"Horizon" is the Color of the Year 2026 from Impress Decor

Impress Decor, a reference in the development and production of decorative surfaces for the panel, furniture and flooring industry, reveals the Color of the Year 2026: Horizon. This year, Impress takes an unprecedented step in its history by launching the first Color of the Year conceived at a global level. The process, which until then was conducted by the Brazilian team since 2018, gained new scale with the participation of professionals from all countries where the company operates. The result is a color that translates the plurality of perspectives and sensibilities: a synthesis between distinct cultures, but united by the same desire to understand the present and project the future.

“Change is the only constant. It challenges us, inspires us and opens doors to new possibilities. It's the spark behind every bold idea, every new perspective, every reinvention," states Sascha Kostros, Global Head of Decor Management at Impress. "Guided by this energy, our team of designers came together to define the Color of the Year 2026: a symbol of innovation, transformation and infinite possibilities."

This broadening of perspective reflects a moment of creative maturity for Impress Decor: design becomes a way of thinking about the time we live in. Horizon is born, therefore, from a process of listening and connection, in which designers from Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, China, Turkey, United States, Colombia and Brazil shared diverse perceptions, contexts and realities and, even so, arrived at the same essential feeling: that of a world in constant transformation, seeking new points of balance. "It was very interesting to transform a process from Brazil into a collective creation, with several designers from different cultures and worldviews. Some more practical, others more poetic, but all aligned with local and global events," states Jessica Hori, Product and Marketing Manager at Impress Decor Brasil. "This exchange brought new perspectives on how each country views time and the role of design in interpreting social transformations, reinforcing the collective and contemporary character of the creation," comments Luiz Gorgen, Designer from Impress's Brazil team.

Horizon is the color that is born at the meeting point between sky and sea, where the visible mixes with the imaginary. Balanced between green and blue, it translates the movement and depth of a time that calls for pause and attention. It is a threshold tone, between the natural and the technological, the human and the mineral, like the horizon itself, a point where reality dissolves into the imaginary. Its hybrid nature reflects the spirit of the times, in which boundaries become porous and the essential becomes confused with the ephemeral. "For the creation of this color, we sought some references in elements of nature, where we don't always find pure colors. When we look, for example, at the leaves of some plants, at certain birds and, mainly, at the sea, we perceive this hybrid tone — a combination of green and blue that varies greatly according to the incidence of light," explains Adelita Lenartowski, Designer from Impress's Brazil team.

From a technical point of view, Horizon was designed to be malleable and integrative. Its balance between cool and neutral pigments provides a solid foundation, capable of dialoguing with a wide range of materials, from natural wood to brushed metals, from light marbles to textile fibers. Its surface carries a tactile density, which invites touch and attentive gaze, enhancing the use of matte finishes, micro-textures and subtle veins that reinforce the sensation of naturalness. "The color proposes an experience of visual continuity: instead of creating abrupt contrasts, it unifies and expands, functioning as a backdrop that sustains contemporary design. It is a color that articulates with different geographies and cultures, maintaining coherence between the essential and the innovative, "says Luiz Gorgen. “The beautiful thing about Horizon is that it doesn't belong in one place. It is a color that speaks many languages, but maintains a single essence. It represents the collective perspective of Impress, which understands design as a bridge between cultures and emotions.”

Horizon is a color that symbolizes crossing, translating the willingness to move forward, even in the face of uncertainties. It is not a color of conclusion, but of continuous discovery. It represents the moment when design begins to breathe again, to reconnect with the human and nature. In a time when the path seems unstable, Horizon offers an anchoring point: the balance between contemplation and movement, a way to continue navigating with purpose and clarity.