like taupe, sage, beige, and terracotta—create a relaxing and grounded atmosphere in the home, says Gilby. Navy, on the other hand, evokes a sense of formality that is less sought after in design today.