Trends and opportunities shaping the decorative paints industry in 2025-26

The global decorative paints market is expected to grow between 3% and 4% until 2027.¹

Across all regions of the painting and coatings industry, the Asia-Pacific region is poised for the largest rate of growth, followed by the Middle East & Africa. 

Growth of the architectural paint market is a result of multiple shifts: expansion in the building sector, increased urbanisation, rising disposable income, and changing consumer aesthetic preferences.²

Digitalisation contributes to a major boost in online sales.² It grants customers easier access to a greater selection of paints, colour options, and expert advice. Customers are served an ever-evolving array of trends and convenient tools through an increasing number of online platforms, social media, virtual reality visualisers, and colour-matching capabilities. 

“VOC emissions” is a popular buzzword in the decorative paints industry, especially in the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions. Given the toxic nature of some VOCs, researchers continue to develop strategies to remove contaminants from the air, including the exploration of photocatalytic paints for air decontamination.³ They are also doing research to better understand emissions from dry and wet building materials in an effort to provide clear guidance for emission control.

While sustainability is a focus for all interior wall and façade paints, water-based paints play a key role. Water-based coatings are designed to eliminate VOCs and improve safety, which makes them beneficial for both the environment and people.⁵ 

Because of the impact on sustainability and safety, market agencies expect the water-based market to see compound annual growth rates of 4% in the coming years.⁶ 

Sustainability is a top trend for the coatings industry, and more specifically, for decorative paints. Research shows that 87% of consumers, especially those in the DIY sector, are urging brands to step up their efforts on sustainability.² More consumers are looking for formulations that minimise waste, eliminate harmful materials, and help reduce their carbon footprint. 

Improved performance through efficiency and smart functionality are a priority for consumers, as they look for paints that are easy to apply, stay freshlooking, and help with energy usage. Self-cleaning agents,³ such as hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings, as well as insulative paints,⁴ paints for solar reflectance,⁵ and antimicrobial paints,⁶ are key areas of focus for reduced maintenance and improved temperature regulation.

A. In the decorative paints sector, consumer awareness is particularly pronounced because—unlike other formulation areas that focus on industrial or professional applications—this sector caters significantly to the DIY market. Consumers have a direct influence in selecting particular products that can impact their well-being at home

A. Consumers have turned their attention to increased sustainability. I would categorise new development into two main aspects: the production process and the product life cycle. Within the Green & Circular megatrend, brands are working to reduce waste through closed-loop systems. The industry is still in the early stages of figuring out, for example, how to ensure that leftover paint goes through a reprocessing system, effectively becoming a material base for new products. As a part of the Healthy Future megatrend, heavy metals or solvents are being phased out of formulations.

A. I believe the influence of sustainability will become even more dominant. With consumer expectations rising, formulators of decorative paints must consistently embrace innovation, but now more than ever, aligning with sustainability is crucial to stand out from competitors. I also believe that a holistic approach can lead to an improved cost structure, especially regarding waste and disposal costs. This involves reducing or optimising the use of high-cost raw materials, which can result in an energy-efficient dispersing process.