Incorporating color into an antique modern home is all about striking a balance between history and fresh perspective. This year’s color trends—ranging from warm browns and soft pastels to deep greens and unexpected pops of red—are perfectly suited to homes that embrace the charm of the past while remaining firmly rooted in modern living. Let’s dive into how to use these 2025 colors in a way that honors the timelessness of historical interiors while making them feel fresh and livable today.

Setting the Foundation with Timeless Neutrals

The backbone of any well-designed antique modern home is a thoughtful neutral base. This year’s selection of whites and beiges—like Glacier White, Alpine Oat, Snowbound, Nomadic Desert, and Stucco—offer a range of cool and warm options to complement both light and dark wood tones.

Crisp, Cool Whites: Use Glacier White or Snowbound for a fresh, slightly cool-toned backdrop that pairs beautifully with painted millwork or plaster walls.

Warm Neutrals: Alpine Oat, Nomadic Desert, and Stucco provide a softer, warmer alternative—perfect for creating a cozy, inviting space that highlights the patina of antique furniture. Think: Nancy Meyers coastal grandmother living room lit by soft lamp lighting.

Layering Neutrals: Consider mixing a warm white like Alpine Oat on the walls with Nomadic Desert or Stucco on trim or cabinetry for a subtle contrast that adds depth while maintaining cohesion.

Building Depth with Earthy and Historic Colors

Antique homes often feature colors rooted in nature, from rich browns to soft greens and blues. The 2025 palette includes stunning earthy tones that feel both historical and completely on-trend.

Rich Browns for Warmth and Character: Shades like Leather Saddle Brown, Chowning’s Tan, and Mocha Mousse evoke the warmth of aged leather and antique pine furniture. These work beautifully for kitchen cabinetry, wainscoting, or even a moody library.

Greens for a Natural Touch: Ashwood Moss, Rosepine, Paris Rain, Quietude, and Rocky River all offer variations of green that can complement antique decor. Use Paris Rain or Quietude for a soft, peaceful bedroom wall color, while Rocky River or Ashwood Moss make stunning accent colors in a study or built-in bookshelves.

Deep Blues for Timeless Elegance: Stained Glass and Delft recall traditional European interiors, especially when paired with rich wood accents and vintage brass fixtures. Try Delft in a butler’s pantry or laundry room for a classic yet unexpected pop of color.

Adding Charm with Pastels and Unexpected Hues

While historical homes often feature rich, deep hues, pastels have long been a part of traditional interiors, from faded wallpapers to painted furniture. This year’s softer colors—Tissue Pink, Cinnamon Slate, and Convivial Yellow—fit beautifully into a layered antique modern aesthetic.

Soft, Muted Pinks: Tissue Pink adds a touch of femininity and warmth without feeling overly sweet. It’s perfect for an accent wall in a dressing room, a powder room, or even the inside of a china cabinet.

Dusty Lavender Greys: Cinnamon Slate is a unique cool-toned neutral with a hint of purple that works well in spaces where you want a hint of color without overpowering the room.

Warm, Subtle Yellows: Convivial Yellow and Sequin are lovely for a sunroom or breakfast nook, adding a gentle glow to morning light.

Embracing Bold Accents for a Fresh Perspective

One of the easiest ways to keep an antique home feeling modern is by adding an element of surprise. The Unexpected Red Theory has been making waves in interior design, and Cherry Red is a fantastic way to bring it to life.

Cherry Red: Whether on a single piece of furniture, a kitchen island, or even inside a closet or bookshelf, this classic red instantly enlivens a space while maintaining a traditional feel.

Butter Yellow: This cheerful hue (also Kitchenaid’s Color of the Year) is perfect for a vintage-inspired kitchen or as an accent color in textiles like curtains or upholstery.

Aura Indigo: While this bold purple-blue might seem like an outlier in an antique-inspired palette, it can bring a playful, slightly unexpected note to a space, particularly when paired with floral prints or layered with classic blues.

Mixing and Matching for a Cohesive Antique Modern Look

The key to making this palette work in your home is thoughtful layering. Here are a few foolproof ways to mix and match colors while keeping things harmonious:

Pair Warm and Cool Neutrals: If your home has warm wood tones, contrast them with a cool white like Glacier White. If you have cooler stone elements, bring in warmth with Alpine Oat or Stucco.

Balance Bold Colors with Subdued Hues: If you love Cherry Red but don’t want it to overwhelm a space, pair it with neutral walls and accents in Chowning’s Tan or Mocha Mousse.

Play with Contrasts in Trim and Millwork: Try painting interior doors in Rocky River or Ashwood Moss against a soft neutral wall like Paris Rain for a historical yet fresh contrast.

Use Multiple Shades of a Single Color: Combining Rosepine, Quietude, and Paris Rain creates a nuanced green palette that feels cohesive without being one-note.

The 2025 color trends are tailor-made for antique modern homes, offering a mix of timeless, nature-inspired hues and a few unexpected pops of color to keep things feeling fresh. Whether you lean into warm earth tones, soft pastels, or bold statement colors, this palette offers endless possibilities for layering colors in a way that feels both rooted in history and excitingly new.

By incorporating these shades with care—balancing bold and soft, warm and cool—you can create a home that feels curated, collected, and uniquely yours. And if one of these colors speaks to you, don’t be afraid to take the plunge—after all, history has shown us that the most timeless interiors are the ones that embrace a little bit of the unexpected.