No more ‘banal’: PPG promotes purple

The paint company declared Purple Basil its Color of the Year for 2025.

PITTSBURGH – Purple Basil is paint company PPG’s official Color of the Year for 2025.

“It’s a refreshingly bold yet soothing dusty violet hue that represents adaptability in times of change,” according to the company.

“As consumers embrace an unprecedented period of newness, movement is a distinct global theme shaping design trends in numerous industries,” said Vanessa Peterson, PPG global color styling lead, consumer products, Industrial Coatings. “The Kinetic color theme reflects the need for self-reliance in a fast-paced world. It also highlights the interplay between nature and science that is driving innovation, and the influence of new tools like artificial intelligence that are fostering boundless creativity.”

Peterson said Purple Basil is a sophisticated, elegant color that works well in both traditional designs and edgier applications. As a purple, it’s warm enough to be inviting but cool enough to create an air of mystery. The tension between blue and red qualities within the color imparts a kinetic energy, perfectly complementing the 40 paired hues in PPG’s four 2025 Kinetic color palettes: Extra Celestial, Bio-Fuse, Artificial, and Earth and Archive.

“It’s a transformative time with endless new possibilities we haven’t even imagined, driven by new tools that are bolstering human creativity,” Peterson said. “Consumers are embracing this time of change and movement, and we’re seeing color trends reflect the need for dynamic colors, moving past the soft, more banal, safe color choices in favor of now rich jewel tones, deeper earthen pastels and ancestral-inspired midtones.”

Dozens of PPG color stylists collaborated to name Purple Basil the color of the year. PPG’s color forecasting process is comprehensive, taking into account the social, cultural and political dynamics that influence trends worldwide.