From Daily Ritual to Refined Sophistication Dunn-Edwards 2027 Color of the Year: French Press Coffee (DEBN07)

Each season, as we prepare to announce what will become the year's most iconic color, we reflect on several factors: global and cultural influences, the psychology of the home, palette cohesion, and timelessness vs. trends. Doing this work, our team often gathered over fresh cups of morning coffee to deliberate, unaware that this grounding daily ritual was part of the larger color story we'd be unveiling today.

Why We Chose French Press Coffee (DEBN07)

Tracking shifts in art, fashion, technology, and lifestyle helps us tap into the social ethos that drives color and design preferences. This year, we've observed that our increasingly fast-paced and digital world is driving people to seek comfort in the opposite of tech: layered, tactile, human-created, and earth-influenced objects, spaces, and rituals.

Echoing those movements, the places we call "home" (both our actual homes and our home-away-from-home gathering places such as offices, cafes, and retail spaces) have shifted from being purely functional spaces to intentional sanctuaries where we can find genuine human connection, stillness, and balance.

Looking at palette cohesion, we evaluated how our top Color of the Year contenders would interact with natural wood tones, stone surfaces, woven fibers, and mixed metals. With a noticeable shift toward natural materials, handmade elements, and organic textures, it became clear that 2027 called for a dimensional, anchoring hue that complements a variety of finishes.

Most importantly, we knew that our Color of the Year must offer lasting staying power beyond a single trend cycle. Rather than turning to a fleeting novelty color, we searched for an evolution of classic design: a timeless hue that feels fresh and unexpected now, yet inherently permanent in its ability to anchor a wide range of palettes and materials.

As a color that is inherently grounding, restorative, adaptable, and architecturally timeless, French Press Coffee (DEBN07) exceeded our expectations on all of these criteria.

About the Color

A deep, nuanced brown softened by a whisper of warm purple, French Press Coffee marries the comfort of freshly roasted coffee beans with the poise of layered luxury. It represents the ultimate elevated neutral, delivering enough depth to anchor a space while serving as a richer, more timeless alternative to stark black or charcoal.

As design preferences shift away from crisp whites, drab grays, and cool palettes, French Press Coffee delivers more personality and warmth, inviting us to slow down and immerse ourselves in restorative, focused energy. It presents as upscale and tailored while retaining a velvety softness that feels effortless.

One of the colors in our New Neutrals Collection, French Press Coffee, is a tone that functions just as beautifully in entire rooms as it does on accent walls, millwork details, exteriors, and even commercial settings.

Its dynamic undertones—like the subtle hint of plum—reveal new depth throughout the day, giving it a curated, tactile, and deeply reassuring presence. Much like the calming morning ritual of its namesake, this color invites you to pause, recharge, and settle in.

How to Use French Press Coffee

Whether you are designing a modern commercial concept, refreshing a residential interior, or elevating the curb appeal of a house or building, French Press Coffee can provide a sense of layered luxury in these applications:

1. Coffee Cocoon: Use color-drenching to paint walls, baseboards, door frames, and ceilings in French Press Coffee. In compact, intimate rooms as well as dining and lounge spaces, this technique exudes lived-in luxury and showcases the full allure of its smoky undertones.
2. Architectural Anchor: In airy, sunlit spaces, French Press Coffee acts as an anchor. Apply it to custom-built-ins, detailed crown molding, interior doors, or fireplace mantels to introduce tailored structure and contrast without overwhelming the natural light.
3. Softly Bold Facade: On building exteriors, French Press Coffee brings architectural drama with a softer edge than standard black. Use it across front entryways, garage doors, shutters, or window sashes, pairing it with natural stone, warm mushroom tones, creamy off-whites, or on stucco for a balanced, high-end facade.
4. Commercial Comfort: In boutique hospitality settings, modern offices, upscale retail stores, and shared multifamily spaces, French Press Coffee masks smudges and high-touch wear while cultivating an elevated, welcoming atmosphere that guests and clients remember.

Explore the depth of this exceptional color. See it in different environments, find coordinating colors, and watch our 2027 Color of the Year video on our 2027 Color of the Year page.