For years, luxury interiors have leaned on a quiet palette of neutrals including creams, taupes, and soft grays to acheive a timeless elegance. But the design world is evolving. Today’s luxury isn’t defined by restraint alone; it’s about depth, storytelling, and the emotions a space evokes. At the forefront of this shift is a renewed embrace of color, where bold yet nuanced hues are transforming interiors into immersive experiences.
The Rise of Emotion-Driven Design
For me, as an Interior Designer and the founder of Manuella Moreira Interiors, luxury design has never been only about appearances. It’s about creating an experience. When I begin a project, my first question isn’t what should this room look like? but rather how should it feel to live here? Should the space evoke calm, spark energy, invite intimacy, or make a dramatic statement? That emotional foundation guides every decision that follows, and color is often the starting point.
Color has the power to shift how a space is perceived in ways that materials alone cannot. A carefully chosen palette can quiet the mind, spark conversation, or envelop someone in comfort the moment they walk in. In my work, I’ve seen how color creates an emotional undercurrent that shapes the entire atmosphere of a home. It’s not simply paint on the walls; it’s the lens through which people experience their environment.
Hidden Gem: A Smoky Jade for Modern Luxury
When I first worked with Behr’s 2026 Color of the Year Hidden Gem, I was struck by its complexity. This moody, smoky jade doesn’t sit quietly in the background; it carries both calm and sophistication, strength and subtlety. It’s the kind of color that immediately sets a tone of elegance while still leaving room for interpretation, which is what makes it so powerful in luxury interiors.
When I partnered with Behr to design the vignettes announcing the 2026 Color of the Year, I wanted to show how Hidden Gem could transform a space through contrast and layering. Pairing it with warm brass brought out its richness, while soft textures gave it an inviting depth. The result was an atmosphere that felt immersive and elevated; spaces that wrapped you in color and asked you to linger. To me, this is what modern luxury looks like: spaces that don’t just appear beautiful but invite you to feel their presence on an emotional level.
Composing Depth Through Layers
What makes Hidden Gem so compelling is its ability to shift and adapt depending on the elements that surround it.
With warm woods the hue radiates comfort, bringing forward its earthy undertones and creating a grounded, welcoming atmosphere.
With cool stone or marble it sharpens into a crisp, modern statement, offering sleek sophistication.
With metallics like brass or bronze it glows with quiet opulence, adding layers of richness and depth.
The beauty of Hidden Gem lies in this versatility. Through thoughtful combinations of finishes and textures, it can move fluidly between moods, grounded yet refined, dramatic yet serene. This adaptability elevates luxury interiors by adding nuance, dimension, and a sense of intentionality, transforming spaces into experiences that feel curated, layered, and deeply personal.
Sheen as a Design Decision
Beyond the choice of hue, the finish you select can completely transform how a color is perceived. Sheen doesn’t just affect light reflectivity, it shapes the mood, atmosphere, and function of a space.
A matte sheen transforms color into a refined backdrop, offering a sense of depth and tranquility. It’s ideal for bedrooms, studies, or any environment where calm is essential.
A high-gloss sheen amplifies color with luminous energy, catching light and adding dramatic dimension. In dining rooms, powder rooms, or entertaining spaces, it creates a bold and sophisticated statement that instantly elevates the atmosphere.
Sheen has the power to completely change the way a color is experienced. It allows me to move fluidly between subtlety and statement, tailoring not only the visual impression of a room but also the emotion it evokes.
A New Chapter for Luxury Interiors
As the world of luxury design continues to evolve, color has become more than an accent. It’s the foundation of atmosphere, emotion, and identity within a space. Neutrals will always have their place, but today’s interiors are defined by deeper, more expressive palettes that tell a story.
Hidden Gem exemplifies this shift, proving how a single hue can adapt, transform, and elevate depending on how it’s used. Through thoughtful layering of materials, attention to finish, and a clear vision of the feeling a space should evoke, color becomes the most powerful tool we have as designers.
For me, this is the new language of luxury: interiors that are not only visually stunning but also emotionally resonant. When thoughtfully applied, color becomes the most powerful tool to achieve this, allowing spaces to transcend aesthetics and become immersive reflections of how we want to live.
Colorfully yours,
Manuella Moreira
Want to know more about Manuella Moreira? Check out her web and social sites.
Website: Manuella Moreira Interiors
Instagram: @manuellamoreirainteriors
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