Soulful Sage serves as the centerpiece of the collection, supported by three additional color directions and a range of finishes, textures and coating effects.

Three Supporting Color Directions

The collection is organized around three color stories.

• Glow: To Warm the Heart combines warm tonal shades, light and soft metallic finishes with cooler sage tones.
• Pure: To Cleanse the Soul uses balanced neutrals intended to provide visual simplicity, openness and long-term appeal.
• Lift: To Spark the Spirit introduces botanical brights, pastels and energetic finishes for more expressive design applications.

Together, the palettes allow designers to interpret the central color across products, vehicles and interior environments.

Color, Texture and Effect Coatings

Soulful Sage can be translated into a range of coating finishes, including matte and high-gloss appearances, textured and soft-feel surfaces, metallic effects and coatings with pronounced reflections.

The collection was developed for automotive OEM design studios, concept development and custom refinishing, along with consumer electronics and aerospace cabin interiors.

AkzoNobel said the coatings incorporate tailored effects intended to provide depth, durability and visual movement.

"In an oversaturated world, it is time to reconnect with what makes us human, reclaim the meaning of life and let our spirits brighten," said Gareth Bryant, color design lead, Automotive and Specialty Coatings.

"Soulful Sage offers a pathway to healing, clarity and inspiration. It is a soft, ethereal tone that cleanses the soul and lifts the spirits. Associated with simplicity, tranquility, harmony, peace, positivity and elegance, it brings the 'Live Lightly' theme to life."

Growing Interest in Automotive Color

The release also points to increasing interest in chromatic automotive finishes.

AkzoNobel cited automotive color experts who identified green as a particularly dynamic color direction and reported that the share of colored automotive finishes has increased in recent years.

The company said the new collection responds to those developments by offering color and finish concepts that can be translated into different applications.

"With green's popularity on the rise, we are proud to offer Soulful Sage to the automotive value chain," said Rob Lagendijk, commercial marketing and product management director, Automotive and Specialty Coatings.

"Whether for a concept car or a custom refinish project, a consumer electronics product or an aerospace cabin interior, these new shades give our customers the confidence to define their own rhythm and style."

The collection follows other automotive color forecasts released for the 2026-2027 design cycle, including Surventis' first independent Automotive Color Trends collection.

Color trends influence pigment selection, coating effects, appearance specifications and future automotive design requirements. Follow PCI's special purpose coatings coverage.