What Minneapolis Homeowners Are Painting in 2026
Walk through any freshly painted home in Minneapolis this year and you’ll notice a shift. The popular
interior paint colors in Minneapolis have been changing!
Cool grays are disappearing from living rooms in Lowry Hill. Stark whites are being replaced in
Tangletown bungalows. And across Minneapolis neighborhoods from Kingfield to Northeast,
homeowners are choosing warm, earthy paint colors that feel grounded and lived in.
The trend is clear: Minneapolis interior painting projects in 2026 favor colors that work with the
city’s mix of historic architecture, natural light challenges, and modern design sensibilities.
So what are the most popular interior paint colors for Minneapolis homes right now?
Warm Greens Dominate Interior Painting Projects
Green is the standout color trend for Minneapolis interior painting in 2026. Not bright, saturated
green. We’re talking soft, muted greens that bring an organic, calming feel to interior spaces.
Sage, eucalyptus, and muddy olive tones are showing up in Minneapolis living rooms,
bedrooms, and kitchens. Both Behr (Hidden Gem, a smoky jade blue-green) and Valspar
(Warm Eucalyptus) named green-family colors as their 2026 Colors of the Year.
Why warm greens work in Minneapolis homes:
These paint colors pair beautifully with the natural wood trim found in Minneapolis’s older
homes. If you’ve got oak trim in your Whittier bungalow or maple woodwork in your Seward
house, warm green paint creates a sophisticated contrast without fighting the wood tones.
Warm greens also handle Minneapolis’s variable natural light well. North-facing rooms in homes
can feel cold and gray, especially during Minnesota winters. A warm sage or eucalyptus paint
color adds life without making the room feel dark.
For Minneapolis homeowners doing interior painting in open-concept spaces, these greens work
across multiple rooms. You can paint your living room in a soft sage and carry that color through
to the kitchen without it feeling repetitive.
Warm Neutrals Replace Cool Grays in Minneapolis
Interior Painting
Cool gray dominated Minneapolis interior painting for years. But in 2026, homeowners are
moving decisively toward warmer neutral paint colors.
The shift makes sense for Minneapolis homes. Cool grays with blue or purple undertones can
feel cold and uninviting, especially in darker months when natural light is limited.
Popular warm neutral paint colors in Minneapolis:
Soft taupes, warm beiges, and creamy greiges are taking over. Benjamin Moore’s Revere
Pewter, a warm gray-beige hybrid, is everywhere in interior painting projects right now.
Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige is another favorite for Minneapolis homes that need
warmth without strong color.
These warm neutral paint colors work particularly well in Minneapolis’s common home styles.
Split-levels and bi-levels benefit from the flow warm neutrals create. Bungalows with smaller
rooms feel larger when painted in these lighter, warmer tones.
The practical advantage for interior painting: warm neutrals feel cozy in winter and fresh in
summer. One paint color that works year-round in Minnesota’s extreme seasonal shifts is
valuable.
Deep, Moody Paint Colors Add Drama to Minneapolis
Interiors
Here’s what’s newer in Minneapolis interior painting this year: homeowners are getting bolder
with deep, moody colors.
Benjamin Moore named Silhouette, a dramatic smoky gray-brown, as their 2026 Color of the
Year. This signals the rise of sophisticated, saturated paint colors in interior spaces.
Deep blues, charcoals, and rich plums are showing up in dining rooms, home offices, and
primary bedrooms. These dramatic paint colors work especially well in homes with good natural
light or rooms used primarily in evening hours.
Where moody paint colors work best in Minneapolis homes:
Dining rooms in Minneapolis’s older homes often have beautiful woodwork and built-ins. A deep
charcoal or navy paint color makes that architectural detail pop. Northeast Minneapolis lofts and
converted industrial spaces handle moody paint colors beautifully because of their high ceilings
and large windows.
The key to successful moody interior painting in Minneapolis: balance. Pair deep wall colors
with lighter trim and ceiling paint. Use warm, layered lighting. And consider these colors for
rooms where you want intimacy rather than brightness.
Terracotta and Earthy Red Paint Colors Gain Popularity
Soft terracotta and muted rust paint colors are rising in interior painting projects, especially for
homeowners who want warmth with more personality than neutral beiges.
These earthy red paint colors feel grounded and inviting. They work particularly well in
Minneapolis homes with south or west-facing windows where afternoon light brings out the
warmth.
Best uses for terracotta paint in Minneapolis interiors:
Try terracotta paint colors in dining spaces where you want a warm, gathered feeling. Use them
in entryways to create an immediate sense of welcome. Or paint a mudroom or laundry room in
soft rust for a pop of color in a practical space.
Not ready to commit to terracotta on full walls? Minneapolis powder rooms are perfect testing
grounds. A small space painted in an earthy red feels intentional and sophisticated without
overwhelming your interior.
Warm White Paint Still Has a Place
White paint isn’t disappearing from interior painting projects. But the type of white is changing.
Design is shifting away from stark, bright whites toward buttery off-whites and deep cream paint
colors. These warmer whites soften interior spaces and feel more inviting during Minnesota’s
long winters when natural light is precious.
Popular warm white paint colors for Minneapolis homes:
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster and Benjamin Moore Simply White remain top choices for
Minneapolis interior painting. Both are warm enough to feel welcoming without looking yellow or
dated.
These warm white paint colors work well in Minneapolis homes with lots of existing white, like
kitchens with white cabinets or bathrooms with white tile. They also serve as excellent trim
colors when you’re painting walls in one of the deeper, trendier colors.
How These Paint Colors Work in Different Minneapolis Neighborhoods
Minneapolis’s diverse neighborhoods have different architectural styles, and paint colors
perform differently across them.
Bungalows in Kingfield, Standish, and Tangletown: These homes often have dark wood trim
and smaller windows. Warm greens and soft terracotta paint colors add life without fighting the
existing wood tones. Warm white paint on ceilings helps maximize limited natural light.
Split-levels and bi-levels in South Minneapolis: These 1960s and 70s homes benefit from
warm neutral paint colors throughout. Using the same greige or taupe in multiple rooms creates
flow in homes with lots of level changes.
Northeast Minneapolis lofts and conversions: Large windows and high ceilings can handle
moody paint colors well. Deep blues and charcoals work in these spaces where natural light is
abundant.
Victorian and Craftsman homes in Lowry Hill and Kenwood: Historic homes with original
woodwork look stunning with warm green or deep moody paint colors that complement rather
than compete with architectural details.
Choose Paint Colors That Work for Your Minneapolis Home
The most popular interior paint colors in Minneapolis right now are warm, natural, and versatile.
Warm greens. Warm neutrals. Deep moody tones. Earthy terracottas. And white paints that
actually feel warm.
These paint colors work across Minneapolis’s diverse housing stock and create interiors that
feel intentional, calm, and connected to current design trends.
If you’re in Minneapolis or nearby and ready to refresh your interior with professional painting,
get a fast, free estimate from That 1 Painter of Twin Cities.
Top Interior Paint Colors for Minneapolis Homes in 2026
● Warm greens: Sage, eucalyptus, muddy olive (Behr Hidden Gem, Valspar Warm
Eucalyptus)
● Warm neutrals: Taupe, warm beige, greige (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, Sherwin-
Williams Accessible Beige)
● Deep moody tones: Smoky browns, charcoals, deep blues (Benjamin Moore
Silhouette)
● Earthy reds: Soft terracotta, muted rust
● Warm whites: Buttery off-whites, creamy beiges (Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, Benjamin
Moore Simply White)
