AkzoNobel to Unveil Latest Coatings Innovations, Color Trends at High Point Market 2025

Experts from the AkzoNobel Global Color and Design team will be showcasing the latest color trends and coating innovations at the Spring 2025 International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC, this month.

Furniture manufacturers, designers and specifiers will be able to gain insights into the exciting technologies and emerging styles that will be shaping the furniture industry over the next 12 months.

The Global Color and Design team collaborates with furniture designers and architects to interpret how fashion and lifestyle trends influence colors and effects in paints and coatings. During the High Point Market, which takes place April 26-30, AkzoNobel experts will share their research on the color and design influences which are driving the home furnishings sector in 2025.

AkzoNobel’s wood design specialists will also showcase how the company’s technical innovations in coatings technology are enabling furniture manufacturers to achieve new effects, enhance durability, and meet increasing demands for sustainable solutions.

“Color does more than enhance our furnishings; it shapes our emotional response to our living spaces,” explains Bryan Hodges, color and design manager, Wood Finishes, AkzoNobel. “By sharing our extensive research on colors, textures, and finishes, we help our customers create products that resonate with consumers who are seeking to express their unique identities through their home environments.”

A central focus at this year’s market will be AkzoNobel’s Color of the Year 2025, True Joy, a sunny yellow shade designed to fill homes with optimism and vibrant energy. This cheerful hue reflects global trends indicating that consumers are ready to make a joyful leap into the unknown, celebrate craftsmanship, and embrace their authentic selves.

“In this rapidly changing world, the True Joy Color of the Year 2025 offers a perfect counterbalance to uncertainty,” says Heleen van Gent, creative director of The AkzoNobel Global Aesthetic Center. “With our Color of the Year and ColorFutures™ 2025 palettes, we’re inviting designers and manufacturers to help consumers celebrate their roots and creativity while embracing the optimism of moving forward.”

To bring the True Joy™ color to life in real-world applications for furniture, flooring, cabinetry and building products, AkzoNobel has created three distinctive color palettes, all inspired by the themes of adventure, creativity, and identity:
• Bold – an adventurous color story that encourages leaving comfort zones with bright and uplifting combinations.
• Human – a creative color palette that celebrates craftsmanship and brings unique handmade elements into the home.
• Proud – a confident color story that invites consumers to embrace their identity and create spaces as unique as they are.

Market attendees will have the opportunity to see these colors applied to various wood substrates and finishes, demonstrating how different techniques and applications can transform the appearance and feel of furniture pieces.

“The Color of the Year 2025 and its complementary palettes provide an essential resource for manufacturers looking to differentiate their projects with on-trend wood coatings,” added Hodges. “For consumers, these palettes make it easier to select colors and combinations that reflect current preferences while maintaining a timeless appeal.”