AkzoNobel unveils Colours of the Year 2026 for wood finishes market

AkzoNobel’s Colours of the Year 2026 – Rhythm of Blues™ – is a trio of upbeat, versatile shades, which are calming, connecting and creative.

The Rhythm of Blues™ family features three eye-catching indigos: the light blue Mellow Flow™, the deep and atmospheric Slow Swing™ and the vibrant Free Groove™ – three different rhythms offering endless scope for furniture, cabinets, building products and flooring.

Specially developed to inspire furniture designers and joinery manufacturers, the collection makes it easy to combine shades for a look that’s both timeless and on-trend.

Rhythm of Blues is the result of extensive research into the colour, design, cultural, economic and social trends shaping our society. The colours, textures and special effects at the heart of the collection are designed to help manufacturers and designers stand out with on-trend coatings, while giving customers confidence in choosing shades and combinations that reflect their style.

“Our Rhythm of Blues family provides inspiration to create stylish colour and finish combinations that reflect customer preferences,” says Henri Bijsterbosch, Colour Product Marketing Manager for AkzoNobel’s Industrial Coatings business. “The three palettes of harmonious shades allow us to personalise our environments to suit the times we live in, while bringing calm, comfort and vibrancy to projects and products.”

For more than 30 years, AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Centre has been translating trends into desirable colours and its annual ColourFutures™ trend forecast is a particular highlight. Because wood coatings are often used to enhance the natural beauty of timber, specially crafted finishes are required for different end uses. “We help customers combine trend colours with natural wood finishes, whether on smooth or distressed surfaces, from matt to high gloss, and from translucent to solid colours with a variety of finish effects,” adds Bijsterbosch.    

AkzoNobel’s highly trained technical service team works closely with the Global Colour and Design team to ensure finishes are both robust and industrially scalable for customers worldwide. To find out more, see www.akzonobel.com.