Five summer hues for interiors in 2026 that bring homes to life; an expert gives his insights
Explore the five defining interior colours for 2026 and learn expert tips on using each shade to create warm, inviting living spaces.
Our Picks
Our Picks
| Product | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
CHAIR DECOR Luxe Velvet Accent Chair with Golden Legs | Set of 2 Luxury Upholstered Armchair for Living Room, Bedroom, Office, or Cafe | Comfortable Modern Cozy Sofa (Olive Brown Barfi Design)View Details ![]() | ₹18,049 | |
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ALSA FURNITURE Stylish & Luxury Cushioned Couch Relax sectional Sofa in Fabric & Velvet Heavy Duty Sofas for Bedroom, Living Room, Guest Rooms, Homes, and Offices. (3 Seater Olive Green)View Details ![]() | ₹22,499 | |
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Unlock Personalized ₹3,009x 6 months₹18,049 | ||
Kingsman Furnitures ABEL Rattan Teak Wood Accent Arm Chair for Home Bedroom, Living, Dining, Drawing Room | Ultra Soft and Comfortable for Stress Free | Removable Cushion (Walnut Olive Green)View Details ![]() | ₹12,051 | |
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Laik Woody Modern 3 Seater Sofa | Upholstered Couch with Curved Armrests | Stylish Contemporary Designer Sofa for Living Room & Lounge (Olive Green)View Details ![]() | ₹22,001 | |
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KAM'S LIEU Bean Bag Chair with Footrest & Cushion | Pre-Filled Beans | PVC Leatherette Lounger Sofa | Indoor & Outdoor Bean Bag | 6 Months Warranty Size & Color- (Olive Green, XXXXXL, Premium)View Details ![]() | ₹2,499 | |
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Every product we recommend is chosen through a combination of Primary Research and Secondary Research.

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.
Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.
A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.
Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims.
Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.
Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.
Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."
Read moreRead less
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.
Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.
A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.
Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.
Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.
Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."
Colour is doing a lot more than making homes look beautiful in 2026. It is setting the mood, making rooms feel calmer, brighter or cosier, and helping people create spaces that support everyday life. As homes continue to serve as places for work, rest, family time and quiet moments, the colours we bring indoors can make a real difference to how those spaces feel.
"Colour is no longer just a decorative choice. It has become a language of well-being that shapes atmosphere, influences emotion and creates homes that feel comforting every single day. Nature-inspired shades, from calming blues and greens to warm earthy tones, help create spaces that feel fresh, balanced and welcoming," Gaurav Jain, Founder and Creative Director of Orange Tree, a lifestyle brand known for its contemporary furniture, lighting and home décor collections.
How to use the biggest interior colour trends of 2026 at home
The easiest way to refresh your home is by introducing colours that work with your existing furniture instead of changing everything at once. These five shades can be added through sofas, accent chairs, lighting, cushions, artwork or decorative accessories to create a fresh seasonal update without overwhelming the space.
1. Warm neutrals create a calm foundation
Warm neutrals continue to be a favourite for modern homes. Shades like sand, oatmeal, taupe and creamy beige create bright, relaxed spaces that never feel dated. They also work beautifully as a base for stronger accent colours.
The trick is to layer different textures instead of sticking to a single finish. Soft throws, textured cushions, wooden furniture and statement lighting can add warmth and character while keeping the room light and inviting. A cream sofa paired with darker neutral seating and colourful accessories creates a balanced living room that feels comfortable and timeless.
2. Ocean blue brings a refreshing summer mood
Ocean blue is emerging as one of the defining shades for 2026. Inspired by the sea and open skies, this calming hue introduces freshness into living rooms, home offices and kitchens.
It pairs naturally with warm neutrals, crisp whites, rich jewel tones and wooden furniture. Used through a statement lamp, accent chair or decorative accessories, ocean blue creates interiors that feel peaceful while adding enough colour to make the room interesting.
3. Olive green adds nature-inspired warmth
Olive green continues to be a favourite for homeowners looking to bring the outdoors inside. Rich without feeling overpowering, this earthy shade works beautifully alongside wood, cane, metal and textured fabrics.
It can easily become the main colour in a room through a sofa or accent chair, or appear in smaller details such as side tables, lamps or décor pieces. The result is a relaxed space that feels fresh throughout the year.
4. Mustard yellow adds cheerful energy
Few colours can brighten a room as effortlessly as mustard yellow. It brings warmth and optimism without feeling loud, making it ideal for homes that need a little lift.
The key is to use it in small doses. A pouffe, pendant lamp, artwork or accent cushion can introduce enough colour to create a lively focal point. Against neutral walls or cooler shades, mustard yellow feels balanced while adding personality to the room.
5. Burnt orange creates warmth with character
Inspired by terracotta, sun-soaked landscapes and glowing summer evenings, burnt orange is making a strong return to contemporary interiors.
It works especially well as an accent colour through seating, lighting or decorative accessories. Paired with soft neutrals, it creates an inviting atmosphere filled with warmth. Combined with rich jewel tones, it adds depth and a dramatic finish without overpowering the room.
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The author of this article holds a Master's Degree in Interior Design and has spent over a decade in research, teaching, and designing homes from scratch.
Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, concerning the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
ABOUT THE AUTHORNeha KhandelwalNeha Khandelwal Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow. Career Journey & Experience Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences. A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism. Subject Expertise Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces. Education & Professional Background Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces. Editorial Philosophy "As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."Read More

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